Toyota’s booth at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show may be graced by a couple of concepts (FT-1 and i-Road) and the stunning TS030 LMP1 prototype. But the headline acts are two debutants in the local market that should come as a massive boost to UMW Toyota Motor’s 2019 sales prospects.
Making its Malaysian debut at the ongoing motor show is the all-new Toyota Camry, which goes on sale here with a sole 2.5-litre Dual VVT-I engine. The 2AR-FE four-pot engine features something Tyota calls ACIS (Acoustic Control Induction System) which supposedly enhances output throughout the engine’s operating range. The grand total is 184PS and 235Nm of torque delivered to the front wheels via a six-speed ‘Super ECT’ automatic transmission.
Built on the lightweight Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), the eighth-generation Camry is a distinctively new product, with aesthetic cues such as the wide intake grille, bi-LED headlights and the wind tunnel-tested body lines producing a look that wouldn’t look entirely out of place in a Lexus showroom. After all, premium features like a nine-speaker JBL audio system, 10-inch head-up display and Qi wireless charger are all part of the package.
There’s quite a lot on the safety front as well. Pre-Collision System (PCS), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Lane Departure Alert (LDA) with Steering Assist, Automatic High Beam (AHB) are among the acronyms parked under the Toyota Safety Sense umbrella, while features such as Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) should come in handy too.
The sole variant in its range for now, the Toyota Camry 2.5 V retails at RM189,900.
If that sounds a bit steep, fret not. UMWT’s new flagship sedan is accompanied in KLIMS by its most affordable offering, the new Toyota Vios. Officially, the fourth-gen Vios will only go on sale locally early next year, but we already have indicative prices starting at RM77,200 for the 1.5J to RM87,300 for the range-topping 1.5G.
The hardware under the hood is largely the same as before, with the new Vios also drawing power from the 107PS/140Nm 2NR-FE 1.5-litre four-banger. Drive is managed by a CVT with seven virtual ratios. However, the car looks all-new inside and out – the cockpit is particularly sportier, especially in the G variant which comes with paddle shifters.
So if you’re in the market for a new sedan, big or small, the Toyota exhibit in MITEC is certainly worth a pit stop.
