Why go for the Wigo 1.0L TRD S AT?

After making its debut in 2014 amid stiff competition in the mini car segment, the diminutive Toyota Wigo quickly wolfed down 27.9% of the market share in its first 30 days — all the way to selling some 83,000 units to date, effectively owning the 69% of the country’s low-cost segment.

Manufactured around the concept of simplicity and to satisfy the demand for an affordable, fuel efficient, and cost-effective compact city car, it came with just the right elements — small engine and small footprint – that made it such an immediate hit for Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP).

This first-generation unit has now received two updates, one in 2017 and another in 2020, and continues to get better amenities and upgrades for looks and usability.

We take a gander at the nameplate’s range-topping 1.0L TRD (Toyota Racing Development) S AT to see what kind of Wigo you can get for P700,000.

The Wigo has packed on more curves after the 2017 update and sports a more shapely hood and also a mini version of Toyota’s “keen look” design to give it a more uniform appearance to match the rest of the sedan and hatchback lineup of TMP.

While the Wigo G and E trims all measure the same, the TRD S is a little longer than the rest. Its dimensions are 3,700mm in length, 1,600mm in width, 1,520mm in height, a wheelbase of 2,455mm, and with a ground clearance of 180mm.

It still sports projector halogen headlamps but does get redesigned rear combination lamps with LED (light-emitting diode) brake lamp. It also comes with front fog lamps, a rear LED spoiler with and integrated high mount stop lamp, and line guide type clearance lamps.

To make it sportier and to add some pizzaz to its looks, exclusive to this trim are TRD S decals and a badge, a front spoiler, side skirts, a rear skirt, and a two-tone rear spoiler.

On its chassis are MacPherson strut suspensions in front and a torsion beam axle at the rear, ventilated front disc brakes and drum disc rear brakes, plus it now gets 14-inch machine-cut design alloy wheels to complement its 175/65 R14 tires.

In the cabin, there’s a major sense of refinement brought by the mixture of updates on several fronts, including redesigned seats and the addition of chrome accents.

Aside from better color coordination and a hipper vibe in the cabin, the orange pinstripes on the seats and door panels was a great way to mesh the body color with the black plastics in the cabin.

New stalks, knobs and buttons from the 2017 update now offered a better touch sensation that will lead to an overall better experience behind the wheel whether it’s a drive to the corner grocery store or a trip to see your grandma in Laguna.

It is not sedan-spacious in the cabin by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn’t feel cramped as well. There’s enough elbow and headroom for the average Filipino and even a good enough trunk space to put overnight bags in if you’re taking a trip out of town.

Point is, it will do the job of moving five people around from Point A to Point B as reliably as any Toyota can, and that it one of its main selling points.

But on top of doing the bare minimum, it now has amenities to make the ride and drive more pleasant. It now comes with an LCD (liquid crystal display) air-conditioner panel, a shiny navigation-ready touchscreen display audio system with Apple CarPlay + Android Auto + tuner + Aux-in + USB + Bluetooth + voice command, and a three-spoke urethane steering wheel with audio switches on the left spoke.

It comes with power features including driver one-touch down window, power door locks, power-adjust and power-retract outer mirrors with turn signal lamps, and even a Push-to-Start button.

One of the biggest changes in the Wigo came with the 2017 update, its 1KR-VE engine that is now lighter and compact for better fuel consumption, higher performance, and reduced vibration and noise level. It is a 1.0L three-cylinder engine with a higher 11.5:1 compression ratio, a high-tumble intake port, a longer intake manifold, micro fuel spray injection and low-friction valve lifters to increase fuel efficiency and to develop more linear power delivery. Power output of 65hp and 89Nm of torque is sent to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission.

Finally, its engine also has Variable Valve Timing with intelligence or VVT-I that adjusts timing on both intake and exhaust camshafts to allow engine start and stop to occur almost unnoticeably at minimum compression. It also rapidly heats up the catalytic converter, sending it to its light-off temperature to be able to significantly reduce hydrocarbon emissions.

Safety features include driver and front passenger SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) airbags, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), rear sonar, rear camera, a dashboard digital video recorder, Toyota’s anti-theft system with immobilizer and alarm, and a keyless entry system.

The Toyota Wigo 1.0L TRD S AT comes in either Yellow SE, White, or Gray Metallic.

Photos from Toyota Motor Philippines