Tuesday 23 October 2007

12minutes in a New Toyota Vios 1.5G!

By Dr Long

Click on images to enlarge


I am not going to pretend like this is a test review of the new Toyota Vios because it isn’t, for the 12 minutes spent on-the-road is very brief. After a really short round in the driver’s seat this is what I can say:

1) The engine is sprightly for a 1.5L N/A unit but still sounded coarse towards 4000-5000rpm (noisy air induction), something I hoped would've been dampened out with this new generation

2) Ride is pretty soft, smooth and comfortable

3) Interior is better looking than its predecessor, centre-position meters’ housing being slimmer and wider now, hence less of an eye-sore. Two-tone interiors airy and classier to a certain extent

4) Steering, being an electric-powered unit is light

5) Front seats thigh support ‘lengthier’ now

6) Rear cabin space is appreciably more generous as well

7) Chromed outer door handles are strangely missing on the 1.5G, even absent on the ‘top-spec’ 1.5S!

8) The new Vios E's alloy rims are hideous half-baked items (vs the E-spec predecessor)






For those looking for a good, reputable, modern, no-frills and economical-to-run sedan now - or in 2008 - look no further if your budget is less than RM90k and you must have a brand-new unit. A word of advice though, you can skip the 1.5S, save that few grand by settling for 1.5G. It’s good enough for all practical reasons!

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