Toyota Unveils 2006 Vios

Since its Britney Spears-spearheaded launch in mid-2003, the Toyota Vios has been the undisputed leader in its class in the country, grabbing as much as 48% of its market to the tune of over 700 units in the first eight months of this year alone, thanks to an unbeatable combination of style, a fun-to-drive character, excellent fuel economy, admirable build quality, and high value for money.

But if you thought that Toyota was busy resting on its laurels, think again. Because it just unveiled the 2006 model of the Vios and it sports several upgrades and more features to cement its market domination. At first glance it may look very similar to the 2005 model — perhaps Toyota subscribes to the saying "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" — but the changes are there and they are not inconsequential.

On the outside, the front grille flaunts a new flat-mesh design with a more prominent and luxurious chrome trim for an elegant yet sporty look. There is also a new pair of headlamps that combine with the newly repositioned turn signal lamps and new round-design foglamps to freshen up the ‘06 Toyota Vios’s visage. An all-new front bumper with blacked out European-style air intakes caps off the new face of this compact sedan.

Also new are bigger and stylish new 7-spoke 15-inch alloy wheels and wider low-profile rubber in a 185-60R15 size that not only give the top-of-the-line Vios 1.5G a sportier look, but also enhance its cornering capabilities on the road. Not to be left out, the Vios 1.3E variant has also been endowed with new 8-spoke 14-inch alloy wheels.

New chrome strips on the doors’ side mouldings add a touch of subtle elegance while protecting the door-sides from dents and scratches. The new Vios also benefits from side turn signal lamps that have been added to the front fenders.

The sporty look of the high rear deck with its pinched spoiler-like edge gets an even more contemporary feel thanks to a new rear combination lamp design with a unique 3D Reflex Reflector that makes it much more visible to motorists driving behind it.

Inside, the new Vios sports plush new seat fabric material with new colors, a driver’s seat with a height adjuster, a console box with lid and a front passenger seat undertray for extra storage.

Audiophiles will revel in the superb sound from the Vios 1.5G’s new Fujitsu-Ten 2-DIN audio system that plays CDs and MP3s. The new Vios also benefits from a new Euro-style short-mast antenna that provides crystal-clear reception of FM and AM radio stations.

One aspect of the new Vios that its driver will truly appreciate is the new color shade in the 1.5G’s digital instrument cluster display that further enhances legibility of its already easy-to-read center-mounted gauges. Even the 1.3 variants undergo the same enhancement, thanks to redesigned faces on its analog instrument panel.

A new addition to the Vios is a driver-side airbag for all the models including the entry-level J variant. This complements the list of safety features like the Global Outstanding Assessment, ABS-equipped brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, a reinforced cabin with side-impact beams, head-impact protection, whiplash injury-lessening seats, and front and rear 3-point ELR seatbelts.

For greater security, the Toyota Vehicle Security System or TVSS, which works with a keyless entry system, has been combined with an illuminated entry system that lights up the cabin when you unlock the doors. These are all now standard across the model range.

Carried over are the two current Vios engines: a strong yet fuel-efficient 1.5-liter motor generating 107 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 142 Newton-meters of torque at 4200 rpm and an economical yet peppy 1.3-liter engine with 85 hp at 6000 rpm and 122 N-m of torque at 4400 rpm. Both feature Toyota’s Variable Valve Timing-intelligent or VVT-i technology.

These engines deliver their power either through an electronic 4-speed automatic transmission with ECT available in the Vios 1.5G or via slick-shifting five-speed manual transmission in the 1.5G and in all the 1.3 variants.

The nimble handling and supple ride that has endeared the Vios to all its owners is very much intact in the 2006 edition. Credit goes to the intelligently designed front MacPherson struts with stabilizer and the rear ETA beam suspension which also benefits from a stabilizer for flatter, more stable cornering.

The 2006 Toyota Vios comes in six new colors: Silver Steel, Rave Blue, Xtreme Black, Blaze, and Subtle Gold. Prices of the 2006 Vios starts at P543,000 for the entry-level 1.3J M/T and tops out at P708,000 for the top-of-the-line 1.5G A/T. (The other two models are the 1.3E M/T at P603,000 and P1.5G M/T at P673,000.)