Toyota Wigo

The Toyota Wigo marks Toyota’s entry into the competitive compact hatchback segment. Affordable and practical, it’s highly suited for those looking for their first car, be it a college student or a starting young professional. This is because the Wigo has the essence of what an agile, affordable, and fun-to-drive small car should be. The Toyota Wigo represents the very essence of an agile, affordable, and fun-to-drive small car. Equipped with a small three-cylinder engine and a choice between a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, The little Wigo from Toyota is an option everyone must consider when looking for a small hatchback. The Wigo is available in an array of colors like silver, grey, red, orange, white and black. Wigo has become the best-selling mini hatchback in the Philippines. a lot of Toyota Wigo roaming the streets, many Filipinos like this car because it is considered practical, easy to drive, well equipped, very reliable, safe, and the price offered is also competitive.

History

The Toyota Wigo is known as the Daihatsu Ayla or Toyota Agla in other Asian countries. It’s designed by Daihatsu and manufactured by Astra Daihatsu Motor in Indonesia and developed for emerging markets. The Ayla is sold by Toyota as the Toyota Agya in Indonesia, South Africa, Tunisia, Americas (except Canada, Mexico and the United States), and Toyota Wigo in the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brunei and Vietnam through an OEM agreement.

Launch

A year after its initial debut in Indonesia, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) brought in the Toyota Wigo on July 2013. At the time, it was set to compete against the Mitsubishi Mirage in the local compact hatchback segment. Like most of its competition, the Wigo is compact and affordable, thus, quickly enjoying brisk sales. In 2017, Toyota decided to give the Wigo a facelift and another update in 2020. In the same year, TMP also added the Wigo TRD S variant and corresponding TRD accessories.

New Generation

Making its debut in 2014, the Toyota Wigo comes in four variants (1.0 E MT, 1.0 G MT, 1.0 G AT, and TRD-S AT) and all come equipped with a one-liter, three-cylinder engine, producing 66 bhp and 63 lb-ft of torque.

Price

The 2022 Toyota Wigo comes in 4 Variants with following prices

• Toyota Wigo 1.0 E MT Manual Gasoline is Php 573,000
• Toyota Wigo 1.0 G MT Manual Gasoline is Php 639,000
• Toyota Wigo 1.0 G AT Automatic Gasoline is Php 674,000
• Toyota Wigo 1.0 TRD S AT Automatic Gasoline is Php 705,000

The Toyota Wigo sports a better look than before due to the facelift it received in 2020. Mainly up front, starting with a sleek T-shaped grille and a functional bumper with bigger openings to let in more air and achieve better cooling. The side vents on either side come with built-in fog lamps, adding a dash of sporty character to the Wigo. All variants of the Toyota Wigo now come with LED taillights and halogen projector headlights. The G and TRD S variant of the Toyota Wigo come with a rear spoiler with built-in LED brake light. The TRD S variant also comes with a new Sport Kit that consists of a new front spoiler, side skirts, rear skirt, rear spoiler, TRD S decals, and badging.

Dimension

As a whole, the Toyota Wigo for the Philippines is a very compact car. It only measures 3,660mm long, 1,600mm wide, and it has a height of 1,520mm. Of note, it also has a minimum ground clearance of 180mm. The top-spec TRD S however, is longer than the E and G variants at 3,700mm.

The lamp

All variants of the Toyota Wigo now come with LED taillights as well as halogen projector headlights. In addition, all models now come with line guide type clearance lamps. G and TRD S variants come with fog lamps while the E variant does not have it equipped. The G and TRD S variants of the Toyota Wigo also come with a rear spoiler high mount stop lamp that comes with LED lighting elements. The E variant does not have this equipped as standard. The TRD S variant also comes with a new Sport Kit that consists of a new front spoiler, side skirts, rear skirt, 2-tone rear spoiler, TRD S decals, and badging.

Wheels & Tires

The recent refresh of the Wigo also included a new set of 14-inch alloy wheels (Machine cut design) with 175/65R14 tires for the TRD S and the G variants.

Dashboard

The interior appointments of the Wigo stays the same with the previous generation. Except for the Wigo G variant where a touch screen infotainment system and steering wheel audio controls have been added. The refreshed version comes with a push start button for keyless ignition, steering switch, new instrument panel, motorized side mirrors and power door locks to ensure passenger safety and security. Only the TRD S and G variants get rear cameras.

Space and Practicality

As expected from an entry-level hatchback, the Wigo uses durable plastics on the dashboard and door panels for the most part. The dominantly black-theme of the cabin features fabric covered seats with red trim inserts on the TRD S variant. Storage spaces and beverage holders also abound on the Wigo. The rear seats also have a 60:40 split for better utilization of the trunk area.

Safety Features

All variants of the Toyota Wigo get driver and passenger airbags, ABS, 3-point seatbelts, and child-lock protection. Its pre-facelift model got 4 stars on its ASEAN NCAP ratings, scoring 12.84 points in adult occupancy protection and achieving 82% compliance for child occupancy protection. The makes the Wigo among the safest in its segment as the entire lineup (even the E trim) is fitted with safety features. These include dual SRS airbags, Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), and rear parking sensors as standard. These are typically not included in the entry-level variant of its competitors.

Convenience Features

Being a mini compact, the Wigo is easy to park given some of the tightest parking spaces, and maneuver as well. Safety is also a priority which is why it comes with a rear sonar to detect nearby objects as well as a backup camera. The mirrors can also fold with the press of a button. No more reaching across the cabin to fold the passenger side mirror. In the G and TRD S grades, getting in the vehicle is easier with keyless entry and a push-start system.

Also, no more fumbling for the keys in your pocket or bag. You can unlock it with the door handle and simply press a button to start the engine. To keep the cabin cool at all times, the Wigo features a new LCD air conditioning panel for the G and TRD S variants, while the E variant retains the previous air conditioning controls.

Infotainment Features

The Toyota Wigo gets a touchscreen head unit with Android Auto and Apple Carplay connectivity for the TRD S variant. The Wigo G variants also have a touchscreen, but without smartphone  mirroring software. The entry-level E variant also come with a 2-DIN system with Bluetooth, USB, and an aux-jack feature.

Engine

Here in the Philippines, all variants of the Toyota Wigo are powered by a 1.0-liter, inline-3 DOHC gasoline engine with VVT-I technology. It is factory rated at 65 bhp with 63 lb-ft of torque.

Transmission

Power from the thrifty 1.0-liter engine is sent to either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission.

Suspension & Brakes

The Wigo utilizes a McPherson strut with coil spring front suspension while a semi-independent torsion axle beam with coil spring makes up the rear suspension. The front brakes are 13-inch ventilated discs with drum brakes at the back.

Drive & Control 

Its compact dimensions gives the Wigo the capability to easily maneuver around traffic and tight city streets. Not to mention being able to fit in tight parking spaces making it easy to drive. The steering transmits driver input very well, while the suspension is fairly compliant. Overall, the Wigo makes for an excellent choice for a first car, but don’t expect it to perform beyond what it has to offer.

Fuel Consumption

The fuel consumption figures for the Toyota Wigo are 10.2 km/L in city driving while driving on the highway allows it to reach 14.2 km/L.

Not only is the Wigo the perfect choice for first time car buyers, but also for those who need a reliable daily driver to simply get them from point a to point b. But its the strongest point would have to be its affordable price range that will suit all budget levels. Mini compact dimensions, comfortable and combined with a thrifty powerplant make the Wigo truly worth considering.