{"id":83258,"date":"2026-09-08T18:25:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T10:25:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=83258"},"modified":"2026-09-08T18:25:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T10:25:05","slug":"toyota-vios-hybrid-review-a-story-of-unfavourable-policies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=83258","title":{"rendered":"Toyota Vios Hybrid review: A story of unfavourable policies"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Normally, when I write a review about a car, I like to talk about its features and practicality, what it offers, and then tell you if you should buy one. I\u2019m going to reverse that this time.\u00a0Because of the government\u2019s desire to transition our nation\u2019s entire\u00a0population of cars\u00a0to EVs, policies have been\u00a0put in place\u00a0to make EVs more attractive.\u00a0Unsurprisingly, this has\u00a0had a negative impact on\u00a0ICE cars. And few have been affected as drastically as the Toyota Vios Hybrid, to the point where it\u2019s very difficult to recommend it over the vast sea of entry-level EVs that are currently available.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">It\u2019s by no means a bad car \u2013 it\u2019s actually pretty nice in some ways, and I\u2019ll explain why below \u2013\u00a0\u00a0but its price is, to put it gently, tricky. At the time of writing, it costs <b>S$197,888<\/b>. If it sounds like a lot, then brace yourself, because it\u2019s actually the most affordable car Toyota sells.\u00a0<\/p>\n<section class=\"_expanded_lwxdk_22\"><button class=\"_title_lwxdk_1\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Article jumplist<\/p>\n<p><default:svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"18\" height=\"9\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\"><default:path d=\"M1 1L9 8L17 1\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/><\/default:svg><\/button><\/p>\n<ol class=\"_list_lwxdk_28\">\n<li class=\"_listItem_lwxdk_71\">1. <!-- -->Why does it cost this much?<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_lwxdk_71\">2. <!-- -->Not your usual hybrid system<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_lwxdk_71\">3. <!-- -->What\u2019s the rest of the car like?<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_lwxdk_71\">4. <!-- -->Final thoughts and buying advice<\/li>\n<li class=\"_listItem_lwxdk_71\">5. <!-- -->Availability and pricing<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<h2 id=\"why-does-it-cost-this-much-\" class=\"_subHeading1_1k87u_111 _base_1k87u_1\">Why does it cost this much?<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"_figure_wioo3_1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_1sb7q_1\" alt=\"Toyota Vios Hybrid front bumper\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1477\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/5824e81339998bf1d068c3990f91260012800a05f69e330ac9035ab0767b6df4?w=500&amp;q=85 500w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/5824e81339998bf1d068c3990f91260012800a05f69e330ac9035ab0767b6df4?w=800&amp;q=85 800w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/5824e81339998bf1d068c3990f91260012800a05f69e330ac9035ab0767b6df4?w=1000&amp;q=85 1000w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/5824e81339998bf1d068c3990f91260012800a05f69e330ac9035ab0767b6df4?w=2000&amp;q=85 2000w\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/5824e81339998bf1d068c3990f91260012800a05f69e330ac9035ab0767b6df4?w=1000&amp;q=85\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.3540961408259986;contain-intrinsic-size:2000px 1477px\"\/><figcaption class=\"_figureCaptions_wioo3_158\">\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_wioo3_165\">Interestingly, the front bumper has functional aero elements.<\/p>\n<p>Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Keen observers will point out that, for the same money, you can find a good number of EVs that offer more bang for the buck. There\u2019s also no shortage of even cheaper\u00a0EVs.\u00a0The cheapest Model 3 starts at S$191,999, and few would disagree that it\u2019s a more refined car than the Vios Hybrid. And if you prefer SUVs, the very spacious Leapmotor C10 costs over S$15,000 less, while the charming Jaecoo 6 is very nearly S$18,000 less. You get the point.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">The reason why some EVs can be priced so attractively is because of the <b>Electric Vehicle Early Adoption Incentive (EEAI) and the Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES)<\/b>.\u00a0I won\u2019t go into the details (you can read more here), but together, rebates from the EEAI and VES enable\u00a0buyers of EVs\u00a0to\u00a0attain savings of\u00a0up to S$30,000.\u00a0The Vios Hybrid, on the other hand,\u00a0by virtue of having\u00a0an internal combustion engine, doesn\u2019t qualify for any rebates \u2013 even if it\u2019s ostensibly a fuel-efficient\u00a0and\u00a0economical hybrid.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"not-your-usual-hybrid-system\" class=\"_subHeading1_1k87u_111 _base_1k87u_1\">Not your usual hybrid system<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"_figure_wioo3_1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_1sb7q_1\" alt=\"Toyota Vios Hybrid engine\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto\" width=\"1140\" height=\"760\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/94a669f9d19e9470829ac33c6e2ce9eb20b41468adbc77a6ea2948859d9cdc1b?w=500&amp;q=85 500w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/94a669f9d19e9470829ac33c6e2ce9eb20b41468adbc77a6ea2948859d9cdc1b?w=800&amp;q=85 800w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/94a669f9d19e9470829ac33c6e2ce9eb20b41468adbc77a6ea2948859d9cdc1b?w=1000&amp;q=85 1000w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/94a669f9d19e9470829ac33c6e2ce9eb20b41468adbc77a6ea2948859d9cdc1b 1140w\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/94a669f9d19e9470829ac33c6e2ce9eb20b41468adbc77a6ea2948859d9cdc1b?w=1000&amp;q=85\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.5;contain-intrinsic-size:1140px 760px\"\/><figcaption class=\"_figureCaptions_wioo3_158\">\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_wioo3_165\">The powertrain feels punchy because it produces 262nm of torque.<\/p>\n<p>Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">The hybrid system in the Vios Hybrid comprises a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder engine and an electric motor that\u00a0gets its\u00a0power from a modest 0.76kWh battery.\u00a0<b>It\u2019s worth pointing out also that it\u2019s a more complicated series-parallel hybrid system<\/b>.\u00a0This means it can be driven by the engine\u00a0and\u00a0electric motor individually or together.\u00a0It also means the engine can act as a generator for the battery \u2013 something that parallel hybrids, like the CLA I tested recently, can\u2019t do. It can also run solely on electricity, but only for very short periods and under very light loads.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"_figure_wioo3_1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_1sb7q_1\" alt=\"Toyota Vios Hybrid fuel consumption\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto\" width=\"1140\" height=\"760\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/331dbf0d83bcc6ea6673a1f2113ff63f2995b1ca42a5c747b7b62d2199403c10?w=500&amp;q=85 500w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/331dbf0d83bcc6ea6673a1f2113ff63f2995b1ca42a5c747b7b62d2199403c10?w=800&amp;q=85 800w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/331dbf0d83bcc6ea6673a1f2113ff63f2995b1ca42a5c747b7b62d2199403c10?w=1000&amp;q=85 1000w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/331dbf0d83bcc6ea6673a1f2113ff63f2995b1ca42a5c747b7b62d2199403c10 1140w\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/331dbf0d83bcc6ea6673a1f2113ff63f2995b1ca42a5c747b7b62d2199403c10?w=1000&amp;q=85\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.5;contain-intrinsic-size:1140px 760px\"\/><figcaption class=\"_figureCaptions_wioo3_158\">\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_wioo3_165\">The trip computer reported an average fuel consumption of 23.5km\/l over 406.2km.<\/p>\n<p>Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Together, the engine and electric motor produce <b>a peak output of 110hp and 262nm of torque<\/b>. Because it has this much torque, it feels sprightly, even if it actually isn\u2019t very fast. However, like most other Toyota hybrids, the powertrain groans loudly when you work it hard.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Toyota claims a fuel efficiency of 27km\/l, but I\u2019m afraid I didn\u2019t manage that. Over a weekend, <b>I travelled over 400km and managed 23.5km\/l<\/b>, which is still pretty impressive given my fairly heavy right foot.\u00a0Since its fuel tank has a capacity of 36L, it\u2019s possible to get\u00a0a range of\u00a0over 800km \u2013 that\u2019s enough to get from here to KL and back.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-s-the-rest-of-the-car-like-\" class=\"_subHeading1_1k87u_111 _base_1k87u_1\">What\u2019s the rest of the car like?<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"_figure_wioo3_1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_1sb7q_1\" alt=\"Toyota Vios Hybrid rear leg room\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1147\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/ffa2a9f73f26cfb21d8f035d182db6ebb56a09777885a7562272a886e903dca9?w=500&amp;q=85 500w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/ffa2a9f73f26cfb21d8f035d182db6ebb56a09777885a7562272a886e903dca9?w=800&amp;q=85 800w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/ffa2a9f73f26cfb21d8f035d182db6ebb56a09777885a7562272a886e903dca9?w=1000&amp;q=85 1000w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/ffa2a9f73f26cfb21d8f035d182db6ebb56a09777885a7562272a886e903dca9?w=2000&amp;q=85 2000w\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/ffa2a9f73f26cfb21d8f035d182db6ebb56a09777885a7562272a886e903dca9?w=1000&amp;q=85\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.7436791630340018;contain-intrinsic-size:2000px 1147px\"\/><figcaption class=\"_figureCaptions_wioo3_158\">\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_wioo3_165\">Rear leg room is decent for a car of its size and class.<\/p>\n<p>Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">While the fuel consumption is remarkable,\u00a0<b>this being\u00a0Toyota\u2019s\u00a0entry-level sedan, there\u2019s visible cost-cutting<\/b>.\u00a0There are hard plastics in places, the parking camera is low-res, the seats don\u2019t offer much side support, the speakers sound quite tinny, the steering wheel doesn\u2019t come back far enough, I could go on. But that would be missing the point. This is Toyota\u2019s answer to personal transportation for the masses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">And to be fair, it doesn\u2019t miss out on the essentials. For a start, the aircon is arctic cold \u2013 even when it\u2019s set to 26 degrees, it\u2019s freezing.\u00a0There\u2019s also support for both wireless Apple CarPlay and\u00a0wireless\u00a0Android Auto, air-con vents for rear passengers, and safety features\u00a0like blind spot\u00a0monitoring and collision warning.\u00a0It even has adaptive cruise control, though the implementation isn\u2019t the best \u2013 it accelerates and brakes too abruptly.\u00a0Furthermore, rear\u00a0leg room\u00a0is adequate, the boot is\u00a0of a\u00a0usable\u00a0size, and it even has customisable ambient lighting.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"_figure_wioo3_1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_1sb7q_1\" alt=\"Toyota Vios Hybrid side profile\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto\" width=\"2000\" height=\"998\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/b83e2278336a2c6a38152939d1a2e00f5d711aa343247a1df514d47aae6a8c3c?w=500&amp;q=85 500w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/b83e2278336a2c6a38152939d1a2e00f5d711aa343247a1df514d47aae6a8c3c?w=800&amp;q=85 800w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/b83e2278336a2c6a38152939d1a2e00f5d711aa343247a1df514d47aae6a8c3c?w=1000&amp;q=85 1000w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/b83e2278336a2c6a38152939d1a2e00f5d711aa343247a1df514d47aae6a8c3c?w=2000&amp;q=85 2000w\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/b83e2278336a2c6a38152939d1a2e00f5d711aa343247a1df514d47aae6a8c3c?w=1000&amp;q=85\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:2.004008016032064;contain-intrinsic-size:2000px 998px\"\/><figcaption class=\"_figureCaptions_wioo3_158\">\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_wioo3_165\">The Vios Hybrid has a fastback profile to improve aerodynamics.<\/p>\n<p>Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">As for the way it rides, it absorbs\u00a0imperfections in the\u00a0road well enough.\u00a0It could\u00a0do with\u00a0more refinement, but it generally feels comfortable enough and is\u00a0completely\u00a0up to the task of coping with our roads.\u00a0However, if you pay attention, you can feel vibrations and jitters through the steering rack on poorly paved surfaces. The steering itself is also unexpectedly heavy for a car of its type, but you soon get used to it. On the whole, the ride is perfectly acceptable given its positioning in Toyota\u2019s hierarchy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"final-thoughts-and-buying-advice\" class=\"_subHeading1_1k87u_111 _base_1k87u_1\">Final thoughts and buying advice<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"_figure_wioo3_1\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_base_1sb7q_1\" alt=\"Toyota Vios Hybrid front\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1231\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/d0487b2fbb986fbafe2e11d01dca767c23521d8a4eba7481f70958108631ab93?w=500&amp;q=85 500w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/d0487b2fbb986fbafe2e11d01dca767c23521d8a4eba7481f70958108631ab93?w=800&amp;q=85 800w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/d0487b2fbb986fbafe2e11d01dca767c23521d8a4eba7481f70958108631ab93?w=1000&amp;q=85 1000w,https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/d0487b2fbb986fbafe2e11d01dca767c23521d8a4eba7481f70958108631ab93?w=2000&amp;q=85 2000w\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/hardwarezone\/d0487b2fbb986fbafe2e11d01dca767c23521d8a4eba7481f70958108631ab93?w=1000&amp;q=85\" style=\"--custom-aspect-ratio:1.6246953696181965;contain-intrinsic-size:2000px 1231px\"\/><figcaption class=\"_figureCaptions_wioo3_158\">\n<p class=\"_imageCaption_wioo3_165\">Objectively speaking, it doesn\u2019t offer the most bang for the buck, but if you need an economical car with an internal combustion engine, there are few better options.<\/p>\n<p>Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">Credit must be given to the Chinese EV companies. Even if you take away all the rebates, they would still remain compelling cars that offer a lot of bang for the buck. With the current rebates in place, however, they are no-brainer propositions for anyone who is looking for a comfy way to get around, as long as you can live with the limitations of an EV.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">But an EV isn\u2019t for everyone \u2013 at least not right now while\u00a0infrastructural\u00a0gaps\u00a0exist\u00a0\u2013 and that\u2019s where the Vios Hybrid comes in.\u00a0I<b>f you\u00a0should\u00a0require the convenience and freedom of an ICE car,\u00a0and want to keep expenses as low as possibly, the Vios Hybrid remains a\u00a0potent\u00a0option<\/b>.\u00a0It\u2019s fuel-efficient,\u00a0practical, and because it\u2019s a Toyota, it should be easy and cheap to run, and be as reliable as a wood-burning stove.\u00a0Unless you are willing to venture into the used market, I struggle to think of a more sensible alternative.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"availability-and-pricing\" class=\"_subHeading1_1k87u_111 _base_1k87u_1\">Availability and pricing<\/h2>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\">The Toyota Vios Hybrid is available now and prices start at <b>S$197,888<\/b>. For more information, visit Toyota\u2019s website.<\/p>\n<p class=\"_base_1s8rd_1 _default_1s8rd_12\"><b><i>Note:<\/i><\/b><i> Prices are correct at the time of publishing.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<center><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hardwarezone.com.sg\/lifestyle\/cars\/toyota-vios-hybrid-review-story-unfavourable-policies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><br \/>\n<center\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Normally, when I write a review about a car, I like to talk about its features and practicality, what it offers, and then tell you&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":83259,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[6637,16757,28,1199,15940,29685,29684],"class_list":["post-83258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech-gadgets-reviews","tag-hybrid","tag-policies","tag-review","tag-story","tag-toyota","tag-unfavourable","tag-vios","wpcat-32-id"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83258","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=83258"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83258\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/83259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=83258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=83258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=83258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}