HomeCar News2021 Toyota Yaris facelift sedan makes global debut - Honda City rival

2021 Toyota Yaris facelift sedan makes global debut – Honda City rival

The minor updates could filter into the India-spec Yaris in a few months time

The Toyota Yaris facelift, called as the Vios in several Southeast Asian markets has been introduced in the Philippines today. The mild facelift gets exactly that, a refreshed front fascia. The updated Yaris is expected to be launched in other markets like Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan in due course. The sedan was spied earlier.

What’s new?

The 2021 Toyota Yaris facelift for the Philippines adopts evolutionary changes to the front. The most significant of which are the new sophisticated-looking full LED headlamps. The mid-size sedan also receives bigger secondary airdam which reminds us of the lower half of Lexus’ trademark spindle grille. The L-shaped foglight enclosures round off the design changes.

2021 Toyota Yaris
2021 Toyota Yaris

The profile and rear fascia of the Yaris facelift have been retained without any noticeable changes. Changes to the interior are not cosmetic but the car does get a updated infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The roof-mounted AC vents, automatic climate control, sunroof, etc., have been carried forward.

The 2021 Yaris offers lengthy list of features including 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, keyless entry with push button start, vehicle stability control, cruise control, Eco and Sport engine modes, and so on.

The Toyota Vios facelift continues to employ the 1.3-liter and 1.5-liter naturally aspirated petrol engines. The base motor produces 98 hp and 123 NM of torque and comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. At 106 hp and 140 Nm of torque, the bigger engine is not a huge performance step-up but it does offer a 7-step CVT in addition to the standard 5-MT.

2021 Toyota Yaris
2021 Toyota Yaris

Is it coming to India?

With Hyundai bringing a comprehensive update to its Verna and Honda ushering in the all-new City with vast improvements over the previous generation, it is time for Toyota Kirloskar Motor to up its game with the Yaris which has been struggling to keep up with its rivals since the beginning. A mild facelift may not turn things around drastically but will surely help the sedan improve its appeal. We expect the facelift to be introduced towards the end of this year.

In India, the Toyota Yaris is equipped with the same 1.5-liter petrol motor but it gets 6-speed MT and CVT options. In addition to the Verna and City, Yaris also competes with VW Vento, Skoda Rapid and Maruti Ciaz.

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