About to miss out? Toyota unwraps all-new Agya

With the rumour mill having started last year, Toyota has made the all-new second generation Agya public days ahead of the Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS) in the capital, Jakarta.

The long overdue successor for the current Agya, known in other markets as the Wigo that debuted almost a decade ago, but came to South Africa in 2020 as replacement for the Czech-sourced Aygo, the newcomer will once again be build by Astra Daihatsu/Toyota at the Karawang Plant in West Java as part of Indonesian’s Low Cost Green Car project.

New from the ground-up

Until now a rebadged Daihatsu Ayla, which is still to be revealed, the Agya remains a model underpinned by Daihatsu as it moves from the so-called Global A-segment platform, to the new DNGA used by the Rocky and Xenia, as well as the Toyota Raize and Avanza.

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New from the ground-up compared to the original that received two facelift during its almost ten-year production run, the Agya’s new architecture has also impacted on its dimensions, which now measures 3 760 mm in overall length, 1 800 mm in width and 1 620 mm in height.

Compared to the outgoing model, the new Agya is 100 mm longer, 135 mm wider and 115 mm lower with the wheelbase increasing from 2 455 mm to 2 525 mm. Claimed boot space wasn’t divulged.

More modern inside

A big departure though resides inside where Toyota/Daihatsu has completely redone the interior to include elements from the global X210 Yaris.

Besides the steering wheel and dashboard, a touchscreen infotainment becomes available for the first time with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Another first is a seven-inch TFT instrument cluster display on high spec models, climate control, push-button start, faux leather upholstery and model specific alloy wheels specified on the newly added GR Sport derivative.

New engine but no turbo

Up front, Toyota has opted against fitting the Agya with the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the Raize most likely as a result of costs.

For Indonesia, the displacement remains at 1.2-litres, but not from the NR unit used until now. Instead, the engine is all-new and carries the internal moniker WA-VE that is identical to the mill used in the Raize and Rocky.

Outputs are therefore identical at 65kW/113Nm, but down on the 72kW/140Nm made by the mentioned turbocharged engine. Transmissions are set to consist of a five-speed manual and a brand-new CVT in place of the old four-speed automatic.

Should it have continued in South Africa?

As mentioned, the Agya will make its official public at IIMS this coming Thursday (16 February) before going on-sale soon after.

A sure no-no though is the Agya continuing in South Africa where sales have reportedly been lower than what Toyota had expected.

As revealed at the recent State of the Motoring Industry (Somi), the Agya will be replaced by the Vitz, a name originally used for the Yaris in Japan, but now denoting a rebadged version of the Suzuki Celerio that will become available in the second quarter of the year.

More than likely, again, as a result of price, the Vitz is projected to start below R200 000, which would have been higher had the decision to made to keep the Agya nameplate in South Africa.

Additional information from paultan.org and from otosia.com.

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