In Southeast Asian regions like the Philippines, the Vios is Toyota’s long-standing contender in the hotly contested subcompact sedan market. Valued for its affordability, features, and the reliability that’s associated with the Japanese car brand, the Vios has been maintaining its position at the top of the charts against the likes of the Honda City and the Mitsubishi Mirage G4.
In its nearly two decades of existence, the Toyota Vios has come a long way, including reaching its fourth generation, right in the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic. But there’s one thing the Vios hasn’t been able to achieve yet – its adaptation to electrification. That, however, changes now.
Recently, Toyota launched its first-ever Toyota Vios hybrid in Thailand. Known there as the Toyota Yaris ATIV HEV, this new chapter in the Vios’s life promises a wider horizon, prolonging its competitive edge in the market in the years to come.
The Toyota Vios hybrid shares the same powertrain as the Toyota Yaris Cross. With this in mind, the hybrid subcompact sedan also comes with a 1.5-liter engine and an electric motor that’s powered by a lithium-ion battery. And just like the Yaris Cross, the Vios HEV also delivers 111 hp, which the driver controls via CVT. Although Toyota Thailand didn’t say anything regarding torque figures, the Toyota Yaris Cross makes 121 Nm, which may be the same output for the Vios hybrid. Toyota claims that the Vios HEV registers a fuel economy of 29.4 km/L based on UN-standard lab tests.
The Thailand-spec Toyota Vios hybrid comes in two variants based on its fourth-generation platform – the Vios HEV Premium and the Vios HEV GR Sport.
The HEV Premium variant features a dark chrome upper grille, metallic grey lower grille, and redesigned 16-inch alloy wheels. The interior, meanwhile, offers such things as a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charger, ambient lighting, and automatic climate control with rear vents, among others.
The Vios hybrid GR Sport, on the other hand, comes with an assortment of racing-inspired things from Toyota’s GR (Gazoo Racing) department. These include a GR-branded grille, integrated into a redesigned bumper, that takes styling points from the Toyota GR Yaris high-performance hatchback. A full GR Sport bodykit wraps around the car, and is finished with details such as a set of sportier 17-inch wheels, and blacked out roof and side mirrors. Inside the Vios HEV GR Sport are GR-branded synthetic leather seats and an improved audio system with six speakers.
As a top-tier variant, the Toyota Vios hybrid GR Sport rides with a retuned suspension and power steering to reflect Toyota’s racing DNA.
Toyota Thailand prices the Vios hybrid Premium at 729,000 Thai baht or around P1,273,314 in today’s exchange rate. Meanwhile, the Toyota Vios HEV GR Sport is priced at 779,000 Thai baht or roughly P1,360,647.
With the launch of the Toyota Vios hybrid in Thailand, it’s possible that Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) will follow suit, although TMP has yet to mention its plans for the currently existing Philippine-spec Vios’ future. To date, TMP is still selling the facelifted third-generation Vios.
Will TMP bring in the hybrid version to officially start the ball rolling for the Vios’ fourth generation in the Philippines? Or better yet, when will it?
