Toyota Wigo - Hits & misses

With the increasing population of the country, the number of cars on the roads is also going up. This is leading to traffic jams and congestions even on wider paths. This is one of the main reasons why the A-segment hatchbacks are so popular here in the Philippines. They are easy to afford, inexpensive to maintain, and effortlessly maneuverable in tight city traffic. Just like any other segment, the A-segment hatchback category also has a competitive atmosphere. Out of the available cars the Toyota Wigo is, apparently, the best one because it has won the title of the Best Micro Car in the Philippines (2014-15). So, let us see what exactly the Wigo is all about and discuss its hits and misses.

Toyota Wigo Hits

Funky-looking exterior

The latest model of the Toyota Wigo has a funky-looking exterior. The styling has been done to lure in more customers, especially young buyers. The front of the car appears very stylish with its sharp headlamps, sporty bumper, and a simple yet prominent chrome slat that joins the two headlamps and also holds the brand’s logo.

The side profile of the car gets a single character line and a nice pair of 14-inch alloy wheels. As you move towards the rear end, you will notice that it looks sportier than the front thanks to the roof-mounted spoiler with integrated brake light. Also, the two-part combination tail light cluster adds to the character of the car. The rear bumper also looks quite sporty.

The Wigo is available in six different colors - Black, Red, White, Silver Metallic, Gray Metallic and Orange Metallic.

Compact dimensions

The Wigo is the smallest car in its segment. It is only 3.66 meters long, 1.6 meters wide, and 1.52 meters tall. This gives it an advantage of crawling through streets packed with cars pretty easily. It is a breeze to drive in traffic jams and can be parked without any fuss.

Spacious interior

Even though the Wigo has been designed to be a small car Toyota has managed to smartly organize the space inside the cabin. Four people can easily be accommodated in the Wigo, however, if you a have to have a fifth person then it should not be a problem. There is sufficient amount of leg and headroom for all of the occupants. However, if all the seats are occupied then the boot space does take a hit and you would not be able to carry much luggage.

Safety features

The Wigo is an entry level A-segment compact hatchback. It is missing many premium features because it needs to be available to a wider audience. But the fact that Toyota has given dual airbags (driver and passenger) and Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) as standard across all the variants is really appreciable. These are the basic safety nets that a car can have, of course, apart from seat belts.

Affordable price

To make the Wigo one of the best selling in the country, Toyota not only had to make it compact but also had to keep the cost in check. The starting price of the Wigo is PHP 542,000 for the base variant (1.0 E M/T) and it goes up to PHP 616,000 for the top-end model (1.0 G A/T), making it an affordable car.

Toyota Wigo Misses

Uncomfortable interior

The interior of the Wigo is quite spacious considering its compact dimensions, but Toyota did not make it that comfortable. The front seats are only two-way adjustable (sliding and reclining) that makes it quite a task to get a comfortable driving position. Plus the steering wheel cannot be adjusted at all. It is fixed. So that adds to the struggle. Also, the seats are not that great. Toyota tried to make them look better by giving some orange stitching pattern but that does not make them do their job properly.

Low-quality material

Of course, you cannot expect to get a luxurious interior at this price. The Wigo offers low or decent quality material in its cabin. The plastic on the dashboard looks quite inexpensive and cheap. Toyota tried to spice things up with the silver center console at the dashboard, but it just spoils things even more.

Performance and fuel efficiency

Under the hood of the Toyota Wigo is a 1.0-liter 3-pot VVT-i engine that produces just 66 PS of power at 6,000 revs and 89 Nm of peak torque at 4,400 revs. Considering the fact that the Wigo weighs just 830-860 kg, depending on the variant you pick, the power should have been enough to get things going. However, that is not the case thanks to the underperforming gearbox. You get an option of either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic.

While the performance is not something you would like to boast about, the fuel efficiency, too, is not that great. Even with the less powerful engine, the Wigo would give a fuel economy of around 10-11 km/l.

Every car has its positives and negatives. The Wigo is no exception. The fact that it had won the Best Micro Car in the Philippines (2014-15) and ranks in the top 5 best selling cars in the country, it must be a good buy.