Toyota Ayga in TRD form
In an unexpected surprise, Toyota has all but confirmed that it will be bringing a second model made by Daihatsu to South Africa, the first being the Rush, possibly as a replacement for the Aygo.
Despite not naming the newcomer by name, a teaser video posted on its Facebook page under the banner “A Big Deal is Coming Soon” with a series of detail shots, has identified it as the Agya, a twin of the Daihatsu Ayla, which went on sale in various Asian markets eight years ago.
Alternatively known as the Toyota Wigo in the Philippines and Vietnam, the Ayla served as a replacement for the stalwart Mira, known locally as the Daihatsu Charade, and, along with its Toyota sibling, benefitted from a series of updates in 2017 and in March this year which saw the inclusion of a reworked interior and in some markets, a TRD appearance package.
Standing 1 510 mm tall and measuring 3 580 mm in overall length with a wheelbase of 2 455 mm and width of 1 600 mm, the Ayga, and the Wigo for that matter, is powered by either a 48 kW 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 87 Nm of torque or, since the latter update, a bigger 1.2-litre four-cylinder delivering 65kW/108N. A 50 kW version of the 1.0-litre triple is offered in some markets with a choice of two transmissions being provided; a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.
For the time being, Toyota has not released any information about the newcomer, including its name, or how it will be positioned relative to the Aygo and Suzuki Baleno-based Starlet. However, it’s mentioned replacing of the former appears most likely given the switch to an all-electric powertrain for the next generation. Therefore, expect the Agya/Wigo to significantly undercut the Aygo’s starting price, which kicks-off at R182 000.
IMAGES from paultan.org
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