At long last, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has launched the Toyota Veloz, a crossover MPV that takes over from the Avanza in the B-segment. The Veloz is a notch higher with a more premium image than the Avanza, reflecting Toyota’s ongoing aim of delivering ever better cars.
It’s no secret that the new Veloz is a similar model to the new Perodua Alza and it is even assembled in the same factory near Rawang, Selangor. It isn’t the first time UMWT is using Perodua’s factory also assembled the first Avanza as well as the Rush. It’s a practical approach when the model is similar as there is no point duplicating assembly for a smaller volume at another plant.
Shared models are nothing new in the industry and have been a practice for many decades. In earlier years, the sharing was usually between different brands of the same manufacturer. However, as model development grew much more expensive, it made sense to collaborate and share the costs. The advantages in this include cost-savings in many parts as the suppliers can have orders with bigger volumes for the same part or system.
However, the Veloz does cost more to Malaysian consumers at RM95,000, compared to the Perodua model which has a price range of RM62,500 to RM75,500. That the Veloz costs more than the Alza will raise the question of why anyone would want to pay more for what is essentially the same product. This is where brand preference and loyalty come in and while Perodua is the market leader in Malaysia, Toyota is also a strong brand with a longer history in the market. Interbrand’s assessment of brand value for 2021 placed Toyota at the top of the list among carmakers and seventh among all companies worldwide.
Now that we’ve got that point out of the way, let’s look at what the Veloz offers. Only one variant is available so they’ve loaded it with everything and customers won’t need to make a choice of which variant to buy. But they will have to choose one of 5 body colours, two of which have a black roof.
Moving to new design language
Where the Avanza was making evolutionary changes in its looks, the Veloz has made a big jump with Toyota’s new design language that is expressive. You see it in the latest models and for the Veloz, LED headlights complemented by sequential turn signals and Daytime Running Lights form a visual signature. The sequential turn signals have, until now, been usually found on more expensive models so they add a premium touch to the vehicle.
The rear lamps have a distinctive design that accentuates the width of the vehicle. The 3-dimensional form of each unit gives the same expressiveness as the front . Additionally, the automatic folding door mirrors also have foot lamps which illuminate the ground next to the doors (another premium feature). On approach too, when remotely unlocking the doors, the foot lamps will come on to shine on the ground so no worries about stepping into puddles… or worse!
To give the image of adventure to the Veloz, low-profile roof rails are fitted and also add a stylish element. Malaysians are not the sort who regularly put stuff on the roof of their cars but if they want to, those rails can support a load of up to 75 kgs.
Much of the development of the Veloz was done in Indonesia so conditions there had a strong influence on some areas. Due to the rough roads and flooded stretches, Toyota has usually provided more ground clearance for its models. This is the same with the Veloz which has 205 mm of clearance up to the muffler, and 190 mm up to the lowest point of the suspension layout. It’s interesting that Perodua, which had the option to customise some details, chose a lower clearance height of 160 mm which is more like a passenger car’s.
Totally new drivetrain
Like the styling, the drivetrain has also made a major departure from the Avanza, with the powered wheels now at the front instead of the rear. The power comes from a new 1.5-litre all-aluminium DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine (2NR-VE) with EFI and Dual VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing with intelligence) technology. Maximum power output of is 106 ps at 6,000rpm and maximum torque is 138 Nm at 4,200rpm.
Also new in the drivetrain is the transmission which is now a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). This type of transmission is not new in Toyotas and have been used in other models. It is light and compact with low loss of power so fuel economy can be better. For the CVT in the Veloz, the driver also has an option of making manual selection of 7 steps simulating a conventional transmission (but a CVT does not actually have gears like a conventional automatic transmission).
Additionally, there are three DRIVE modes that can be selected while on the move. These are PWR, ECO and NORMAL. With PWR mode, acceleration is stronger while ECO mode helps with fuel-saving. In most cases, drivers can leave the system in NORMAL mode which offers a balance of economy and performance.
Versatile interior space for 7 persons
The larger size of the Veloz gave Toyota’s interior designers more flexibility in packaging to provide a versatile layout that can accommodate up to 7 persons. The second and third rows can be folded together or individually for different layouts that can carry more people or more cargo, and even long items like a carpet.
To provide a premium image, the seats have semi-leather upholstery with soft padding for interior panels all round. Like the more expensive MPV models, there is also exclusive bluish ambient lighting around the centre console and on the door trims.
The dashboard design follows latest trends with a standalone infotainment panel positioned in the middle and a 2-tone colour scheme for a premium image. The 9-inch full colour display panel provides easy viewing and the system comes with wired/wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay so favourite apps can be connected from a compatible smartphone with ease.
The driver has a full-screen LCD 7-inch Multi Info Display that keeps him or her informed of the vehicle’s operation. With a graphic display, the driver can customise the layout and information prioritisation in up to 4 different presentations. For safer driving, many of the vehicle functions can be operated and adjusted with switches on the steering wheel.
In this age of everyone having portable electronic devices that need to be recharged regularly, there are 3 USB dedicated charging ports around the cabin. A charging pad is also provided for wirelessly charging smartphones with such a capability. For other heavy-duty devices, there also two 12V ‘cigarette lighter’ sockets.
Although teh tarik hooks are practical and useful, cupholders are what carmakers like to provide and boast about – the more the better. In the Veloz, you’ll find up to 15 cupholders so each person can have a hot drink and a cold on as well. For other items, there are many storage spaces -in the boot, the cargo area as well as under it.
The cabin environment is kept cool and comfortable at all times with the Automatic Air Conditioning system. Once the desired temperature is set, cool air circulates around the cabin to maintain the temperature level. For passengers in the second and third rows, there is a secondary cooling system mounted in the ceiling to bring more cool air towards the rear of the cabin, especially for those in the third row.
Toyota Safety Sense
As with many other Toyota models, the Veloz comes with Toyota Safety Sense (TSS), an integrated package of active safety systems. These assist the driver by providing alerts of a dangerous situation and even acting automatically if the driver does not do the right thing to avoid an accident.
TSS has four main systems – Pre-Collision System; Lane Departure Warning; Lane Departure Prevention; and Lane Keeping Control. These four systems rely on imagery captured by a stereo camera mounted at the top of the windscreen which visually scans the road ahead. The imagery is analyzed by the on-board computer at high speed to identify vehicles and pedestrians and risks of an accident are determined.
Depending on the situation, the driver will first receive a warning, after which the brakes will come on automatically. This can prevent a collision from taking place or if the distance is too short and contact still occurs, the reduced speed at impact could reduce the severity of damage, lowering repair costs.
The camera also provides the other three systems with information on road markings so that the vehicle can be kept in its lane. If the vehicle starts to move towards another lane and cross the lines, the driver will be alerted and if action is not taken, a slight force on the steering wheel will direct the vehicle back into its lane. Apart from making motoring safer, these lane-keeping systems also reduce fatigue as the driver will have reduced workload on long journeys.
Besides the TSS systems, there is also Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), a more advanced form of cruise control where a safe gap can be automatically maintained with a vehicle ahead, regardless of the cruising speed set. The presence of the vehicle ahead is detected by the camera and the speed will be adjusted to maintain the safe gap (which the driver can adjust). Once there is no vehicle ahead, the system will bring the speed of the all-new Veloz up to the set speed again.
Awareness of the surroundings is important to avoid accidents and the all-new Veloz has three separate systems to help the driver to be aware. The first is a Blindspot Monitor which uses sensors to detect vehicles (including motorcycles) that may be in the blind spot. The driver will be alerted if there is a vehicle and that can help avoid a collision when wanting to change lane.
With the Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, reversing out of a parking bay is safer as the driver can be alerted of approaching vehicles even though he or she may not see them due to obstruction by other vehicles. The sensors that are used for the Blindspot Monitor also monitor the area on the left and right sides of the vehicle to detect approaching vehicles. If there is a vehicle approaching from either side, the driver will be alerted and can stop or move back into the bay to avoid an accident.
A new feature is the Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) which replaces the traditional mechanical parking brake. This uses a small tab on the centre console which can be lifted with just a finger to engage the parking brake. Complementing EPB and making starting off on a slope easier, there is also an Automatic Brake Hold feature which can be activated to allow starting off without having to release the brake manually, providing less stress to driver’s foot.
The 3D Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) that comes standard also contributes to safer motoring as it allows the driver to be aware of the situation on all sides of the vehicle. Besides helping the driver to position the vehicle properly in tight parking spaces with the simulated overhead view, it can also show hazards or small children that might not be visible in the mirrors or below the window level. Various angles can be selected at the touch of a button to provide a closer view.
UMWT installs a Vehicle Telematics System (VTS) in every Veloz. This system allows the owner to keep track of the vehicle’s location via an app. The connectivity is 24 hours, and the owner can check on the status of the vehicle, including the speed it is travelling at (if he is not in the vehicle). Should the vehicle be stolen, VTS enables a Command Centre to locate it via GPS signals and inform the relevant authorities who can retrieve the vehicle.
