Tokyo 2013: Toyota Aqua in four different flavours

Aqua Cross 01

The Toyota Aqua was the focus piece at Toyota Motor East Japan’s stand in Tokyo – four of the five vehicles showcased were derivatives of the hatch, which made its domestic debut last year.

The Aqua is of course the Japanese version of the Prius c, with the same Hybrid Synergy Drive system based on the 1NZ-FXE 1.5 litre Atkinson cycle mill and an electric-motor/Ni-Mh battery. Engine output numbers are 74 PS at 4,800 rpm and 111 Nm at 3,600-4,400 rpm, while the motor offers 61 PS and 169 Nm, with combined max output being 100 PS.

Performance figures include a 0-100 km/h time of 10.7 seconds and a 35.4 km per litre consumption, under a JC08 test cycle. The production Aqua is available in 10 exterior shades and four interior trim levels.

On show in Tokyo are the Aqua Cross, Aqua Air, Premi Aqua and Aqua G Sports, primarily concepts that explore the possibility of expanding the reach of the car, save the G Sports, which begins selling in Japan in late November.

The Aqua Cross, dressed in green, adds off-road kit to lend the car appeal to those who are into an active outdoor lifestyle. As for the Aqua Air, that explores the convertible path – the red concept looks fetching in the flesh. Guess removing the top does work for many things.

Both Cross and Air versions feature colour-themed appointments in the interior, corresponding to the exterior body shade, and wear different design five-spoke alloys.

Next, the Premi Aqua, which as its name suggests, adds luxury to the equation. Boldness too – the face borrows the Lexus spindle grille design, reinterpreted for the smaller car, and there are cues that jazz up the Aqua further. Meanwhile, the black interior is furnished with a higher level of trim.

Premi Aqua 03

As for Aqua G Sports, the variant has been fully tuned by Gazoo Racing drivers to offer a sportier ride and handling. There’s nothing modest about the face – you get a huge grille and a very distinct LED DRL array and plenty of shiny bits.

TME Japan, which builds the Aqua, is a Toyota subsidiary firm that was established in July 2012. It also builds the Ractis, Yaris Sedan, iSt, Isis and Corolla Axio sedan/Fielder wagon models, among others, for domestic consumption. The company also assembles the old Crown Sedan and Comfort, the last for taxi use, as well as automobile components and electric wheelchairs.

Oh, and the Porte compact that you see here – for the TMS, a Porte Marche study was shown, exploring its use as a delivery vehicle. Also at the show was a Donna version of the Axio Hybrid and an Uomo Fielder Hybrid, aimed at women and men respectively.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • sam69 on Nov 22, 2013 at 8:38 pm

    Toyoita never fail to design ugly car..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 18
    • Someguyonthenet on Nov 27, 2013 at 12:53 pm

      I think they wanted to make their car look organic. BTW, the white one looks alright.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Mozilla Chrome on Nov 22, 2013 at 9:27 pm

    Aqua G Sport? My dirty mind tells me something else.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 22 Thumb down 3
    • I'm not Pervert... on Nov 22, 2013 at 10:11 pm

      Aguah G-Spot?……… Oh….

      I think i know. . . . .

      Izzit a curry kuah???

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 6
  • parang on Nov 22, 2013 at 9:37 pm

    vy nice design imo

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • Lexus Spindle Gril? Yucks! Like a lump of fat meat with sharp end trimmed….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 5
  • Yaris sedan>vios

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • motorhead on Nov 22, 2013 at 11:41 pm

    Must be influenced from Kerero cartoons.. The Green one ve a character.. Check out dart frogs.. Green version.. I like cars with characters.. Ideas from nature.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • samsport on Nov 24, 2013 at 10:11 am

    The g’s u referring to Gazoo Racing Japan..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • It’s a Prius C face lift! but notting so fancy at the back side. Still ugly as ever.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • huehuehue on Nov 27, 2013 at 7:11 pm

    whats with the orange car in the gallery?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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