The two-day Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Festival was held a couple of weekend ago at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu with the Toyota Vios Challenge race series being held on a specially-constructed 1.65km street circuit.







For motorsports fans and spectators in Kuala Terengganu, the excitement of the two-day Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival was not only confined to

Tomorrow is the opening round of Season 3 of the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Festival. It will happen on friday and saturday, the 6th and 7th of September 2019 over at The Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu. If you are in the vicinity from 10am onwards on those two days, there will be lots of motorsport and Toyota activity for you to witness. It is going to feature the

The official arm of Toyota here in Malaysia has issue a Special Service Campaign (SSC), or service recall, for certain  Toyota models which were previously affected by the previous free airbag inflator service fixes. This is because some of the replacement airbag inflator are still faulty. This Takata airbag debacle is still ongoing. I have to say that Takata has made life difficult for

I don't really like writing about the Toyota Vios. It isn't because it is ugly like a Nissan Almera or a half baked effort like the Proton Iriz. It's just a car which is so darn common and every uncle, auntie, grandpa, grandma, fresh grad, college student, ah soh and soh hais actually drive it on a daily basis. Especially the soh hais. These are those that think that the Vios is an AE 86 and they tailgate, beam and overtake on the left like nobody's business.

Being typical Toyota, it attracts Malaysians who seem to think of resale value over anything else when they want to buy a car. And because of this a Toyota is always on top of their list. For anyone selling Toyotas, it is like setting on the auto-pilot. Everything is quite straightforward. But today this used Toyota Vios caught my eye over in mudah.my.


At first it seemed normal...second generation 2010 Toyota Vios 1.5 (m). Manual...hmm... this meant the basic 'J' spec Vios and the owner liked shifting gears by himself,  and then I saw the words 'Turbo' written on the title of the advertisement. Wow, a turbocharged Vios. Somebody went all out with everyone's favourite small Toyota and tuned it a lot more than the usual bodykit, sport rims and stickers. You can see that it has a bolt on turbokit that may have come from local tuning company Speedworks as some of the parts and fit look very much like the turbo kit they offer. The previous owner also spent a bit on proper bucket seats and some gauges for boost, tempreature and for something else (not that bothered to think what the heck third gauge is for).


If the previous owner had not plonked on the TRD bodykit this Vios would be a total sleeper. The stock Vios had about 109hp / 141 Nm torque. If it were a Speedworks turbo conversion (pictured right above), this car could have minimum 150hp and 190nm torque. It could be higher but let's just err on this side of conservative as the figures quoted by Speedworks here could be just marketing. But in a 1100kg Vios, it could translate to at least a o-100kmh time of around 7.5seconds and a 200+kmh top speed. The standard Vios might be able to hit 180kmh and hit 0-100 in about 11 seconds on a lucky day. So this is one fast Vios. Fast for a Vios or a 1.5liter car. It may not be able to eat Golf GTIs for a living but you get my point.

But I am more impressed with how much the whole setup cost -
Brand New J spec Vios - RM69,000
Turbokit            - RM 9,600 + RM1,400 installation
Optional oil cooler RM800
Coil over suspension (I believe the lowered stance is by a tuned suspension) RM2,500+
Sports Bucket Recliners - RM3,000
17inch Alloy wheels and tyres (from the stock 15inch) - RM4,000
Gauges - RM1,000+
Other things we can see like strut bars and bits and bobs RM2,500 at least
TRD Sportivo bodykit that didn't come with a J spec Vios and paint - RM2000+

Total Cost - Priceless. Or you do the math as I am again too lazy to calculate for you. But how magical this car is the previous owner is selling the thing off and you, yes you, my dear readers can pick this baby up for a mere RM49,000 (GST not included usually).



So how? Ada berani? Want something totally common yet uncommon at the same time?

View original ad here (while it lasts) or down below

Seller Says

Read more at http://www.mudah.my/2010+Toyota+Vios+1+5+M+Turbo-40222093.htm#1i8iFbw8mgRuh8ld.99

2.0liter variable valve timing 4 cylinder engine, 148hp (150ps), 197Nm, 200km/h, 0-100km/h in around 10.5secs or faster, multi-link suspension at the rear, CVT (with optional pedal shifters), fully equipped cabin and all for around RM90,000 (and Japanese technology too). The Toyota Vios pictured above has a 1.5liter vvt 4 cylinder engine, 105ps, 141Nm, 180+km/h, 0-100km/h in around 11secs, beam axle rear suspension, ancient 4 speed automatic, even more plasticky materials in the cabin for around RM90,000 if you're crazy enough to buy the TRD specced Vios at RM93,000 or RM88,000 for a G spec model. Madness isn't it? Why are you buying this??????



Now if you are supposedly crazy about cars, performance and driving which would you have? The yet unnamed 2.0liter car or the TRD Vios whilst it may be a Toyota and somewhat decent looking (these days) is actually rubbish when it comes to performance and technology given at that price. The same could be said if you bought a Honda City, which gives you a 1.5liter engine but slightly better tech in terms of a 5 speed automatic gearbox but is equally expensive.

You could go out and buy a Kia Cerato 1.6 at RM99,888.00. It would give you a 1.6liter engine that makes 130ps and 157Nm  via a 6 speed automatic. It still has a beam axle type suspension but it would be even more refined than the City or Vios as it is a larger car, much like the unnamed 2.0liter above. You still get better value for your Ringgit.

So it would seem that the unnamed car is actually the best buy yet. It is actually the Proton Inspira 2.0. I somehow wonder why there are alot of supposed car enthusiasts end up buying Vioses or Cities when there is a Japanese rebadge that would give them soooooooo much more car than what they could have with RM90,000.

Of course some of you out there are badge snobs and the very sight of a Proton would bring shivers down one's spine but this Proton is actually very Mitsubishi (it is a rebadged Lancer GLS aka Galant Fortis over in Japan). Hence very Japanese. Some parts may be now made locally but alot of it is still Japanese. I recently had a ride as passenger in a brand new  Inspira 1.8E manual and it was extremely comfortable around town. The suspension was supple and it was pretty quiet as well as refined (as I've said earlier, the 205//60/16 inch wheels of the standard Inspira is good for ride as well as noise supression compared to larger tyred versions).

In fact, once on a trip to Johor Bahru I was followed closely by a 2.0 Inspira at speeds above 150km/h for a duration of time and the main thing was that the driver wasn't even trying hard. Or he was trying as hard as I was whilst driving a W204 Mercedes Benz C-class (which was not trying hard at all). Less drama at higher speeds means more comfort and refinement and less driver fatigue over longer drives. The Proton Inspira lets people who earn much lesser the chance to own a 1.8liter or 2.0liter car for under RM90,000 (and maybe less if there is a discount - which there usually is).

Furthermore, it is more spacious, can carry more luggage than a B-segment car as it is closer to a D-segment car in terms of size. Did you know that the Inspira or Lancer shares the same wheelbase as the 1st gen Proton Perdana aka Galant Eterna (2635mm)? That was supposedly a mid-sized executive car and the Inspira shares the same wheelbase length but is shorter with less overhangs. The Inspira is also taller and as wide. So you get a lot of space to play around with. You also get a car which is stable at higher speeds which is why it can cruise effortlessly. And because its more of a D segment car, you get equal levels of soundproofing which you will never get in a Vios or a City which I repeat is only a B-segment car. Why buy basic then?.

The only car that you can really feel as complete would cost over RM100,000. And if you were looking at brand new cars in this category (those costing below RM100,000) you are essentially on a budget. So act like you are on one. Beggars cannot be choosers. The Inspira is the best out there at the moment for an enthusiastic driver who wants a car at RM90,000 (For around RM100,000, I'd recommend the Swift Sport if one wants a great drive and less on space that is).

Of course, if you're buying a car for the wife, and she adamantly wants to buy the City, by all means buy City. But if it is for yourself, don't. Do yourself a favour, save your money for a proper car later on and buy the Inspira 2.0 for all your kicks for now. Hello, dropping in a K&N, changing the exhaust of the Vios or City, lowering the car, spending unnecessary Ringgit on some performance parts to make 105ps become 110ps would not the make a difference. Imagine if I bought an Inspira and bought a complete R3 exhaust system (dyno tested at Proton's own dyno and made by a well known local exhaust tuner). I would instantly gain 20hp. Would a 1.5liter make as much from an exhaust and manifold change? No it won't as there is no replacement for engine size. The bigger the better.

So buy the Inspira over ANY 1.5liter sedan on the market at the same price range. It has my seal of approval. If you really want a seal of approval get a piece of white A4 paper, make sure you spill a bit of teh tarik around your teh tarik mug and then use the wet bottom of the mug to stamp the A4 paper with the warung teh tarik seal of approval.

As stated earlier, the new 2013 Toyota Vios will be launched soon. It looks good doesn't it? It has a sportier air to it than previously. But we over here have people travelling South-East Asia regularly and we can safely report that if you sit in this new 2013 model, it is actually exactly the same as sitting in the 2010, 2012, 2008 or even 2009 model of the Vios.

You see, when one of our group of motorheads was over in Jakarta, Indonesia recently he had the chance to sit in one of these new Toyota Vios. If  you end up in Jakarta you'd notice that most of the taxis there are Vios. The latest Vios is already in service there as of of those taxis that you can actually take to and from the airport or from any hotel you stay.



What we can say is that there is ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE IN THE RIDE AND COMFORT LEVELS of the Toyota Vios from 2013 or the Toyota Vios from the previous generation and to an extent, the one before that.

What this means is that the suit is new but the innards is still the same vehicle through and through. You may get a new dashboard with the meters in the correct place (in front of the driver) but everything else is the same. You may as well buy the one from 2007 and buy any Toyota dashboard that has the meter cluster in front of the driver, add some bumpers and wallah, you have the latest Vios. Check out the 2002-2007 Vios below, if you change the bumpers to the one on the latest model and change the dashboard it WOULD BECOME THE LATEST MODEL.

The problem with Toyota is that progress is very evolutionary. But its progress is glacial. This means that if the Vios were a human being, it would take about 10 years to complete a bachelor's degree instead of the usual 3 to 4 years. If it were a snail, a snail could evolve faster.

This is the same with the Toyota Camry I drove recently. Last year I drove the earlier 2.4v Camry for a whole week and this year I drove one in Australia for a week too. The only improvement was the fact that it had one more forward gear, 100 more cc's from 2.4 to 2.5liters, slightly better handling that most people would not notice and it got uglier. This is the problem with Toyota. Changes take place like how Charles Darwin would have liked it....over a period of 100,000 years. Yes the car is reliable and of a certain quality, but God dammit, sometimes one should be a little more forward thinking that be efficient and extremely profitable. Some sacrifice should be made.

I will report more on Toyota's efficiency later.

This will be a short one without any complains about how bad something is at this point of time in and around Malaysia - like why the heck is the Malaysian Ringgit dropping against most major currencies and why is a deputy minister complaining about gangsters biting the dust. I am actually pleased that Toyota has come up with a Toyota Vios that looks pleasant from the outside and now the inside.

You see, I have no complaints about the exterior of the current Vios. It looks like a mini Toyota Corolla or Camry. In other words, it is as offensive to the eyes of the general public as a wall painted white in colour or a coconut tree on the beach. The upcoming one however is actually nicer to look at. Toyota have put more effort into styling the darn thing this time around and it looks good. The latest Toyota design philosophy is all over this Vios.



Toyota's current emphasis on design is on the lower part of its vehicles and to bring some 'soul' into their overall designs which Toyota themselves have admitted as slightly bland (more like watching paint dry dull actually). Note that there are more styling cues on the lower part of most new Toyota vehicles that have been launched recently. The lower part of the bumper/grille is aggressively styled and sculptured even more than before and I have to say that its a good effort by them. In short, I like the styling of the new Vios. The only issue I would have about this car's styling is that eventually it will become as common as a mamak restaurant in every corner of Kuala Lumpur when everyone starts buying them and driving them all over Malaysia.


Now it is the interior which has basically made my day. The meter cluster of this new Vios is now located where it should have always been - right in front of the driver. I hated staring at a blank plastic dashboard everytime I sat in the driver's seat of one of these cars with a meter cluster in the middle. The Toyota Estima, Hyundai Matrix, Perodua Kancil and the Toyota Vios has this middle of the dash meter cluster. It isn't as intuitive as Toyota wants you and me to think. You still have to glance a fair bit further than usual instead of those normal meter clusters. If you were a chap like me, who gets in and out of various cars (due to testing them, renting them whilst on vacation and so on) it is troublesome to adjust. And furthermore, even if you get used to driving a car with the meter cluster in the middle, it basically tells me that you driving a car which is not driver oriented. i.e not sporty.

So those Ah Bengs who think that their souped up Vioses are TRD speed machines, they are not. Whatever you add to the car will not make a difference if your meter cluster is situated in the middle of the dash (pictured above) . Your seat isn't situated in the middle of the car like the McLaren F1 okay? And get this, I believe Toyota or was it Perodua actually stated in one of their marketing blurbs that the middle position meter cluster was there so that the information on the meters could be shared with the other passengers. I suppose that would be a good thing for backseat drivers and for wives who love to nag at their husband "Wei, you're driving too fast lah, slow down. Why so slow lah? Yellow light lah...go faster..slow down...wait wait...go go". A middle meter cluster doesn't work.

The rest of the car's mechanicals are unchanged. You still get the 1.5liter engine coupled with with either a 4 speed automatic transmission or a 5 speed manual as previously. The rest of the mechanicals are also unchanged with slight tweaks to the suspension and safety equipment. I suppose this isn't so much of an issue as this would still make the Vios an inexpensive car to maintain in the long run. This would keep second hand residuals high and demand for it steady in the long run. I have to state that a 4 speed automatic is adequate in entry level cars for countries where cost is an issue in the long run. Toyota automatic transmissions are bombproof and you can't complain about that if this is your first car or you want to keep maintenance costs low throughout the car's lifespan. Furthermore then car is sub 1,100kgs, adequate gearing for a light, econobox.

And so, I like the upcoming Toyota Vios. I hope it comes soon and starts eating up sales of the supremely ugly, big arsed and therefore unbalanced looking Nissan Almera. You have to by one with the bodykit and big wheels to tone down its unbalanced looks - this adds money and isn't worth for such a basic car in the first place. This is regardless of the space it has. Heck, if you want so much space, buy a Perodua Alza. Or the hell with space, buy a Toyota Vios instead. You could get a Honda City, but that's not the point of this article.

I actually can't believe I am quite intrigued with a Toyota Vios and would be willing to actually get up from my lofty perch and test one. Times have certainly changed. Expect the new Toyota Vios to be launched in October 2013 here in Malaysia.

As the Toyota Vios gets more and more upmarket, a void opens up. If you remember, the Vios started life as the Soluna, a 'world' car for developing nations. This became the 1st generation Vios and then the current 2nd generation Vios. Notice that the car has gotten steadily upmarket and now, the car is supposedly too pricey for markets like India and Thailand, where Toyota have spotted a gap for a basic family sedan.

Wasn't the Soluna/Vios a base sedan in the first place? Now they had to create the Etios. What Etios means is a mystery that only Toyota knows...Short for ambETIOS? I suppose being Japanese means they cannot spell properly. But what does Vios stand for? Short for obVIOS? Another mis-spelt word?
Much like BMW. By making the 3 series larger and larger and larger. They had to put a 1 series there. And now, we're hearing of them coming up with a car that is smaller than the 1 series.

This is never ending. And if you want to read more on the Etios, click here.