Faults:

Nothing much.

General Comments:

This Vios that I'm talking about belongs to the driving school where I'm enrolled. It is easy to learn to drive in this car. This car is great, not just for starters, but also for people who want transport that is cheap but reliable for everyday use.

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong so far.

General Comments:

I am beginning to like the VIOS. The first choice was to get the Honda Civic or even a Mitsubishi Strada. So why did I change my mind? Well, having a baby makes you be more prudent about purchasing a car just for daily commute since we have other cars that can handle a larger load.

The VIOS is small, the leg room is kinda cramped for a 5'10" person. Push the seat back and it will be a difficult stretch to reach the steering wheel not to mention anyone who attempts to ride at the back. There's something wrong with the seat and the way it tilts and adjusts, I just can't find a comfortable position. The dashboard feels cheap and the big round white dials are too imposing, I wish they came up with the normal black dial with white numbers. The back seat does not fold down to expand the trunk space. My wife feels that Toyota should burn because they didn't provide a vanity mirror at the passenger side (I guess it was MADE for girls to drive). Oh, and it has a small "beep beep" sounding horn that really says "look! I am small!"

Other than that, the transmission feels solid. Even the way the door and trunk closes feels like you have a solid car. The pick up is not bad for a 1.3 engine. Infact it feels like a 1.6cc engine if I am driving alone, but don't put your hopes up when you start adding passengers.

The steering is sharp and light to the feel. The whole car feels light. Cornering at moderate speeds is slightly jittery as the car feels unstable at times. Brakes feels sharp and night driving visibility is very good. Did I mention it goes "beep beep"?

The car has enough creature comforts. The air conditioning is very good although the vents seem to blow upwards when it follows the contours of the dash board. Controls are well placed. The 1.3E comes with alarm, power locks, power windows and power steering. The side view mirrors are manually adjusted.

The car has many little spaces to put things in. There is a center console box that hides a rear cup holder between the seats, a center console with cup holder at the front of the stick shift, a small glove box and another storage space for small things on the passenger side dashboard. Under the passenger seat is a pull out tray that really delighted me... finally a pleasant surprise!

Faults:

When I bought the car, the right front wheel was misaligned. It swerves to the right especially when I apply the brakes so I had to hold the steering wheel really tight.

General Comments:

The interior is OK, but the dash board can still be improved. however, the control panel located in the center is nice.

Over-all, it's a very nice car. Very sporty and very fuel efficient compared to my previous 1.6 gli 1993 corolla. The vios even with a 1.3 engine can run very fast and is very easy to maneuver.

Faults:

In the first month, the fuse of the head lamps blew for no reason at all. After several expensive trips to the dealer, I decided to buy non-Toyota fuses and the problem was fixed. Apparently, Toyota uses underrated fuses.

The passenger side tail lamp began to leak after six months of use. The dealer agreed to replace both due since this is a confirmed factory defect, but to date the dealer still does not have the tail lights in stock. The tail light accumulates water because of poor sealant on the lens. I have to vacuum the water out once a week for fear of further damage. There were other Vios cars at the dealer service that were there also, but for headlamp leaks.

The suspension makes funny tapping sounds at the rear when swerving on inclines i.e. parking ramps.

General Comments:

This is the most economical car I ever owned. I estimate fuel efficiency to be about 20km per liter.

The car is stylish and sporty enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to drive around in it.

Power is ample enough even though it's a 1300. It's quick and reliable in tight squeezes. It handles as well as its bigger brother, the Corolla Altis.

It's a good daily driver.