Once again, Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL), owners of the Toyota brand franchise in the country have flagged-off the market year on a positive note with the recent unveiling of the 2014 Yaris sedan inside the prestigious Oriental Hotel in Lagos, the nation’s heartbeat of automotive business.
The rejigged new generation Toyota Yaris is smart but compact mid-size sedan that will redefine owner’s personality, a model that will spark off music in occupant’s soul and one that will create another beautiful world around its targets and potential users irrespective of gender.
The new model offensive is a very strong indication that TNL is poised to continue to put more life in the minds of prospective new car buyers with the latest technology in the local as well as global market place. It would be recalled that in the last quarter of 2013, Toyota’s model portfolio expanded with the introduction of all new Toyota RAV 4.
The new Yaris Sedan got longer and bolder looking for 2014, wearing a new trapezoidal front grille, thinner headlights reunited by a narrow two-stripes grille.
The interior also went through a major redesign job, the instrument cluster being repositioned behind the steering wheel, while the central console and the rest of the dashboard received a new sharper design.
Passenger space has been improved through the flat floor and sculpted front seats. Technology was not forgotten and the 2014 Yaris got new features like an improved sound system with AUX and USB, push start button and more.
From the front, the Yaris wears a new chrome grille, new headlights and a much larger trapezoidal lower grille enhancing its appearance. Move to the side and 2014 Yaris looks deceivingly longer than the previous generation.
In addition to a straight line running through the side of the car, slimmer A and C pillars make the car look longer. The new tail lights are much larger, look a whole lot better and wrap neatly around the sides of the car.
The interior has undergone major improvements. For starters, the much improved instrument gauge cluster has been returned to where it’s supposed to belong and is no longer a centre piece for passengers to stare at. Hop into the rear seat and the completely flat floor provides more leg room while making it easier to fit more than two passengers in the back.
In terms of its engineering, having been fitted with a revised strut-type suspension up front and torsion beam suspension at the rear, the 2014 Yaris does offer a slightly smoother and more comfortable ride than it’s predecessor.
On the technological front, apart from a new audio system with AUX and USB, the 2014 Yaris now offers push button start if you’re willing to dig deeper into your pockets and opt for the higher spec.
According to Michael Ade.Ojo, chairman, Toyota Nigeria Limited, the 201 4 Yaris stemmed like every other Toyota model from a heritage of the nameplate’s unrivalled and exclusive superior quality engineering. He noted that judging from its upgraded exterior design over its immediate predecessor to the beautifully enhanced interior design, the latest model of Yaris will readily conjure a unique driving pleasure among its target consumers.
Michael Ade.Ojo stated that it is common knowledge that business climate across Nigeria and indeed the world over is witnessing a downward trend, this has resulted in reduction of cash flow. Public, private bodies as well as individuals are becoming increasingly conscious of the value and quality of what they spend their hard earned money on.
“Our response as an organisation has been to continually raise the bar in terms of quality of our after-sales service delivery to our esteemed customers as well as improve upon our response time in all ramifications of the business in order to interminably sustain the confidence level of our valued customers in the Toyota brand,” he said.
A clear testimony to the above assertion, he revealed, is the expansion of scope of the company’s business operations in order to keep faith with its ultimate responsibility of satisfying both individual and corporate fleet customers by the completion of the first world class body and paint training centre in Oregun, Lagos.
The ultra-modern facility is a place where dealer technical staff will be receiving training on body and paints finishing in addition to the various other training they have been receiving at TNL’s Lekki head office free of charge.
“In addition, we have sustained our annual Skills Contest organised amongst our dealer technicians and each year the winners of the contest are sent to Japan to acquire more product knowledge and exchange of expertise with other service experts from other parts of the Toyota global community,” he added.
By: Mike Ochonma
