As the top-selling automaker both globally and in South Africa, Toyota very rarely makes a wrong move when it comes to product introductions, so with the demise of the Agya budget car, the brand had a gaping hole within the entry-level segment. It has addressed this issue by introducing the Vitz, a budget-friendly hatchback that competes in the lowest price segment within the new car market. Looking at moving your old car on and adding a Vitz to your garage? AutoTrader can get you an Instant Offer!
Related: Suzuki Celerio vs Toyota Agya vs Kia Picanto: Which one is the best value for money?
The Suzuki-shaped elephant in the room
Those familiar with Toyota's current passenger car line-up will note its partnership with Maruti Suzuki, with Toyota selling no less than four models that are Suzuki products underneath, namely the Rumion, the Starlet, the Urban Cruiser and now, the Vitz. The latter is underpinned by Suzuki's Heartect platform and features the same engine, gearbox options and switchgear as the Suzuki Celerio.
Powertrain
Powering the Vitz is a Suzuki K10 1.0-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine that produces 49kW and 89Nm of torque. The outputs are sent through the front wheels via a 5-speed manual or an automatic manual gearbox(AMT). The vehicle weighs just over 800kg so the minuscule engine doesn't have all that much weight to lug around, resulting in claimed fuel consumption of 4.4 L/100km for the manual and 4.2 L/100km for the automatic.
Driving Vitz
We had an opportunity to drive a manual XR variant of the Vitz briefly through the streets of Johannesburg at the media event. The Vitz delivers the sort of basic mobility experience one might expect from a car in this segment, with light steering matched by an equally soft clutch and gearchange action. Good visibility and its compact dimensions make it agreeable in city-driving scenarios with the little three-cylinder engine making progress reasonably fuss-free too.
Out on the open road, the Vitz suffers the same shortcomings as many in this segment with small dimensions and low power and torque outputs. Its lack of torque makes overtaking and negotiating hills a challenge, while its low weight makes it susceptible to being disturbed by crosswinds. This being said, the Vitz appears to be the right package as a modern budget car, offering an acceptable number of safety features, acceptable specification if you opt for the XR model, an incredibly efficient powertrain, a relatively low price and the promise of reliability.
Grade walk
There are three Vitz models currently available in two specifications, namely a base model and an XR manual and XR automatic. The base model comes as standard with Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), dual front airbags, ABS with EDB, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, rear PDC, 14-inch steel wheels, manual windows, a multifunction steering wheel, a two-speaker sound system and chrome surround for the front grille.
Moving up to the XR models there are 15-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured door handles and mirrors, front and rear electric windows, a 4-speaker sound system connected to a colour touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, remote central locking, front fog lamps, an adjustable steering wheel and an engine stop/start system.
Verdict
With low running costs, solid underpinnings and a badge worth its weight in gold, we suspect that Toyota will find more sales success with the Vitz and that its 800 units-per-month goal is entirely possible. Those interested in the Vitz should also consider the Suzuki Celerio, which is mechanically identical, and, at the time of writing, was cheaper than the Toyota spec-for-spec.
Pricing
Vitz 1.0 MT R189 900
Vitz 1.0 XR MT R219 900
Vitz 1.0 XR AMT R239 900
All Vitz models come with a 2-year/30 000km service plan and a 3-year/100 000 km warranty.
