Toyota Vios HEV in Malaysia,from RM103,900

KUALA LUMPUR: UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has officially pushed the Toyota Vios into the hybrid era in Malaysia with the introduction of the Vios HEV.

This is also UMWT’s latest “easy hybrid” pitch, a mainstream, practical route into electrified driving without asking Malaysians to change habits.

The Toyota Vios HEV will also be offered alongside the existing Vios 1.5G and Vios 1.5E, expanding the Vios line-up. There is also a Vios HEV GR Sport (GR-S) variant, but this write-up focuses only on the core Vios HEV, so if you want to know about the Toyota Vios HEV GR Sport, click here.

Also Read: 2026 Toyota Vellfire HEV arrives in Malaysia, here’s all you need to know

Pricing in Malaysia

The Toyota Vios HEV is priced from RM103,900, which should position it as the brand’s most accessible hybrid offering in the Malaysian market.

Familiar shape, new hybrid-specific touches, and more attention to NVH

Visually, the Vios HEV shares the same body styling as the Vios 1.5G, including the fastback silhouette and “Power Design” theme. Underneath, the fourth-generation Vios is built on Toyota’s DNGA architecture, developed with weight-saving measures without compromising rigidity and strength.

For the HEV version, the structure gets additional reinforcements to raise quality, rigidity, and safety. Because the hybrid battery adds weight, Toyota also applied weight reduction measures in areas like the bonnet, fenders, door panels, and boot lid.

There’s also acoustic glass for the windscreen, plus additional work said to reduce wind, engine, and road noise, a clear sign Toyota knows hybrid buyers will notice refinement as much as fuel savings.

To set the Vios HEV apart from the regular Vios 1.5G, some exterior areas get different surface treatments. Dark chrome plating is used around the side window trim, there’s a gun metallic finish for the grille and boot lid garnish, and a HEV emblem sits on the boot lid. The wheels also feature an exclusive design with a machined finish and black paint.

For body colours, the Toyota Vios HEV will be offered in five choices, Platinum White Pearl, Attitude Black Mica, Scarlet SE, Silver Metallic, and Celestite Grey Metallic.

Cabin tech and equipment, bigger screen, hybrid-specific displays, ambient lighting

Inside, UMWT describes the cabin as the same spacious environment found in the Vios 1.5G, with a driver-oriented cockpit where controls and switches are placed within easy reach.

The hybrid-specific part starts in front of the driver. The 7-inch TFT digital instrument panel gets a HEV-specific layout without a tachometer, with a large digital speedometer display. There are four patterns to choose from, and the graphics are designed to show how the hybrid system is operating, including battery charging status, whether the powertrain is running economically, and EV mode status when active.

At the centre, the Vios HEV gets a 10.1-inch Display Audio screen, larger than the 9-inch unit used in the Vios 1.5G. This screen handles the audio and infotainment functions and also displays the 3D Panoramic View Monitor (PVM). The system supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with common apps like Waze and Spotify able to be mirrored onto the screen.

Ambient lighting is another big part of the cabin pitch. Like the Vios 1.5G, the Vios HEV comes with 64-colour ambient lighting, and the HEV variant adds more lighting points on the instrument panel and door trims, on top of the centre console areas, adjustable via a switch.

For the Vios HEV, the hybrid come with leather upholstery, plus headrests shaped and positioned to provide support while also easing entry and exit.

In terms of standard equipment, the Vios HEV broadly mirrors the Vios 1.5G, including fully automatic air conditioning with a clean air filter, a new 4K front digital video recorder (DVR), Smart Entry and Push Start with a touch sensor on the front door handle, and three USB charging points, two of which are Type-C.

Toyota Hybrid System, 1.5L engine, e-CVT, 3.6 L/100 km claimed

Under the bonnet, the Vios HEV uses Toyota’s Hybrid System (THS), which Toyota notes has been developed over more than 25 years since the original Prius debuted in 1997. UMWT says the THS in the Vios HEV is now in its fourth generation, more compact, more efficient, and more powerful than earlier iterations.

The Vios HEV pairs a 1.5-litre DOHC 16-valve petrol four-cylinder engine with Dual VVT-i, an all-aluminium unit from Toyota’s NR family, with two electric motors in the hybrid system. One motor propels the car, while a smaller secondary motor handles starting and charging duties, to help with efficiency.

For this application, the 2NR-VEX engine produces 91 PS at 5,500 rpm and 121 Nm from 4,000 to 4,800 rpm. The motor generator is rated at 80 PS and 141 Nm, with that peak available from the moment the car moves off, as you would expect from an electric motor. UMWT quotes a combined system output of 111 PS.

Drive goes to the front wheels through an E-CVT, rather than the “7-speed CVT” style transmission used in the non-hybrid Vios, and the car can operate in EV mode for short distances when conditions allow. The system is described as self-charging, using regenerative braking to recover energy during deceleration and braking, with the battery topped up automatically without any plug-in charging.

On efficiency, UMWT quotes an NEDC combined fuel consumption figure of 3.6 L/100 km, equivalent to 27.8 km/l. The company also states this is around 31% lower than the Vios 1.5G. Despite the petrol engine’s lower maximum output versus the 1.5G, UMWT claims the hybrid system’s combined output is almost 5% higher, translating into stronger acceleration.

The lithium-ion battery pack is a compact 4.3 Ah unit mounted under the rear seats, a layout intended to maintain passenger comfort and keep luggage capacity similar to the regular Vios.

Cooling air for the battery is drawn from the cabin to help maintain optimal temperature, and UMWT states the battery should last as long as the car under normal usage, echoing the “designed to last the life of the vehicle” message.

The Vios HEV uses a 36-litre fuel tank, and because the hybrid system reduces engine use significantly, it helps stretch range on a tank without changing how the car is refuelled.

Toyota Safety Sense, blind spot monitoring, and 5-star ASEAN NCAP

On safety, the Vios HEV continues with Toyota’s active safety suite, Toyota Safety Sense (TSS), working with dual cameras mounted at the top of the windscreen.

Features include Pre-Collision System (PCS) with autonomous emergency braking, lane support systems including Lane Keep Control (intended to help keep the car centred in its lane), Adaptive Cruise Control, and Front Departure Alert, enhanced with Vehicle Approach Notice to alert the driver when the vehicle ahead moves off and to help warn pedestrians when running in EV mode.

There's also Auto High Beam, Blind Spot Monitor with indicators in the door mirrors, and rear cross traffic alert-style monitoring while reversing. Parking and low-speed manoeuvring are supported by a reverse camera and the 3D Panoramic View Monitor.

The Toyota Vios HEV is ASEAN NCAP assessed for this generation of Vios at its 2023 introduction and has been awarded a five-star rating.

Warranty, hybrid coverage, and after-sales support

The Vios HEV comes with a five-year vehicle warranty with unlimited mileage, and the hybrid components are covered by a separate warranty of up to eight years with unlimited mileage. The hybrid warranty coverage includes not just the battery, but also the inverter and the power management control ECU for the same period.

After-sales support is through authorised Toyota service centres nationwide, and UMWT also includes its 24SEVEN Road Assist support, accessible 24/7 via a hotline or through the Toyota MY app.

Also Read: Toyota GR Corolla AT launched in Malaysia, priced from RM378,950