Toyota Motor Philippines boosted its Vios lineup with the introduction of the new Vios GR-S this week. Of course, we went right ahead and lined it up for a spec-sheet comparo. Its opponent? Another popular subcompact sedan from a fellow Japanese carmaker: the Honda City RS.
What are we looking at here? Well, in terms of power output, it’s a close one. The Vios GR-S is powered by Toyota’s familiar 1.5-liter in-line-four gasoline engine that generates 106hp and 140Nm of torque. The City RS also gets a 1.5-liter four-banger, but it churns out a slightly higher 119hp and 145Nm of torque.
Both these motors are mated to CVTs, but this particular Vios packs Toyota’s new ‘10-speed’ CVT that’s exclusive to the GR-S variant. Both vehicles feature a front-wheel-drive layout, the same suspension setup, equally sized alloy wheels, and sportier styling compared with the other variants in their respective model lines.
As for their price tags, the Vios GR-S sells for P1,020,000, undercutting the P1,058,000 sticker price of the City RS.
So far, things are looking tight. We’ve put together below the specs of each car—check it out, then take your pick and tell us below which of these two sporty subcompact sedans you’re going with.
Cars |
2021 Toyota Vios GR-S |
2021 Honda City RS |
| Price (Philippine Peso) | P1,020,000 | P1,058,000 |
| Drive | FWD | FWD |
| Seating capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Engine setup | 1.5-liter in-line-four gasoline | 1.5-liter in-line-four gasoline |
| Power (hp) | 106 | 119 |
| Torque (Nm) | 140 | 145 |
| Transmission | 10-speed CVT | CVT |
| Fuel tank capacity (L) | 42 | 40 |
| Brakes (front/rear) | ventilated discs/solid discs | ventilated discs/drum |
| Wheels | 16-inch alloys | 16-inch alloys |
| Tires | 195/50 R16 | 185/55 R16 |
| Front suspension | MacPherson strut | MacPherson strut |
| Rear suspension | torsion beam | torsion beam |
| Seat material | leather | leather and suede |
| Tilt/Telescopic steering wheel adjustment | yes/no | yes/yes |
| Paddle shifters | yes | yes |
| Infotainment system | 6.75-inch touchscreen, 6-speaker steup | 8-inch touchscreen, 8-speaker setup |
| Apple CarPlay/Android Auto | yes/yes | yes/yes |
| Smart keyless entry | yes | yes |
| Push-start ignition | yes | yes |
| Remote start | no | yes |
| Parking brake | mechanical | mechanical |
| Automatic climate control | yes | yes |
| ABS w/ electronic brakeforce distribution | yes | yes |
| Hill-start assist | yes | yes |
| Vehicle stability assist | yes | yes |
| Cruise control | yes | |
| Parking assist | reversing camera with clearance sonars | multi-view reversing camera |
| Airbags | 7 | 6 |
| Dimensions (mm) | 4,467 x 1,730 x 1,475 | 4,553 x 1,748 x 1,467 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2,550 | 2,600 |
