The Japanese auto major, Toyota has had a successful career in the automotive market of India with its cars being appreciated and purchased by a large number of buyers. However, the company has sensed a major void, which was prolonging in its portfolio since a long time. In a bid to bridge down the gap between its entry-level and premium sedan segment, the company has decided to mark the advent of its new car. The Indian market might witness the arrival of the company's new mid-range sedan, Toyota Vios, by the year 2015. Such a declaration has brought a glee on the faces of the company's widespread fan base. The Toyota Vios is currently being sold in the Thailand automobile market as a sedan alternative for its model Toyota Yaris.
The all new mid-range sedan from Toyota follows the company's latest design philosophy, which has also been implemented in the new-generation Toyota Corolla. From the looks of it, Toyota Vios showcases hints of its elder sibling sedan but is overall expected to be reduced in dimensions. The Toyota Vios being sold in the Asian market is incorporated with a robust 1.5-litre 4-cylinder in-line DOHC petrol engine with VVT-i technology. The sturdy mill has the ability to churn a power output of almost 108 bhp with a peak torque of almost 142 Nm. The engine is coupled to a standard 5-speed manual gearbox with the option of a 4-speed automatic transmission with Super ECT Gate Shifter technique.
The outlooks of the car are enhanced by fine chrome garnishing at the front grille, which is adjoined by smoked-halogen headlamp cluster on each side. The side cues of the sedan look flamboyant and help in giving an overall rich look to the vehicle. At the inside, features of power steering, tilt-adjustable steering column and a multimedia unit are given as standard. However, the top-end variants of the sedan are also equipped with retractable ORVMs, steering mounted consoles, remote trunk release, foldable rear seats and multi-info display. The safety aspects of the car are strengthened by features of Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA), SRS airbags and 3-point seatbelt.
The Indian market will be witnessing hordes of cars being released in the upcoming time. However, audiences will be eagerly awaiting for the arrival of Toyota Vios owing to the company's reputation as a reliable and revolutionary auto brand of the nation. Experts suggest that after arrival, this mid-range sedan will be kept within the price bracket of Rs. 7 lakh – 11 lakh. In such a range, it will be directly competing against the likes of Honda City, Skoda Rapid, Volkswagen Vento and Hyundai Verna Fluidic. Although there are some tough competitors in the segment, Toyota Vios can certainly prove to be a game changer for the company.
