All-new 2023 Toyota Wigo launching soon in PH

It's already the second quarter of 2023, and Toyota Motor Philippines has yet to launch a single new model.

Yes, it's surprising to see that TMP hasn't invited us for any launch activities yet, but that will change and it will likely be the all-new Wigo. They haven't mentioned a date yet, but we recently ran into an insider who did tell us that that the launch will be very soon. If we were to guess, maybe in the next 2 months.

Many are excited about the all-new Toyota Wigo which will be getting its first full model change since it entered the market back in 2014. We don't have much details yet, but we can tell you what engine it will come with. 

In the last few months, our ASEAN neighbors Malaysia and Indonesia were able to get first dibs on the all-new Wigo, and they're called the Perodua Axia, Toyota Agya and the Daihatsu Ayla in those countries. While the slight exterior and badging differences were expected, the Malaysian and Indonesian spec models came with different engines.

The Perodua Axia had the same 1.0-liter 1KR-VE three-cylinder, while the Agya/Axia had the bigger 1.2-liter WA-VE three-cylinder from the Raize. Which engine will power the all-new Philippine-spec Wigo?

Well, it looks like the 1.0-liter 1KR-VE will be carried over to the all-new Wigo. We have spotted that Toyota Motor Philippines received approval for a passenger car with an exact displacement of 998cc, which is essentially a 1.0-liter engine.

Also of note is that there were two approvals, which only had a difference in terms of curb weight. One has reference weight of 945-965 kg, and the other is lighter at 925-930 kg. In most cases, the difference in the curb weight could either boil down to a variant that has more equipment, or it could simply be a difference in the transmission. If we're right about this one, Toyota could be offering the all-new Wigo with two transmission options – a 5-speed manual and the new Dual-Mode CVT.

Having a carried-over engine does have its benefits, as it would be easier for TMP to optimize its spare parts inventory for servicing the all-new model. However, since the all-new Wigo has grown in size and weight, there could be an effect on its performance, and more importantly, its fuel efficiency. Of course, those are the things we'll get to verify once we eventually get to review the all-new model.