08/02/2026

theSunday Special XV ON SUNDAY FEB 8, 2026

AFTER a little teasing, the new 2026 Toyota Vios Hybrid has offi cially been launched. The Vios HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) expands UMW Toyota Motor’s hybrid portfolio in the country and will be available in two vari ants. The Vios HEV is priced from RM103,900, while the Vios HEV GR Sport (GR-S) starts from RM109,900, making it Toyota’s most accessible hybrid offering in Malaysia and narrowly undercut ting its chief rival, the Honda City e:HEV RS that goes for RM 111,900. Under the hood sits a 1.5-litre DOHC 16-valve petrol 4-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine with Dual VVT-i. On its own, the engine produces 91PS and 121Nm of torque. The electric motor generates 80PS with 141Nm and, fed by a 0.7-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that is stated as able to “live the life of the vehicle”. It is installed under the rear seats to not com promise boot space. Combined, the powertrain’s output is 111PS, returning 3.6L/100km NEDC (27.8km/litre), or around 31% less than the petrol-only Vios 1.5G. The entire setup drives the front wheels via an e-CVT. For comparisons sake, the City e:HEV RS makes 109PS and 253Nm of torque. On a switch panel to the right of the steering wheel, you will find an EV mode button that priori tises pure electric propulsion at low speeds. The self-charging hybrid sys tem uses regenerative braking to automatically recharge the bat tery, delivering improved effi ciency and lower emissions, par ticularly in urban driving. While the Vios Hybrid rides on the same DNGA platform as the petrol Vios, the underpinnings here have received additional

Better late than never The 2026 Toyota Vios Hybrid launched with two variants

reinforcements for increased rigidity and safety with weight reduction to compensate for the heavier hybrid battery pack. Cosmetically, the Vios Hybrid mirrors the Vios 1.5G but can be distinguished by some dark chrome plating around the win dow trims, a gun metallic finish for the grille and distinct 16-inch wheels. There is a HEV emblem at the rear as well. Telling the Vios Hybrid GR-S apart is much easier, especially with the functional aerokit, GR badging at the rear and 17-inch

alloy wheels. The Vios HEV GR-S is the latest addition to the GR Sport range and is not just an emblem-placement exercise. Handling is sharpened with coil springs and shock absorbers with revised tuning. Even the electric power steering is enhanced for improved feedback to the driver. On the inside, the biggest change, pun intended, would be the larger 10.1-inch infotainment unit with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The petrol variants run a slightly smaller

Toyota Safety Sense Adas com prising autonomous emergency braking, lane keep control, adap tive cruise control, front depar ture alert and auto high beam. Additional safety gear includes a Blind Spot Monitor and a 3D Panoramic View Monitor. The Vios Hybrid come with a 5-year warranty with unlimited mileage. On top of that, the hybrid battery pack has a sepa rate 8-year warranty, also with unlimited mileage, and covers the inverter and power management ECU as well.

9.0-inch screen. Setting the GR-S variant apart is an interior comprising combi nation leather-and-suede fabric seats, with a black interior and sil ver accents peppering the cabin. You will find the GR logo on the front headrests, carpets and steering wheel. Behind the steering wheel is a 7.0-inch hybrid-specific digital instrument cluster that displays the energy flow, battery charge and EV mode status. There is no tachometre though. The Vios HEV is equipped with

Roadblocks? Lets rethink them, please!

WHEN our Transport Minister Anthony Loke called for a new approach road blocks to reduce congestion, I thought it was about time someone spoke up. Too many times the ineffectiveness of roadblocks has been discussed but it remains just that, a discussion. But I really hope Loke is able to make a dif ference and put an end to such gar gantuan inconvenience. Roadblocks might be effective for the road transport department as well as the police, but there is simply no logic in inconveniencing a thousand people just to fine a hundred offenders. We do not live in a police state and should embrace technology for effec tive policing. Let’s take Australia and the UK for example. The only time roadblocks are needed is when the authorities are tar geting drunk drivers. The booze bus system in Australia is extremely effective because everyone

Jane Fulton, a fictional character in Rita Mae’s novel Sudden Death from 1983, famously said “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. The reality is our roads are still dan gerous. We constantly read about some truck losing its brakes and ploughing into traffic. Reddit is full of such horrific videos and there are more being uploaded on a near daily basis. Roadblocks have their positives, particularly at night. It keeps criminal activities at bay, it helps police look for wanted criminals, and even helps with identifying drunk drivers and getting them off our roads. But roadblocks at 10am with traffic stretching back kilometres, that is never a good thing and there are technologies available to help improve policing. So why not just use it?

who comes across a road block needs to go through a breathalyser. There is no such thing as “hello, have you had a drink today?” There is just “hello, blow into this please”. The police use drones to catch drivers using their phones while driving, which requires just two personnel.

unmarked ones work bril liantly because you never know which car they are in. But after spending some time in Australia, you learn to watch out for the station wagons that are cruising just under the speed limit on the highways. So yes, there are tell tale signs, but that is a dif ferent story.

WRITTEN BY KESHY DHILLON

One to drive and one to fly the drone. They don’t even bother chasing the offender. Just a simple photo will do and a love letter appears in the mail a few days later. The cops Down Under also use mobile speed cameras that are set up in random places. This is on top of the permanent cameras placed at dangerous areas. The highways are patrolled by marked and unmarked patrol cars. The

Roadblocks are also inefficient because they require a large number of personnel. There are also predictable ones such as how there is almost always a roadblock at the Subang air port road. There used to always be one at the Penchala Link but that has fizzled away for some reason. When roadblocks become predict able, offenders tend to avoid doing anything that might get them into trou ble.