India-bound Toyota Yaris facelift revealed: New infotainment with Apple CarPlay and more

The facelift Toyota Yaris has been introduced in the Philippines and it could possibly be the update the Yaris will revive in the Indian market. Dubbed as the Vios in many south-east Asian markets, the new model gets updated styling and some new features.

After much teasing, Toyota has revealed an updated model of the Toyota Yaris sedan. The 2020 Toyota Yaris Sedan has been launched in the Philippines for an equivalent starting price of Rs 10 lakh. The new update marks the second revision to the current generation Yaris which made its debut in ASEAN markets back in 2013. In some regions, like in the Philippines, the Yaris is sold under the “Vios” badge. Toyota will soon launch the model in other markets like Malaysia, Singapore and more soon allowing customers to get the mildly revised styling and the new features. The new Yaris facelift features a revised front bumper and it now uses all-LED headlamps. The front grille is a more tapered and rounded off version of the signature Lexus spindle grille that gives the new Yaris a sharper look. Along the sides and the rear, nothing has changed, although the alloy wheel designs are new.

The new Yaris facelift offers an updated 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system which will finally support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Although, the rest of the cabin and its features will remain similar to what is currently offered. The roof-mounted rear AC vents, automatic climate control, semi-digital instrument cluster, the dashboard layout, the multifunction steering wheel and more continue to be offered with no noticeable changes. Safety tech like 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control, Hill Start Assist, and more continue to be available as well.

Toyota India is yet to officially announce the arrival of the new Yaris to the Indian market. However, in order to remain relevant against its much newer and more equipped rivals, Toyota will need to update the Yaris soon. With all of its rivals — Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid and Volkswagen Vento being heavily updated only recently, the Yaris is begging to be updated, especially the archaic infotainment system, a feature which is one of the biggest draws for modern Indian consumers when they are buying a car. The Yaris in India is currently a petrol-only model being powered by a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine which is good for 105hp and 140Nm of torque. Toyota offers the engine with a 6-speed manual or a 7-step CVT automatic with paddle shifters. The engine and drivetrain options on the new Yaris when it is launched in India are likely to remain the same. Although the Yaris has not been popular in India against its rivals, such a mild update is unlikely to make a significant difference in sales numbers for the sedan. However, with a few changes and updates, an improvement in sales of the model is possible.

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