R189,000 Toyota Vitz officially goes on sale in South Africa – Specifications

Around one month after its pricing was revealed, the new Toyota Vitz has officially reached South African dealerships.

The hatchback can now be had in three specifications retailing from a starting price of R189,900.

Features

The base Vitz is equipped with halogen headlights, black door handles and side mirrors, a black-and-chrome grille, and 14-inch steel wheels; whereas the XR sports body-coloured handles, colour-coded electric mirrors, 15-inch alloy wheels, and front fog lights.

Once inside, the entire range offers manual airconditioning, a 12V accessory socket, rear parking sensors, ABS with electronic brake force distribution, two airbags, two speakers, and 295 litres of boot space.

Upgrading to the XR adds remote central locking, all-round electric windows, a digital tachometer, a USB port, a multifunction steering wheel, four speakers, and a 7-inch infotainment screen with Bluetooth and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It’s worth noting that the cheapest Vitz does not come with a radio, so one must be installed for an additional cost, however, all models support Toyota Connect which provides a GPS locator, logbook, battery health checks, driver ratings, licence renewal, roadside assistance, and service bookings via a smartphone app.

Engine

Generating drive in the new Vitz is a 1.0-litre, petrol engine putting out 49kW and 89Nm, available with a five-speed manual shifter in the base model and with both a manual and five-speed automated manual transmission (AMT) in the XR.

The powertrain features start-stop technologies that automatically switch off the hatchback when stationary for optimal fuel consumption and start it up again when the brake is released, resulting in an average reading of 4.4l/100km for the manual and a lower 4.2l/100km for the AMT.

The AMT is also the only Vitz to get hill-assist control.