Unmistakably one of the best-selling vehicles in the country, the minuscule Toyota Wigo has ferried many Filipino families and commuters ever since its local release. That’s precisely why the news of an all-new 2023 Toyota Wigo has drawn the attention of both car fans and regular people alike. Here’s what has been changed with this latest version.
The exterior gains a significant redesign over the facelifted outgoing model. Toyota did quite a lot of things to keep the previous-generation Wigo fresh, but admittedly it was getting a bit long in the tooth.
This completely new exterior speaks more of the brand’s current design philosophy than anything else. Everything is boxier and sharper than ever before. Sure, the cutesy size is as expected from the compact car segment.
But the overall design is sportier and exudes more aggressiveness, especially when it culminates at the front fascia. It’s like your neighbor’s tiny dog that you’re somehow scared of and you don’t really know why. At least, we said the same about the Toyota Raize so the design identity among the brand’s models is consistent.
That’s not the only thing shared with the Raize though. The two models also now share the same power mill, the 1.2-liter inline-three engine that produces 88PS. The outdated four-speed automatic has also been swapped out for a CVT which is more appropriate for an economy car in 2023.
We’re still waiting for a Philippine release, but the Indonesian market is treated to a base model and another one with all the Gazoo Racing-Sport (GR-S) goodies. The latter variant, funnily enough, could be mistaken for a GR Yaris for the uninitiated or visually challenged. It’s not all looks though as Toyota has claimed that this model will receive modifications to the suspension and steering characteristics. We’re looking forward to driving one to see if these statements translate to the asphalt.
On the inside, things are also looking rather fresh and new. The image you see here is of its Daihatsu equivalent, but easily noticeable is the new angular design philosophy moving forward. We’re confident that practicality will still be the primary focus within this cabin, but we’re expecting more in terms of refinement and finish this time around.
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