The Toyota Vitz is an exciting hatchback that has been around for two decades. Production of the car started back in 1999 and ended in 2019. During that time the Vitz earned critical acclaim for being one of the most user-friendly and economical hatchbacks of all time. Toyota knew that small hatchbacks have been ruling the streets since cars first came into existence and they made an excellent one to please the fans. The fun-sized vehicle took over the rallying scene later on in its life and it has been dominating since then. In the rallying world, the Vitz is better known as the Yaris or the Yaris GR.
Exterior Looks
The first-generation Toyota Vitz was designed by Sotiris Kovos in Europe. The car debuted in the Paris Motor Show in 1999. The designer gave the Vitz a very round shape. A lot of curves here and there meant that the vehicle was not a head-turner but it was certainly appealing to look at. The large front headlights and the huge taillights were properly placed to give the hatchback an aura of confidence.
The Toyota Vitz came in three variations. You could get a three-door variant, a five-door version, or a Sport model that had a small spoiler and sporty mesh grille in the rear.
The second generation came out in 2005, exactly six years after the first one. This time Toyota improved on the exterior design, giving the Vitz more athletic lines to differ from the previous model. The front headlights were more angular, the grille a bit slimmer and the bonnet smaller than before. The trend followed in the back with sharp and athletic taillights. In 2007, an RS version was also launched that got different styled taillights.
The third-gen Toyota Vitz made its way into the world in 2009 and this time Toyota made more improvements. The headlights for example were again revamped to be slimmer and angular. The front fascia was overall put more in line with Toyota’s global design philosophy. You could see hints of the Corolla in its front. The rear also got more sporty and big lights were removed in favor of smaller more easy-looking taillights.
After that, the Vitz received a few facelifts before it was discontinued in 2019.
Engine Dynamics
Under the hood of the first Toyota Vitz was an economical 1.0 L inline-4 engine. However, the Vitz also came with a 1.3 L and a 1.5 L powertrain in a few markets. The 1.0 L produced 67 hp while the 1.3 and 1.5 made 86hp and 106 hp respectively. A performance version was also offered that made 148 hp. The 1.4 L diesel model was good for 74 hp.
In the second generation, five different engines were proffered. The 1.6 and the 1.8 L were more performance-oriented and made exceptional power at peak output. The same roster of powertrains was carried over in the third generation. Here various hybrid versions were also on offer.
Interior Cabin
The Toyota Vitz came with comfortable seats, ample leg space, and a basic infotainment system. The driver’s information screen was set in the middle with the dashboard made of plastic. The design remained pretty much the same throughout the generations. The center console improved with the help of a touchscreen infotainment system.
Verdict
The Toyota Vitz is the perfect family car that doesn’t disappoint. If you are more of a sporty type then you have the sports version of the vehicle that is used in rally races. In short, you cannot go wrong with the Vitz.
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If you want to know more details about specifications and models, please refer to Wikipedia or other catalogs.