JOHANNESBURG - When Toyota launched the Suzuki Baleno-based Starlet as a partial (albeit slightly more expensive) successor to the Etios back in September, the company also stated that other products would soon be introduced to help take up the slack at the bottom end of the market.
And we can now confirm that there is a new budget hatchback launching soon. Toyota SA posted a teaser video confirming this vehicle on its Facebook page this week, and the vehicle is evidently the Indonesian-built Agya, although it’s unclear whether local models will also use that name.
The Agya is not to be confused with the European-built Aygo, which shares its platform with the Peugeot 108. In fact the Indonesian-built Agya has Daihatsu DNA.
Measuring 3660mm in length, and riding on a 2455mm wheelbase, the Agya is longer than the Aygo (albeit slightly narrower) and shorter than the Etios hatch.
It’s not yet clear which engines will be offered in South Africa, but Agya customers in Indonesia get to choose between 1-litre and 1.2-litre normally aspirated petrol engines and it’s likely that the local range will follow suit. The 1-litre three-cylinder unit is good for 49kW and 89Nm and the 1.2-litre four-cylinder motor produces 65kW and 108Nm. Both engines can be paired with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox.
Like the power units, the specification levels also remain a mystery for now, although it is worth noting that the flagship models in Indonesia offer amenities such as a touchscreen infotainment system and keyless start. There’s also a TRD version that features a sporty-looking design package.
Of course, we can’t list the pricing either, but it should inevitably come in well below the R200 000 mark. Just where this leaves the current Aygo is anyone’s guess.
Watch this space for more information as it becomes available.