• 2 variants, Smart and Premium
• TSS only on the Premium variant
• Apple CarPlay/Android Auto standard

It’s official. The Thais are saying goodbye to the Toyota Avanza and welcoming its replacement, the front-wheel-drive (FWD) Toyota Veloz. Fully imported (CBU) from Indonesia, bookings for the 2022 Toyota Veloz opened earlier this month and the Avanza successor comes with 2 variants in Thailand.

The Smart variant is the base variant and starts from THB 795,000 (~RM 103k) while the Premium grade starts from THB 875,000 (~RM 113k). The outgoing Avanza meanwhile, started from THB 649,000 (~RM 82k). The price in RM appears higher after conversion thanks to a weaker ringgit.

Also read: Weak Ringgit to push up new car prices in Malaysia, regardless if it’s CKD or CBU

Recall the Veloz is a more upmarket version of the Avanza in Indonesia but outside of the archipelago, it seems most markets would only offer the Veloz instead.

The change in name overseas might be necessary seeing that the Veloz is completely different from the outgoing Avanza. It sits on the unibody Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform which sees the layout shift from rear-wheel-drive (RWD) like its predecessors to a more conventional FWD.

Also read: With FWD confirmed, will the 2022 Toyota Avanza be worse without RWD?

The change in layout sees it mirroring rivals including the Mitsubishi Xpander, which is the best-selling 7-seater in Thailand, and the Honda BR-V. Prices for the Xpander are between THB 789,000 - 863,000 while the BR-V is priced from THB 765,000 - 835,000.

Also read: Mitsubishi Xpander accounts nearly 60% of 7-seaters sold in Thailand in Q1 2021

Besides the switch to FWD, another drastic change on the Veloz is the inclusion of a D-CVT automatic transmission, replacing the traditional 4-speed automatic. The Thai-spec Veloz only comes with D-CVT for both variants, one less than the Indo-spec Veloz which comes with an additional 5-speed manual transmission.

Also read: To stay ahead, the 2022 Toyota Avanza needs FWD and CVT

However, the unit powering the Veloz remains unchanged from the Avanza – a naturally-aspirated 2NR-VE petrol mill that produces 105 PS and 136 Nm. It’s worth noting that the power figures are slightly less than the Indonesian Veloz, probably due to Thailand’s use of E85 gasohol as fuel.

Also read: Malaysia’s Honda Accord makes more power than Thailand’s – 11 PS/17 Nm more, why?

With the powertrains out of the way, now it’s time to look at the differences between the two variants. The base Smart variant sports 16-inch alloy wheels while the Premium gets 17-inch dual-tone alloys.

Aside from the larger wheels, the Premium variant gets darker chromium trims across the trapezoid front grille, roof rails, and surrounding the front foglamps. Meanwhile, the Smart variant gets silver chrome trims instead.

Moving into the interior and almost instantly you could tell the difference between the base Smart and the top-of-the-line Premium variants. Both variants share similar features which we’ll get through later but as evident by the larger wheels, the Premium trim gets a 9-inch infotainment system while the Smart variant receives an 8-inch infotainment system.

Granted, both infotainment units come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support so it’s only a matter of which size of the screen would you want in your Veloz.

Standard features across the two variants of the Veloz include:

• 7-inch digital instrument cluster
• Electric parking brake (EPB)
• Wireless charger
• Fabric and leatherette combination seats
• Auto A/C
• Tilt and telescopic adjust steering

Also read: Dear car makers, it's 2022. Telescopic steering adjustment should be standard on all cars

On the safety front, both variants of the Veloz come standard with 6 airbags, blind-spot monitors (BSM), and rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA). However, only the Premium variant receives the basic Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) ADAS package. These include:

• Pre-collision System
• Front Departure Alert
• Lane Departure Assist
• Automatic High Beam
• Pedal Misoperation Control

Besides TSS, the Premium variant also comes with a 360-degree panoramic view monitor (PVM) while the Smart variant is only equipped with a reverse camera.

Despite being an unpopular segment in Thailand, could the Veloz make some waves in the 7-seater market and catch up with the immensely popular Xpander?

Also read: Launching in Malaysia: 2022 Toyota Veloz, Honda BR-V and Mitsubishi Xpander previewed

Closer to home, the Veloz could also replace the Avanza in Malaysia. Contrary to some reports, it won’t be discontinued completely to make way for the next-gen D27A Perodua Alza which shares the same platform as the Veloz. Speaking of the Alza replacement, would it be called something entirely different too?

Also read: What’s in a name? Why the new 2022 Perodua Alza D27A won’t actually be called an Alza?