The Car Industry in Pakistan has been for years stuck in the past and is often criticized for not offering anything desirable for its consumers. Though the topic of debating how the dominating forces in the automotive industry manipulate consumers and products is a story for another time; today, we will be looking at some positives that can be attributed to the recent release of Toyota Yaris 2020 by Toyota Indus in Pakistan.
It is easy to group up on the fact that most auto-motives in Pakistan are years behind their counterparts in the world. Still, I sincerely believe that when a brand makes an effort to truly stand out in the situation, we should appreciate and promote the change so that other players rise to the occasion. So as such, in today’s article we will be discussing unique technologies that have been offered in the latest Toyota Yaris 2020, making it the only entry level segment sedan car to lead this category of features; given its price and availability.
Note: This article is in no way, shape or form a car review. The purpose of this piece is just to highlight the unique technologies offered in variants of Toyota Yaris 2020, in order to promote a healthy message for the automotive industry.
Toyota Yaris is the latest offering by Indus Toyota announced and then released in the year 2020. The car is aimed towards the entry level segment of the sedan body type. This is also the first time in a very long period that Toyota has another sedan in their offering besides the market dominating Toyota Corolla series. In today’s article we will discuss the top 5 features that differentiate the Yaris from its equivalent (in segment, not price) competition such as the current offerings from the competition of Honda City and Suzuki Ciaz.
As with most features in this list, they are primarily meant to enhance the driver user experience. This might not seem that much on surface level, but once you get used to certain features their usability is apparent. So it is always a good thing to make these previously premium features, more accessible and in turn open to improvement, for the masses.
Climate Control
If you have had a past with any field of engineering related to Air Conditioning or Ventilation, you know the role temperature plays in a comfort level of any given human being. On paper it might not sound much but having the ability to control the flow of air in the cabin be dependent on the temperature you select,offers a much more comforting AC experience. The other big advantage is that the system auto regulates the air that is pumped into the cabin so when it detects that an optimum temperature has been reached it is able to offer more versatile setting points than the traditional four point Air Conditioner in most vehicles; this in returns help regulate energy costs that you might incur on your daily drives because one might be not be bothered to keep adjusting their AC regularly.
Toyota Yaris is the first entry level sedan to offer this feature and it is something to truly appreciate, one can hope that the next iteration would also include dual zone or rear AC ducts to improve upon this offering.
Push Start Technology
Having Push Start in a vehicle is the ultimate level of convenience one can ask for when it comes to getting in and out of the car. The key fob also provides additional security, which is not perfect but is still better than having a regular key which can be copied/forged. For people who aren’t aware, even if your key fob runs out of battery, there is a hidden key in a fob usually that can be used to open the driver door; from their onwards the key fob has built in NFC which you can tap the push start button with to start up your vehicle. I was one of the people who thought that running out of battery is a big issue with push start technology but apparently smarter people than me have worked on this feature.
Having Push Start technology also enables the Toyota Yaris to have a smart trunk open feature on the key fob. The proximity sensing of having a push start based key fob is amazing for people who frequently travel during a day, the ease of never taking the key out of your pocket is just something you have got to experience to learn its value. Toyota Yaris is the second vehicle in Toyota’s arsenal to boast this technology at an entry level and one can hope this becomes the trend over all.
Multiple Power Outlets of Yaris
We live in the age of chargeables and though not so long ago having one charging port was enough in a vehicle, I have personally ran into situations myself where I wished I had multiple ports because so many things depend on them these days. If you ever want to install a dash-cam and have a fully powered charger, this is great news. You can also enable more convenience for your backseat passengers or have the additional ports to help you in case of emergency with setting up emergency lighting or helping you quickly charge multiple devices. The combinations with which you can utilize multi power outlets are unlimited and having the option is something unique to Toyota Yaris right now.
Steering controls in Yaris
Keeping up the theme of convenience and adding safer driving practices to it is the option to have steering controls. Having the ability to not glance over every time you want to switch a track or pick a call is just safer and more driver friendly. Nowadays with most centre entertainment consoles have become touch screen based, having the tactile feedback of a button at thumbs reach is something that just improves the driver experience. Steering controls are yet another unique feature that only Toyota Yaris offers in its category currently.
CVT engine, Eco/Sport mode
Lastly, and most importantly is the fact that Toyota Yaris has made CVT(Continuously Variable Transmission) more accessible for the people. Till date, CVT used to be reserved for the top end trims of a vehicle variant but with Toyota Yaris you get CVT all across the board in all of their automatic transmission variants. The top of the line model also has a dedicated Eco and Sports mode. Oftentimes people confuse Eco mode for an Eco indicator, which are two completely different things. An Eco indicator just indicates that you are driving in an eco friendly manner, saving fuel and all that good stuff; But an Eco mode is something that goes one step further. When turned on, Eco mode changes the throttle response you get from pressing the accelerator, you can still go hard on it but you will have to commit further to get the same response as you would in the regular or sports mode. This level of depth ensures that your driving habits are more in tune with your intention of the Eco mode. As always, you can always flip over to the Sports mode to get the opposite effect, now a little press of your accelerator generates a bigger response from the engine, it is fair to say that having CVT technology has enabled inclusion of such modes; which are again one of the most unique and exciting features of the top end Toyota Yaris Ativ X CVT.
Verdict
The Toyota Yaris 2020 is an excellent release and will definitely help move the market forward in the entry segment for sedan vehicles. It’s inclusion of CVT across the board with respectable specifications for its interior, exterior and performance can prove to be a good option going forward. The features it is offering at a relevantly close to competition price are a good sign for its success. It is still to be seen if it proves to be successful or not but one should still promote variety and innovation in any kind of industry.
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