Overview
The Toyota-Suzuki cooperation is still reaping rewards, with the newest product scheduled to be release in South Africa Suzuki Celerio Rebadged as Toyota Vitz. A Suzuki Celerio-based hatchback would replace it. The Toyota Agya was the cheapest Toyota in the South African market.
Toyota Vitz Reintroduced
This update will arrive three years after the Toyota Agya (based on the Daihatsu Ayla) was launch in South Africa. Toyota is reintroducing the Vitz brand, which dates back to 1998. The Vitz brand discard with the release of the 4th generation Yaris hatchback in 2019. However, it appears to be making a comeback.
Toyota unveiled the new Vitz at the State of the Motor Industry (SOMI) event in Johannesburg. South Africa is the first country to receive a Toyota Vitz rebranded as a Celerio.
Keep in mind that the Suzuki Celerio is already available in the South African market. Whereas the new Toyota Vitz will be slightly more expensive than the Celerio but will most likely be in the same middle of the range.
Toyota already offers the Starlet (rebadged Suzuki Baleno), Urban Cruiser (rebadged Suzuki Vitara Brezza), and Rumion (rebadged Suzuki Ertiga) in South Africa. All of these vehicles are leased from Maruti Suzuki and import from India.
Apart from badges, the new reintroduce is identical to its parent vehicle, which bases on the newest generation Celerio.
Specification
The Vitz will be powered by the same K10C naturally aspirate 1.0L three-cylinder petrol engine. That produces 66 horsepower and 89 Nm and its links to a 5-speed manual or an AMT transmission like the Celerio. An official launch in South Africa schedule for the second quarter of 2023.
