REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

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Yeow Yi Fan
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REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by Yeow Yi Fan » Mon Jul 29, 2019 10:04 am

And now, something closer to home both literally and figuratively. This Toyota Vios is, for now, the only 1:18 diecast in my collection which I have driven. In fact, the Vios is part of my extended family fleet as it is currently the daily driver of my sister.

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There are some minor deviations. The actual car above is in dark grey metallic while the dealer edition model, made by Paudi, is in black mica. Disappointingly, Paudi opted not to release the 2008 Vios in this color. And since this is a dealer edition model, the driver is obviously seated on the left while Malaysians drive on the other side.

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This Vios is a second generation, designated XP90.

The Toyota Vios is a front-engine front-wheel-drive subcompact developed specifically for the emerging Asia Pacific markets. The Vios traces its ‘inspiration’ and origin from the Echo or Yaris of North America and Yaris respectively.

Positioned just below the ubiquitous Corolla, the first Vios, XP40, was introduced in 2002. The 2nd generation Vios, XP90, was released in 2008. The XP90 Vios was essentially a rebadged Yaris sedan. In Japan, it was known as the Belta, which is a contraction of the Italian words bella and gente, meaning “beautiful people”. This Vios was predominantly assembled in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Since its debut, the Vios has remained one of the best selling cars in Malaysia.

Besides being a best seller, what is the big deal with this econobox? Well, I remember when the Vios first reached the mass market it was a revelation. Here you have a Toyota which cost less than RM 100,000 (~USD 26,000 based on 2002 exchange rates) which was a big deal back then. Side note, cars are generally very expensive in Malaysia due to various tariffs to protect the national car brand, Proton, which has since been under Chinese ownership. To have a more accurate illustration and to exclude the impact of the tariffs, just imagine a proper 4-door sedan with Japanese dependability that costs less than USD 10,000.

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The first generation Vios, designated XP40. Sure it is no groundbreaking vehicle but it was my dream car in high school simply because of how attainable it was. Looks quite attractive too.

The Vios was not the first Japanese subcompact to stir the South East Asian market. That distinction belongs to the Honda City. Aesthetically, I have never liked the City. The Vios though, has a more charming and youthful appearance to it.

I may have over-delivered on the background of this humdrum of a motorcar, so back to the scale model. This 1:18 replica in diecast is from Paudi although there is zero hint of the brand on both the packaging and the model itself.

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I bought this model on a whim chiefly to try out AliExpress and due to the ridiculously low price of only USD 48. Add in the USD 15 shipping fee and a first-purchase promo code, the final transaction valued at only USD 61. That is lower than the typical shipping rate that Replicarz usually charge me.

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The packaging feels very ‘corporate Toyota’ with its presentation and the Vios illustration is straight out of a brochure. The seller from China was kind enough to give a pair of handling gloves and cleaning cloth so that the Vios will always remain in ‘showroom condition’.

The gloves are totally useless though. After only one wash, not only have they shrunk but one of the fingers has teared.

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Halfway unboxing the Vios and I found another cleaning cloth, a romantic keychain and some pocking-brushing thingy.

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The model is housed within a 2-piece Styrofoam shell with no screw attachment. It is a snug fit though so there is no concern about the model shifting around during its journey from China to Singapore, all in a matter of 11 days.

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A black Vios I saw a few days ago. Slightly modified but thankfully not totally ‘riced’. Who knows, maybe the engine bay is untouched.

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The Vios is generally well built with a serious heft to it, given the diminutive profile. The model comes with plenty of photoetched emblems on the front panels and trunk lid, that have protective sheets on them which is a commendable practice.

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Panel gaps are amazing in this model. The model even puts some of my most favourite AUTOart models to shame. I never bought AUTOart’s argument that having finer panel gaps was one of the goals of going composite and never will. To eradicate long-term paint defects? Yes, totally understandable. Costs reduction and panel gaps refinement? Those are more nonsense to me now.

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Before I over-gloss this model, I bring your attention to the first of a few flaws. The grille is only a solid piece of plastic with no perforation but the lower air intake is not. To validate that the lower air intake is ‘passable’ to the engine bay, I used a torch light to illuminate the front of the air intake and check if the light beam can be seen from the engine bay. No light beam was seen in the engine bay, that is because just behind the lower air intake is a radiator piece. Paudi even bothered to put a radiator in such a tight spot that no one would ever notice, except for me. Another commendable execution.

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Paudi has no need to place a radiator on this model as it is hardly visible. Yet, they did it anyway and this deserves respect. It looks like a poorly made radiator though but it is the attention to detail that matters!

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Detailing of the headlights are fine, nothing spectacular. Inclusion of the parking sensor on the front bumper is a nice touch. While the definition of the fog lights is decent, the presence of the spruce is quite an eye sore.

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For those who are familiar with these dealer edition models, you know they are feature-packed. The Vios comes with foldable mirrors too. The mirrors are held in place by exposed screws. Obviously, AUTOart is not the only guilty party here with exposed screws but Paudi deserves some credit for at least knowing where best to hide them.

I did mention that the panel gaps are excellent. That is as far as the gap is concern. The consistency of the gap though is another matter as you can observe from the line between the front panel and the driver’s door.

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The powerplant of ‘my’ Vios is the 1.5-litre 1NZ-FE 4-cylinder with VVT-i and 4-speed automatic transmission. This being a China-spec Vios, the engine is a slightly larger 1.6-litre 1ZR-FE with dual VVT-i.

Trim levels were J, E, G and S for the Malaysian market. The one owned by my sister is an E-grade but I have no idea which trim this model is based on since the China market adopted different trim options. The 1,598 cc engine makes a whopping ~114 bhp @ 6,000 rpm and an earth-shattering ~110 lb-ft of torque @ 4,200 rpm.

The details here are generally accurate and decent. The Vios was never an exciting car anyway so do not expect the engine bay to be its greatest party piece. The dogleg hinges appear rather crude but they operate flawlessly.

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At the rear, you get a similarly well-made pair of rear-lighting. There are plenty of photoetched emblems here. One of the many moving features here is the openable fuel door on the left.

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The trunk space comes fully ‘carpeted’. Unfortunately, the trunk opening is lacking in generosity while functionality is again via a pair of dogleg hinges.

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Braking is via disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear, meaning this is not based on the highest-spec Vios. The 5-spoke rims look pretty nice but the overall appearance is let down by the very plasticky looking brake calipers and rotors.

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As with any budget-friendly cars, you get only drums at the rear.

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The interior of the Vios is a classic exercise of simplicity. Too simple perhaps. I prefer an interior with just the essential HVAC knobs and strategically placed stereo. A nice design touch was the position of the instrumentation in the centre.

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The interior of the model comes with a 2-tone dashboard. The steering wheel looks laughably out of shape. Inclusion of rubber mat on the carpeted floor is a surprise.

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Clearly the interior appears rather crude despite packing full of details. The gauges are only stickers while I am not a fan of the silver trim piece of the dash. Rubber floor mat is obviously only a driver’s privilege.

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The car seats feel like air mattresses.

The car seats have some unique quirks and features. The front seats slide fore and aft and then there is the seat material. This is not the typical solid plastic. The seats are supremely squishy like they are all made of Baymax.

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For your typical Asian build, there is plenty of legroom at the back. The middle seat is best reserved for short journeys or your least favorite passenger. Paudi’s color scheme here coupled with provision of the sunroof lends the cabin an airy ambience.

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Detailing on the driver’s doorcard is decent. The cutout for placing your water carrier is even captured here as well as the speaker.

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The Vios comes with a sunroof. Unfortunately the glass piece does not move but it is fun to have the working cover piece.

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Flipping the Vios over, you get what is an extremely well-detailed undercarriage. This level of design and engineering surpasses all the major brands out there. What impresses that most is that despite having only 2 colors here, the definitions and details are there for you to see and marvel at. By the way, the Vios comes with functioning suspension front and rear. Bear all these in mind when you consider the model costs less than USD 60.

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Suspension design is MacPherson struts at the front and torsion beam at the back. At the front, not only do you get to marvel at the suspension componentry, you can also look at part of the transversely-mounted engine.

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The Toyota Vios is your typical no-frills basic transportation with a somewhat charming character. I have always liked the first-gen XP40, which does seem to mature gracefully with age. The second-gen XP90 has a more flamboyant appearance which may look ungainly from certain angles but it is a car that is closer to my heart since I have driven it before. The current XP150 Vios is the 3rd generation and has been on sale since 2013 but has undergone some nip and tuck. In the 10 years since the Vios was introduced, Toyota has managed to sell more than 1.5 million of these.

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Given its size, I was amazed at how heavy the Vios is. Which is why I was very surprised when it tipped the scale at only 820 grams.

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To be honest, I was quite nervous before the Vios arrived. What if I end up not liking it as much? After all, the actual car is probably last in mind when you think about exciting rides. Thankfully, the Vios has exceeded expectations at all fronts. Sure you do get the usual defects such as adhesive residue and paint blemishes but generally this is a well-crafted and executed model.

This is legitimately when the sum is so much greater than the parts.

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The Toyota Vios in its natural habitat; your typical residential complex.

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For a sedan that is based on a hatchback, I’d say the Vios has had a neat transition from 2-box to 3-box.

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Dad?

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Paudi has a better panel gap than Toyota. Who would have thought!

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Mon Jul 29, 2019 3:24 pm

I don't understand why this model was ever cast in scale? How many would they sell? Are people out West more compelled to buy a scale model of their car? This is a strange one.

As for the model, I have a much respect for the Paudi brands. Diecast, opening and nice detail. If they every produced sport cars I'd be in trouble!

As for gloves, throw them away! You are more susceptible to damage your model with them on that with them off!

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by Yeow Yi Fan » Tue Jul 30, 2019 6:39 am

[KRAFTIG] wrote:
Mon Jul 29, 2019 3:24 pm
I don't understand why this model was ever cast in scale? How many would they sell? Are people out West more compelled to buy a scale model of their car? This is a strange one.

As for the model, I have a much respect for the Paudi brands. Diecast, opening and nice detail. If they every produced sport cars I'd be in trouble!

As for gloves, throw them away! You are more susceptible to damage your model with them on that with them off!
Indeed. Some of their models are really confusing. I would never imagine a Toyota Camry driver to buy a scale model of his/her daily driver... :rotfl:

My family has a VW Jetta so that would be the next Paudi for my collection. :poke:

Well the gloves do not fit me anymore too!

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Tue Jul 30, 2019 8:44 am

Hey nothing against a good Volkswagen model, I must 20-30+ in my collection. LOVE THE DUB!

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by StratosWRC » Tue Jul 30, 2019 1:25 pm

This is the Yaris in Canada, and a family sedan version which I'm not sure we have. I think ours are all hatchbacks. If they made the Yaris TRD with the supercharger, I'd be all in

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Tue Jul 30, 2019 5:46 pm

If they made the Yaris TRD with the supercharger, I'd be all in
Lol only you Wes! :D

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by StratosWRC » Wed Jul 31, 2019 12:31 pm

[KRAFTIG] wrote:
Tue Jul 30, 2019 5:46 pm
If they made the Yaris TRD with the supercharger, I'd be all in
Lol only you Wes! :D
lol not only me! They sold out almost instantly. Supercharged 1.8L with 210 hp and obviously pretty healthy torque cause of the blower. Evo magazine said it was actually a little too hardcore, very analogue and raw. I love a little hot hatch. A smaller pulley on this and bam, you're at like 300 whp in something that weighs 2500lb. Can you imagine being that Mustang GT driver that gets gapped by a Yaris lol

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Wed Jul 31, 2019 4:17 pm

A face only a mother can love :(

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by StratosWRC » Wed Jul 31, 2019 5:40 pm

[KRAFTIG] wrote:
Wed Jul 31, 2019 4:17 pm
A face only a mother can love :(
Yeah not the best looking thing but its cuteness is in how hard it tries

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:18 pm

StratosWRC wrote:
Wed Jul 31, 2019 5:40 pm
[KRAFTIG] wrote:
Wed Jul 31, 2019 4:17 pm
A face only a mother can love :(
Yeah not the best looking thing but its cuteness is in how hard it tries
The perfect car combines all facets of handling, performance and style. It doesn't need to perform the best in all categories but it needs to combine some fabric of all three. This car is lacking, much.

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by StratosWRC » Thu Aug 01, 2019 6:34 pm

[KRAFTIG] wrote:
Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:18 pm
StratosWRC wrote:
Wed Jul 31, 2019 5:40 pm
[KRAFTIG] wrote:
Wed Jul 31, 2019 4:17 pm
A face only a mother can love :(
Yeah not the best looking thing but its cuteness is in how hard it tries
The perfect car combines all facets of handling, performance and style. It doesn't need to perform the best in all categories but it needs to combine some fabric of all three. This car is lacking, much.
Perfect cars are usually expensive and above 50K, with very few exceptions. This is just an every day hero like the Fiesta, Golf, Civic Type R, Mini Cooper, etc

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Thu Aug 01, 2019 7:41 pm

StratosWRC wrote:
Thu Aug 01, 2019 6:34 pm
[KRAFTIG] wrote:
Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:18 pm
StratosWRC wrote:
Wed Jul 31, 2019 5:40 pm
[KRAFTIG] wrote:
Wed Jul 31, 2019 4:17 pm
A face only a mother can love :(
Yeah not the best looking thing but its cuteness is in how hard it tries
The perfect car combines all facets of handling, performance and style. It doesn't need to perform the best in all categories but it needs to combine some fabric of all three. This car is lacking, much.
Perfect cars are usually expensive and above 50K, with very few exceptions. This is just an every day hero like the Fiesta, Golf, Civic Type R, Mini Cooper, etc
A 2018 Golf GTI is my daily, near perfect! And under 40K. :money: :money:

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by Yeow Yi Fan » Thu Aug 01, 2019 11:21 pm

I read about the Yaris on Autocar. The review was favourable. The problem with driving this is people will think it is just another souped-up rice cooker... :rotfl:

Speaking of daily, I am planning to have a Suzuki Jimny in say 3-4 years.

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Thu Aug 01, 2019 11:44 pm

Yeow Yi Fan wrote:
Thu Aug 01, 2019 11:21 pm
I read about the Yaris on Autocar. The review was favourable. The problem with driving this is people will think it is just another souped-up rice cooker... :rotfl:
LOL, correct! :D

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Re: REVIEW - Paudi - 2008 Toyota Vios (Black)

Post by Gavin » Fri Aug 02, 2019 11:07 am

[KRAFTIG] wrote:
Thu Aug 01, 2019 7:41 pm
A 2018 Golf GTI is my daily, near perfect! And under 40K. :money: :money:
Didn't realize you got a GTI...nice! You had a Golf before as your daily, right?

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