UMW Toyota Confirms Yaris For Malaysia; Launch Soon
UMW Toyota Motor has confirmed the Yaris hatchback for Malaysia, with an official launch coming soon possibly in the second quarter. Like the recently launched Vios, the Yaris will be locally assembled at the new Assembly Services Sdn Bhd plant in Bukit Raja, Klang, which makes sense as it shares many parts with the Vios. The current Vios is the Yaris ATIV in other markets.
The current Vios is powered by a 1.5-litre 2NR-FE DOHC engine with Dual VVT-i with maximum power rated at 107 PS and 140 Nm of torque channeled through a 7-speed CVT with sequential shift. There are also Sport and Eco modes to cater to different driving styles. As such, we can expect this same powertrain combination in the Yaris. Incidentally, the Yaris sold in Thailand uses a 1.2-liter 3NR-FE DVVT-i engine with 86 PS and 108 Nm.
There is no confirmation yet on what will go into the Malaysia-spec Yaris but it could be very similar to the Vios, for better economies of scale. Of course, that will depend on the brand’s marketing and pricing strategies.
Our Vios comes with the maximum 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating, seven SRS airbags, Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control and Hill-start Assist Control. Other standard features include headlamps with Follow Me Home, LED daytime running lights, automatic air-conditioning, Smart Entry & push button start, rear USB ports. The Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert functions are available in the higher Vios 1.5E and 1.5G variants.
In the meantime, here are some official images of the Yaris hatchback from Toyota Thailand and Indonesia (mainly of the range-topping variant with accessories).
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