iCarData: The Best Time To Buy/Sell - Toyota Vios G (2017)

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What was once a staple for Malaysian car buyers has over time become a more difficult proposition to sell–at least this is the case when we talk about the Toyota Vios and its various generations. 

This B-segment sedan proved to be hugely popular through its first two generations, but by the time the third generation rolled around some omissions in equipment made it difficult to compare against its direct rivals.

Still though, the Toyota Vios has sold in significant numbers even until today, though the highly varied range of variants has been pared down to a more streamlined set of choices. 

Looking at the 2017 model, there was a mild model enhancement in the form of equipment and buyers had a whopping six different variants to choose from – including what would be the last of the manual Vios offerings.

The entry-level variant was known as the J, coming with fabric seats and a very basic head unit setup, as well as missing much of the luxury and convenience items. 

While the top-end TRD Sportivo variant came with everything that the GX variant had, and threw on some aesthetic items as well for a more aggressive look. 

The spread of models fell between the RM 76,500 and RM 96,400 marks – a novel idea when you consider the range-topping B-segment models have now breached the RM 100,000 mark.

There also has to be some consideration for the fact that the recently updated offerings from Perodua boast significant equipment advantages as well as a revised powertrain with a CVT-type automatic transmission at an altogether lower price point, which then drives traditional B-segment sedan offerings up and out of their usual bracket.

With all of this in mind, the ultimate point in purchasing one of these would have to be for the better build quality, ride quality and insulation, plus the fact that you get a full-sized boot as the Vios is a sedan (over a more pertinent hatchback offering at a more competitive price).

Here’s the breakdown:

Vehicle variant: Toyota Vios G (2017)

As mentioned earlier, the Toyota Vios came in many flavours for the 2017 model year but this G variant happens to sit roughly in the middle of the line-up – meaning it gets a little bit of the equipment, but not quite all of the gear like the GX variant would. 

Still though, the G badge represented a range-topper for most of the years of the Vios’ production run, with the TRD Sportivo variants bringing only aesthetics. In this case, the Toyota Vios G was going for roughly RM 89,900 back in 2017.

There was a significant hit in first year depreciation of 23%, which is surprising though it could be attributed to dealer discounts given at the time that were lowering the overall retail value of the car and making it somewhat more appealing as a proposition.

From there onwards we see a 3% to 5% depreciation per year until the fourth year of ownership where it seems to stabilize around the 35% depreciation mark.

As is the case with all data, 2022 represents a bit of an anomaly as waiting periods for new cars are at an all-time high with various microprocessor shortages and supply cutoffs all around the world.

This in turn drove second-hand car residual values up – hence the higher listed value for 2022.

This then means that the best time to pick up a Toyota Vios G would be in the fourth year or later, as prices would have somewhat stabilised. 

Historically the Vios does continue to depreciate beyond the seventh year, though the depreciation tends to be slow as the car does have its inherent strengths.

Chief among these is the unerring Toyota reliability – which also stems from the fact that the Vios is a simple car. 

One of the criticisms leveled against it at the time was that it wasn’t as technologically advanced as its rivals, but this in turn made it a more realistic car to own over a longer period of time, with low costs of maintenance and few if not no issues. 

After all, its tried and trusted powertrain is likely to outlast you and your children with regular maintenance.

The data here tends to be similar with other variants of the Toyota Vios as the only reflection would be in the higher starting price and higher residual values. 

In that sense, which variant of the Toyota Vios you choose really depends on what you prefer–a base spec Vios J works great as a workhorse (and has that manual option if you value a bit of spirited driving), while something like the Vios GX would give you the largest amount of equipment without the TRD Sportivo styling if you prefer something more understated.

Check out used Toyota Vios G with a 1 year warranty & no hidden fees, on CARSOME. If you're not happy with your purchase, bring your car back within 5 days to get a full refund. More info here.

If you're looking to sell your current car, we have a solution for you too. Trade-in your car with carsome.my and get up to an RM1,500 discount voucher for your next upgrade.