The Happy Little car

MANILA, Philippines - Who would have thought that such a small and unassuming car would enjoy the following that it has today? When an economy car enjoys its own car club, not to mention consistently strong sales since the day it rolled off the showroom floor, that should tell you something about its intrinsic appeal.

For 2010, global giant Toyota Motors unveiled the latest iteration of the subcompact Vios, and while it’s not a completely new design, the improvements are worthwhile and welcome.

The most obvious change has to do with the front clip, now sporting a chrome grille with four horizontal slats and a more sculpted bumper with prominent character lines around the foglamps to give it a familial look with the Altis. The profile is essentially the same, but the side mirrors now sport turn signal repeater lamps, and the 15-inch alloy wheels on the 1.5-liter variants use an elegant multi-spoke pattern. At the back, the trunk lid has a redesigned license plate garnish with chrome accents, and the redesigned rear combination lamps positively sparkle at night.

Inside, the Vios’ plastics-dominated cabin still says “economy car”, yet some details do a good job of raising the ambiance. The center console is now rendered in “Piano Black” and has chrome accents, and the steering wheel has a semi-flat lower rim for an F1-like look. It even has those integrated audio controls, a feature that seems useless since the stereo is just an easy reach from the wheel, but it’s something that’s much appreciated when you’re driving fast and need to keep your eyes on the road.

The seats are also wrapped in an expensive-feeling moquette fabric, and a nice touch is that the front seatback has an integrated hook to hold up any loose items.

One of the nicer features about the Spartan-esque cockpit is the profusion of pockets and cubbyholes, and the 2010 model wisely retains those items. The dashboard has two lidded cupholders at the corners aside from those between the seats, and there are pockets under the dash and beside the center console. Unfortunately, the rear seatback is still the fixed type, so there’s no way to expand the cargo capacity. Still, the trunk should be spacious enough for youthful types who don’t plan to transport anything overly bulky.

Designed with the Apple generation in mind, the Vios cockpit includes an AUX port and an auto leveling feature for the stereo.

As before, the Toyota Vios is available in 1.3- and 1.5-liter engine displacements, but new for this model year is the option of a 4-speed automatic with the 1.3-liter. The 1.3-liter “J” variant is rated at 85 HP at 6,000 RPM and 12.2 kg-m of torque at 4,000 RPM. While it’s not a lot, the engine is a modern design with twin cams, 16 valves, and variable valve timing and has a reputation for thriftiness.

The 1.5-liter “G” is rated at 107 HP at 6,000 RPM and 14.2 kg-m of torque at 2,000 RPM; enough to provide a modestly “sporty” feel, and still reasonably thrifty. By this writer’s experience a 1.5-liter with the automatic and driven with a lead foot still yielded an impressie 10+ kpl in city driving. The 5-speed manual transmission should be seriously considered by those who’d like to extract the most performance from either engine displacement. It has a light clutch that’s easy to modulate, and the slightly notchy feel of the shifter makes it a pleasure to row.

The Vios continues to use its proven suspension of front McPherson struts and a rear torsion beam. It has a somewhat firm feel on the road that can feel a tad harsh on badly paved roads, but it does feel durable and nimble, making the Vios a fun point-and-shoot kind of runabout. With a tight turning radius of just 4.9 meters, the Vios is remarkably adept at making quick U-turns and 3-point parking maneuvers, making it a boon to drive in congested areas.

On the safety front, the “G” variants get all-disk brakes while the entry-level “J” and “E” get more a more basic disk-drum setup. Antilock Braking System is standard on the “G” and “E”. Seatbelt pretensioners are standard on all variants, and so is a Driver’s Side Airbag. For the “G” variant there is an additional front passenger airbag.

Pricing for the Vios is still competitive, although it’s somewhat disconcerting to realize that even a subcompact car like this Toyota can no longer be dismissed as “cheap”. The 1.3-liter J with the 5-speed manual transmission is now priced at P599,000, while the top-of-the-line 1.5 G with the 4-speed automatic is now priced at P810,000. Then again, few small cars are as fun to drive as the Vios.