This is it – roughly a month after it was initially leaked, Toyota has introduced the all-new 2022 Toyota Avanza in Indonesia. Being a new-generation model, it brings with it a host of improvements, which we will dive into.

The all-new Toyota Avanza, alongside its sportier Veloz sibling, will battle the equally-new Honda BR-V, Mitsubishi Xpander, and Suzuki Ertiga when it goes on sale. 

In Indonesia, the all-new Toyota Avanza is priced from IDR 206 million (~RM 60k) for the base variant, before topping out at IDR 291.5 million (~RM 85k) for the top-spec Veloz. 

Powertrain – Carried over engines

Powering the all-new Toyota Avanza and Veloz is a carried-over naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre 2NR-VE petrol engine that does 106 PS and 136 Nm, hooked up to either a CVT transmission or five-speed manual.

Apart from the 1.5-litre engine, lower variants of the Avanza will be available with naturally-aspirated 1.3-litre 1NR-VE petrol engine, outputting 98 PS and 121 Nm. 

Unlike the previous generation models that were rear-wheel-driven, the all-new Toyota Avanza is now front-wheel drive, thanks to its Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform. 

Exterior – As upmarket as the Avanza gets

From the exterior, the all-new Avanza offers a sharper design compared to the brand-new Honda BR-V.

Despite aiming at the same crowd, the all-new BR-V takes a more rugged approach, thanks to its all-round body cladding and faux roof rails. On the other hand, the all-new Avanza is more upmarket and does without body cladding or roof rails.

But that’s not all – Toyota offers two different front fasciae for the model. In addition to the regular Avanza, there’s also the sportier-looking Veloz, which offers an trapezoidal grille that’s positioned slightly higher than the Avanza.

Depending on variant, the all-new Avanza offers a host of alloy wheel sizes, ranging from 16- to 17-inches.

Dimension-wise, the all-new Avanza is longer and wider than the model it replaces. Check out the table below for a comparison.

Interior – Hello EPB

Supplementing the brand-new exterior design is a completely-redesigned cabin, with a prominent T-shape design with contrasting black-and-white trim.

Look carefully and you’ll notice that there are bits and pieces lifted off the Toyota Raize/Daihastu Rocky (sold here as the Perodua Ativa). Stuff like the meter cluster, steering wheel buttons, climate controls, and gear lever are familiar items.

Unlike the Raize and Rocky duo, the brand-spanking-new Veloz adds a bit more kit, such as an electric parking brake (EPB), Qi wireless charging pad, roof-mounted air-conditioning vents, as well as a roof-mounted rear seat entertainment display.

The Avanza, on the other hand, gets a regular mechanical hand brake and analogue instrument cluster.

Safety – Probably the most comprehensive

Let’s not beat around the bush – the outgoing Avanza is not exactly the byword when it comes to safety, offering just two airbags and ABS.

With the new-generation model, Toyota is aiming to change that, as the all-new Avanza’s safety kit is nothing short of comprehensive. Like the Raize/Rocky/Ativa, upper variants of the Avanza offer no less than six airbags, as well as the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) ADAS suite.

The TSS ADAS suite includes features like Lane Departure Assist (LDA), Pedal Misoperation Control (PMC), Front Departure Alert (FDA), Pre-Collision System (PCS), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), and Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM).

What about Malaysia?

At the moment, the outgoing Toyota Avanza is imported (CBU) from Indonesia. 

For Malaysia, local assembly (CKD) cannot be ruled out for the next-gen Avanza, however, at this point of time, it is too soon to be certain. It is also very likely that we'll be getting the higher spec Avanza Veloz instead of the regular Avanza.

As a refresher, earlier, we have established that the next-generation Perodua Alza will be a twin model to the all-new Toyota Avanza, mirroring a similar arrangement with the Toyota Rush and Perodua Aruz. Will the all-new Avanza and next-gen Alza mirror the same Rush-Aruz arrangement? 

Also Read: DNGA-based, next-gen 2022 Perodua Alza could launch at the end of this year