Toyota Vios: Top alternatives

The words sedan and Vios go hand in hand in the Philippines. Also, the success of the Toyota Vios in the country has been second to none. So much so that CAMPI recently declared the Toyota Vios as the best selling passenger car in the Philippines. Latest sales figures show that the Japanese sedan accounts for around 25% of the total passenger cars sold in the Philippines. Moreover, Toyota has also increased the standard warranty on the Vios from the previous 3-year or 100,000-kilometre to a 5-year or 100,000-kilometre package.

The Toyota Vios price in the Philippines ranges from Php 662,000 to Php 1.1 million. There is an ocean full of reasons for buying the Toyota Vios, right? Despite all the stuff that makes the Vios the go-to sedan in the country, there are some other equally good if not better cars that the Philippine population can get its hands on. Let’s take a look at them one after the other.

Honda City

Let’s start with the Toyota Vios’ closest rival, the Honda City. Just like the Vios, the City is another Japanese sedan that has found more homes than any other passenger car in the world ever since its inception. Honda offers the City in the Philippines in four variants, namely 1.5 E MT, 1.5 E CVT, 1.5 VX Navi CVT, and 1.5 VX+ Navi CVT. Depending on the variant, the Honda City comes with features like LED headlamps, LED DRLs, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control, and much more.

The Honda City specs sheet reveals that the sedan is powered by a Euro-4 compliant 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine that makes 120 PS of maximum power and a peak torque of 145 Nm. All variants except the base model of the Honda City come equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which Honda claims to offer just the right power, performance, and fuel efficiency. The safety features on the Japanese sedan are plenty including six SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, vehicle stability assist (VSA), hill start assist (HSA), ISOFIX child seat mounts, and more. The Honda City price starts at Php 828,000 for the base model and goes all the way up to Php 1.07 for the range-topping variant.

Hyundai Accent

Among many popular sedans in the country, the Hyundai Accent has built its own identity. In its refreshed avatar, the South Korean sedan is offered in six different variants. The Hyundai Accent specs tell us that the sedan comes with two engine options. The first of the two is a 1.6-litre CRDi VGT motor that makes 128 PS of maximum power and a peak torque of 260 Nm. The other smaller engine is a Kappa 1.4-litre MPI Dual CVVT motor that churns out 100 PS and 132 Nm.

The transmission options include a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic gearbox. It won’t be incorrect to say that the Hyundai Accent is the least equipped with features in this story as the sedan missed out on LED headlamps, fog lamps, touchscreen infotainment system, and much more. However, the list of features that kinda justify the price of the Accent comprises of dual SRS airbags, spacious interior, advanced high strength steel, central door locks, power windows, and a 3.8-inch LCD with Radio + RDS, AUX, and USB connectivity. The Hyundai Accent price ranges from Php 790,000 to Php 1.04 million.

Chevrolet Cruze

If the appearance of your sedan isn’t your top-most priority and you’d rather have a performance-oriented and dynamic car than a sensuous one, the Chevrolet Cruze is worth considering. While we accept that the Cruze is due for an overhaul, especially in terms of its appearance, the stuff inside and under the hood of the American sedan is top-notch.

Despite the slightly outdated looks, the Chevrolet Cruze sports a bold and muscular stance thanks to its large grille that is divided into two by a body-colored trim. Moreover, all of the chunky headlamps, strong shoulder line, and up to 17-inch alloy wheels contribute to the well-composed appearance of the Cruze.

On the mechanical front, the Chevrolet Cruze specs sheet reads a 1.8-litre four-cylinder mill that generates 142 PS of maximum power and 177 Nm of peak torque. Safety features on the sedan include ABS with EBD, multiple SRS airbags, rain-sensing wipers, engine immobilizer, and a few more. The Chevrolet Cruze price begins at Php 858,888 and ends at Php 1,103,888. Also, there is an all-new model of the Chevrolet Cruze that will be arriving soon. If you can hold your horses and wait for a little, we’d suggest to let the new model make its way to the country before making your decision.

How did you find the Hyundai Accent, Honda City, and the Chevrolet Cruze in comparison to the Toyota Vios? Are the alternatives worth considering or you’ll still go with the trend and bring home a Vios?

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