2021 Toyota Wigo Philippines: The Best Car for Beginners

Despite the economic effects of the pandemic, Toyota Motor Philippines sold 9,145 units of Toyota Wigos last year, putting it in 3rd place among Philippines’ Best-selling Cars of 2020. The sales numbers speak for themselves, and there are many reasons why the subcompact continues to sell like pancakes up to this day in the Philippines. One of them is the fact that the 2021 Toyota Wigo is one of the best cars for beginners, especially for the Philippines.

Although small in size, Toyota has updated the Wigo to look aggressive and mean. All variants are equipped with halogen projector headlights, LED taillights, and line guide type clearance lamps. The G and TRD S variants come with a rear spoiler, fog lights, and a new set of 14-inch machine-cut alloy wheels. The Sport Kit is exclusive to the TRD S variant and it includes a front spoiler, side skirts, rear skirt, 2-tone rear spoiler, TRD S decals, and a TRD badge.

The interior is practical, which is expected from the car’s affordable price tag There are plenty of durable plastics inside and the seats are made of fabric. While the E variant still has the knob-type air conditioning control, the G and TRD S variants are equipped with an LCD A/C control panel. In addition, the G and TRD S variants are equipped with a 7-inch infotainment system, motorized side mirrors, backup camera, push-start button, and steering wheel buttons. Only the TRD S variant is equipped with a dashboard-mounted camera and infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

As for space, there is just enough to accommodate four adult occupants comfortably. The legroom and headroom look good, though you might have trouble fitting your broad-shouldered friends at the back, and you’ll definitely have issues trying to fit 3 full-grown adults in the back. Since the Wigo is a hatchback, it has ample trunk space for cargo. Fold the rear seats down and you have a total of 14.9 cubic feet of usable space. That’s bigger than the 13 cubic feet trunk space of the Toyota Altis.

It’s no secret that the Toyota Wigo is just a rebadged Daihatsu. In fact, it sits on Daihatsu’s global A-segment platform. It has various engine options in other countries; although in the Philippines, the Wigo only comes with an inline 3-cylinder 12-valve 1.0-Liter DOHC gasoline engine with VVT-i. The engine is capable of producing 66 metric horses and 89 Nm of torque and it can be paired with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. Moreover, the suspension is a combination of McPherson at the front and a semi-independent torsion axle beam at the rear. Responsible for braking is the 13-inch ventilated discs at the front and drum brakes at the rear.

For safety, all variants of the Toyota Wigo are equipped with driver and passenger airbags, an anti-lock braking system, 3-point seatbelts, and child-lock protection. Despite being small in size, it’s able to give adequate protection against accidents thanks to its 4-star score on the ASEAN NCAP safety ratings. This means that you are safer in this small car than in bigger cars with lower safety ratings. Bigger isn’t better when it comes to safety.

At the end of the day, the 2021 Toyota Wigo can bring you from point A to point B, which is the very purpose of every car. Although it’s really basic in and out, the price justifies the lack of luxury and complexity. It’s an entry-level Toyota after all. It truly suits the criteria of being the perfect first car. It’s easily maneuverable, surely durable, and obviously affordable.