The Toyota Vios (Yaris Ativ in Thailand) is the undoubted king of the Automotive landscape of the Philippines. Its popularity has seemingly transcended trends, changing consumer behaviors and much more.
The current generation has been around for quite some time now, with Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) hinting at the replacement being launched soon. Currently, in other parts of South East Asia the newest generation has already been on sale for 2-3 years, in the form of the Yaris Ativ, interestingly, the Ativ just received a major update, one that could probably make its way here during the official launch.
Toyota Vios (Yaris Ativ) Hybrid
Just a few days ago, Toyota just launched the Yaris Ativ HEV, which is actually the first ever electrified Vios (Yaris Ativ) in its entire history. This move was likely done to curb the effects the competition has been offering.
So what does the Yaris Ativ HEV have to offer? Well the powertrain is a carryover from the Yaris Cross HEV, which isn’t surprising considering both models are made by the Toyota-Daihatsu partnership. It is a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine that is complemented by a lithium-ion battery pack and 1 compact electric motor; the transmission is an e-CVT unit specifically made for hybrid powertrains. It makes 109 hp and 141 Nm of torque. The interesting part is that the brand claims a fuel mileage of around 29.4 km/l, which is impressive if true.
Taking a look at what else the Yaris Ativ HEV has to offer, it comes in 2 variants in Thailand; namely the HEV Premium and the HEV GR Sport. Furthermore the GR Sport is effectively the new range topping model, taking cues from the Corolla Altis lineup. Key differences? for those looking for a more sublte look can opt for the HEV Premium, while the sporty at heart can go for the more aggressive looking GR Sport HEV.
Inside bot variants of the Yaris Ativ retain the key interior features and designs that area already present apart from some trim differences. In terms of safety, Toyota has always prioritized it, so the HEV models are equipped with Toyota Safety Sense like adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and many more.
As mentioned, the Toyota Yaris Ativ HEV (Vios) was launched in Thailand, and no definite date has been given nor announced for the Philippine launch. However, with the Vios needing an update, we expect the all-new model to hit our shores soon, hopefully before the year ends.