There was a time long ago when Toyota was known for more than just their reliable and reasonably priced automobiles. I remember as a child reading about the mighty Supra that's still highly sought after in the US as project cars. In more recent memory, there was the MR-S that is loved for its sublime handling.

Alas, market demands have driven the company to give more focus to their mainstream family models than performance. Though recently Toyota is making attempts to relive their glory days of producing venerable performance machines. Toyota announced that in the spirit of performance, they will be developing a new sports car named the FT-86 that pays quiet homage to the much revered AE86 popularized by the Japanese manga and anime Initial D.

Nevertheless the company needs to continue their focus on reliable and economical family models to afford such sentimental endeavors. Despite international media blowing Toyota's manufacturing defects out of proportion, it is undeniable that the Japanese company still makes one of the most reliable cars around.

When you purchase a Toyota, you would reasonably expect the car to deliver unwavering performance throughout its ten year COE lifespan (with regular servicing of course.) Despite the unrelenting reliability, drivers are sometimes still put off by the tacky interior of the low to mid-range models.

The latest second generation Vios does seem to prove that Toyota is making an effort to heed consumer's requests.

Exterior

Toyota's styling always treads the neutral path and the latest Vios is no different. The designers have made a good attempt at making the car resemble one of the transporters used in sci-fi movies. The futuristic design does play off well with the car's modest dimensions.

In the front, the car is dominated with a wide gaping grille that makes a vague impression of the Camry's front fascia. On the highest specced 'G' model seen here, the car is equipped with fog lights at either side of the lower bumper.

The 'G' model also comes with other noteworthy features like all around disc brakes and 15 inch alloys that compliment the car nicely.

Interior

The interior in the latest Vios is a marked improvement over the old. Having driven the previous generation often, I was never impressed with the interior. The tacky plastics and lack of any obvious design forethought told the world that you are driving an entry-level model.

The latest generation seems to have changed all that. Entering the interior, I immediately feel the greater effort Toyota put in to up the feel of the interior. I particularly like the high quality plastics that have been used in the interior. They are softer to the touch and give the interior a quality feel.

Settling into the driving seat, I felt I was seated higher than I would've liked. An impression further accentuated with the steering mounted low. Even with the steering wheel angle adjusted, I still felt the steering wheel to be lower than necessary.

In the latest Vios, the instrument panel is still placed in the centre of the dashboard rather than in front of the driver where it should be. My personal preferences aside, the dials are still clearly defined and easy to read in day or night. The fuel gauge has been incorporated into the same LCD panel that shows trip distance and time with no indication for engine temperatures.

The centre console is the first sign that Toyota made a great effort to improve the interior. The audio and climate controls are affixed on a 'V' shaped surround that gives the console a futuristic look. The entire surround here is in polished piano black that gives the car a sense of elegance that was absent in the previous generation.

The car comes equipped with a rather decent factory sound system that's easy to use. The six-CD system is augmented with MP3 playability and AUX-in/USB features. Audio controls are also replicated on the steering wheel for quick volume changes or mode selection.

The rear bench provides comfort for three passengers with reasonable legspace. Though long limbed passengers might start experiencing discomfort on longer journeys. The flat floor in the back due to the lack of a transmission tunnel does provide a more comfortable platform for your passenger's feet. In addition to the bootspace, the rear seats can be folded to avail a larger cargo capacity.

On a whole, Toyota has made a grand effort in improving the interior ambience of the Vios over the first generation. Creating an interior that's as pleasant as the car's price.

The Drive

The Vios is powered by a conservative 1.5-litre VVT-i powerplant that gives 109bhp with 141Nm of torque. Power delivery from the engine is very linear throughout the rev range and works efficiently with the 4-speed gearbox to eliminate any dragging associated with smaller capacities.

Cruising on the expressways, the Vios is rather comfortable and achieving highway speeds takes lesser time than one would expect. However the downside of this is the amount of noise that intrudes into the cabin.

On smaller roads the car does transmit some of the road undulations to the driver and passenger but is still generally comfortable.

Economy in the Vios is pretty decent at 14.3km/L though it just loses out to the Mazda 2's 14.7km/L.

Conclusion

The Vios might not get your hear racing but it'll definitely get you there. As a point to point car for the family, the car comes out as one of the top choices in the price range. The latest improvements in its interior though has shoved the Vios into the forefront for buyers looking for affordability and comfort.

Perhaps improvements can be made to the noise insulation but on a whole, the Toyota Vios makes a pretty decent family runaround.

What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.