New Vios: more roomy, more comfortable

Toyota’s popular Vios sedan has been on the road for 16 years, so you can say that the fourth-generation subcompact has somewhat entered adulthood.

Launched back in 1997 as the Soluna, the subcompact first went through a major change in 2002 (and was called the Soluna Vios); later, the third-generation model was introduced in 2007. Up to date more than 640,000 of the cars have been sold, making it the most popular Toyota car in Thailand.

The dimensions of the new Vios have increased compared to its predecessor, with its length going up by 110mm and height rising by 15mm to 1,475mm. This means there's more interior space for both front and rear occupants in terms of headroom and amazing legroom. But there is little storage space for gadgets, especially at the centre tunnel area.The new Vios is more aggressive-looking than the model it has replaced, with muscular waistlines and a more serious-looking front end. At the rear are two large multi-reflector tail lights that remind you of the new Lexus IS 250.

The interior design is excellent, with a super-sporty multi-function steering wheel next to a stylish console that looks like it has been wrapped in leather and stitched. But touch it and you’ll discover that it’s a clever illusion. The console is actually made from hard plastic that doesn’t really appeal to someone looking for a soft, genuine leather feel.A major change here is the location of the fascia, which has been moved back to the driver’s side compared to the location above the centre air vents in the previous model. Apart from the usual readings, including the Multi Information Display (MID), there is an “Eco” light that guides you to drive more economically.

The climate control is fully automatic, and the audio system features USB and AUX inputs, which have now become outdated as most people with mobile phones these days prefer a Bluetooth connection for streaming music or making hands-free phone calls.The seats are another big improvement over the old model. They are supportive and keep you nicely in place during hard cornering.

But hard cornering may not be what the new Vios would like to excel in.The suspension, which is carried over from the previous model, has been re-tuned for increased ride comfort. While road vibrations and noise are noticeably lower in the new model, the Vios isn’t the type of car you would want to throw into corners at high speed, even with the addition of a rear stabiliser.

The steering ratio has been widened dramatically. This means that there is considerable slack in the centre, and you won’t get a sharp steering response like in sporty subcompacts such as the Ford Fiesta, which remains the best in handling in this segment. 

Toyota engineers say that the new Vios is intended to offer a higher level of refinement and comfort, and I can fully understand that. Toyota’s eco-car, to be introduced later this year, could actually replace the Vios as a fun-to-drive model.

But cabin comfort in the latest Vios is great, and the interior is also much quieter with lower wind noise than the previous model. 

Power comes from the 1NZ-FE 1.5-litre engine that was first introduced in the Soluna Vios 11 years ago. It produces the same amount of power and torque (109ps and 141Nm), but has been tweaked to pass EURO 4 emission levels.

As for the throttle response, it is slower than the older model, but in general the engine feels just the same.

I asked a Toyota engineer whether this engine is capable of being tweaked even further to pass stricter emission levels, and the answer was yes. Toyota, in fact, has already got this engine to pass the EURO 5 emissions, so I guess it will be here to stay for a long time to come, just like the highly popular Toyota 4A engine of the past, which remained in production for almost 20 years (1980-1998).

Owning a Soluna Vios myself, I must admit that the 1NZ is a hell of an engine. Despite being submerged in water by my former spouse during a bizarre accident, and missing scheduled engine-oil changes on a regular basis, the car has never broken down. After the accident, the mechanic simply disassembled the engine, cleaned it up, and put it back together without any repairs, except for a simple gasket replacement! The 4-speed automatic transmission is carried over as well, but both the engine and gearbox mapping have been redone to offer lower fuel consumption and emissions. The engine doesn’t rev up as quickly and the gear-change isn’t as aggressive, reflecting a more mature character.Acceleration from 0-100km/h takes 11.4 seconds and the top speed is claimed to be 179km/h. Meanwhile, Toyota says the average fuel economy is roughly 16km/litre, which might be rather difficult to achieve in real-life driving.

In order to ensure good fuel economy, Toyota has introduced several solutions in the new Vios, including a “catamaran” roof styling that improves airflow, as well as fins on the side-view mirrors and a cover beneath the engine to maintain good airflow under the car. Body rigidity has also been improved, thanks to special braces applied to several crucial areas.The brakes, four-wheel discs with Brake Assist, also come with improvements particularly with brake booster control.

As I mentioned earlier, the Vios has matured to the extent that it has become larger and more comfortable to ride in. Although the engine, gearbox and suspension have been carried over from the previous model to save costs, and the car is less fun to drive, the new package is still competitive, especially with the Toyota badge stuck on it. If you don’t believe me just wait and see how many of them are going to be sold this year.

 

 

TOYOTA VIOS 1.5 S SPECS

Engine: 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve VVT-i

Displacement: 1,497cc

Bore and stroke: 75.0x84.7

Compression ratio: 10.5:1

Max power: 109ps/6,000rpm

Max torque: 141Nm/4,200rpm

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

Ratios: 2.847/1.552/1.000/0.700

0-100km/h: 11.4 seconds

Top speed: 179km/h

Average fuel economy: 16.1km/litre

Suspension (f/r): McPherson strut, stabiliser/torsion beam, coil spring, stabiliser

Steering: Electrically powered rack-and-pinion

Turning circle: 10.4 metres

Brakes (f/r): vented disc/disc with ABS, EBD and BA

Dimensions (mm)

Length: 4,410

Width: 1,700

Height: 1,475

Wheelbase: 2,550

Track (f/r): 1,455/1,445

Weight (kgs): 1,075

Wheels: 16-inch alloy

Tyres: 195/50R16

Fuel tank capacity: 42 litres 

Price: Bt734,000

Distributor: Toyota Motor Thailand