Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Toyota Wigo and the Toyota Vios

By: Ricardo S. Lazo for Automart.PH

The most popular and affordable cars in the Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) lineup are the Wigo and the Vios. These rose to popularity as they are considered to be "practicars."

Now, let us look at a short overview of these two cars before moving on to fun things and trivia about them.

Overview

The Wigo is powered by a 1.0L 3-cylinder engine making 65 PS and 89 Nm of torque. It is fuel efficient and delivers 10.7 Km/L in the city and 24 Km/L on the highway. The Wigo comes in 6 colors and 4 variants: TRD S A/T, VVT-i G A/T, VVT-i G M/T, and VVT-i E M/T. Base price starts at P573,000, and the top trim comes in at P705,000.

The Toyota Vios offers two engine options: a 1.3L and a 1.5L engine, both of which are gasoline. The 1.3L makes 99 PS and 123 Nm torque while the 1.5L delivers 107 PS and 123 Nm torque. The Vios has 10 variants (including a GR-S model) with transmission options for both CVT and a 5-speed M/T. In the city, the Vios returns about 8 Km/L, and 22 Km/L on the highway. Base price starts at 686,000, and the top trim comes in at P1,035,000.

Things you didn't know about

The Wigo was launched in 2014 under TMP. The Wigo is not originally a Toyota to the core but a surrogate of Daihatsu. In 1967, Toyota was an important stakeholder in Daihatsu. In 1995, Toyota’s share increased to 33.4%. By 2016, Daihatsu was completely under Toyota Corporation. The Wigo is a better-selling car. Here are some of the things you probably didn't know about the Wigo.

Toyota Wigo

1. The Wigo was introduced in the Philippines to compete with the Mitsubishi Mirage.
2. In Indonesia and Vietnam, the Wigo has a 1.2L 4-cylinder with 87 PS and 77 Nm torque.
3. The Wigo became popular after the commercial endorsement by Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz in 2017, with  background music of the Eraserhead's hit entitled "Overdrive."
4. According to Toyota, "the median age of the typical Wigo buyer is 35, and 65% are married."
5. The Wigo is not originally a Toyota to the core but a surrogate of Daihatsu, being originally called the Daihatsu Ayla. It has many other names such as  Toyota Ayga in Indonesia, and Perodua Axia in Malaysia. The name Wigo is referred only to Brunei, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.
6. The Wigo was launched at the 2012 motor show in Indonesia and in 2013 in the Philippines.
7. The Wigo’s small engine can bring you from Point A to Point B without any hassle.
8. Yes, it can climb Baguio.

Toyota Vios

1. The Vios was introduced to replace lower-spec cars such as the Tercel, and the rapidly growing (dimensionally and price-wise) Corolla.
2. The Vios was a success overtaking the Corolla Altis as a best-selling sedan.
3. The third-generation Vios is reminiscent of the Chinese market model called "Yaris L". The Yaris in the Philippines refers to a hatchback.
4. The second generation debuted in 2007 and was remodelled in 2013. The third-generation models from 2013-2017 look different but is "just the same car underneath". The post-2017 models have updated engines and new transmission options.
5. The Vios was designed to meet the "economical sedan needs'' of consumers in Asia and the Pacific.
6. In the Philippines, TMP holds an auto racing event annually under the name "Vios Cup".
7. The Vios is manufactured at TMP's plant in Santa Rosa, Laguna. It is proudly Pinoy or "Made in the Philippines."
8. Safety is a big deal for the Vios. It scored an overall rating of 81.88 with the ASEAN NCAP.
9. In September 2018, a baby was born inside the Vios. The place of birth indicated on the certificate is "Toyota Vios." Thus, TMP offered the Filipino parents a pair of child seats and lifetime free preventive maintenance service for their Vios.
10. The 2023 Toyota Vios, called the "Yaris Ativ" in other countries, debuted a left-hand model for the Laos market with a 1.3L 1NR-V engine. The  Philippines will likely have this model soon.

The Toyota Vios and Toyota Wigo may have fun facts, but the cars themselves are not just fun and games. They offer serious car buyers practicality and fuel efficiency which are the backbone for any practical Pinoy’s transportation needs.

While both cars are considered to be economy cars, their prices still prove to be prohibitive for numerous people out there, but not to worry as they are made even more affordable on the second hand market.

Here at Automart.PH, we have numerous used Vioses and Wigos for sale. We even offer these cars as Automart Certified Used Vehicles which ensures you the look and feel of a brand new car, plus warranty too, without the price tag.