The current third-generation Toyota Vios has had a long and successful lifespan, having received multiple iterations since its original debut way back in 2013 to become what it is today. While sales still aren’t slowing down thanks to recent upgrades to its refinement and equipment list, nine years is still a very long time, and it’s about time Toyota gave the compact B-segment sedan a full model change.
According to a report by Headlightmag, the all-new next-gen Toyota Vios, codenamed D92A, could be unveiled as soon as the third quarter this year, and will be built on the new Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform that also underpins the Perodua Ativa and Toyota Avanza/Veloz.
The DNGA platform should give the all-new Toyota Vios further enhancements not only in the sense of better ride and handling, but also improvements in refinement and safety. As the platform was also designed with electrification in mind, the Thai publication claims that Toyota will also be offering the all-new Vios with a hybrid powertrain, putting it head-to-head directly against the all-new Honda City RS e:HEV.
The next-gen hybrid Toyota Vios is also said to feature a Toyota Hybrid System II (THS-II) powertrain, pairing a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine to an electric motor, as opposed to the Daihatsu Rocky’s e-Smart series-hybrid system, where the 1.2-litre engine mostly functions as a generator.
Of course, regular non-electrified powertrains will still be available, although chances are it’ll still be equipped with the existing naturally-aspirated engines – depending on region, 1.2 litre in Thailand and 1.5-litre in Malaysia – rather than the downsized turbocharged mills as previously rumoured.
As for how the D92A Toyota Vios will look, the report says that inspiration will be taken from the Daihatsu DN F-Sedan concept car that made its debut at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) back in 2017.
The Daihatsu DN F-Sedan takes on a somewhat fastback-like shape, with a silhouette that very much resembles that of the Tesla Model 3 – just smaller. Of course, don’t expect the actual production car to carry over the entire design wholesale, but even if it only extracts a little of the concept’s essence, we think it’ll already be a proper looker.
