To Cebu, Wigo: Toyota’s new mini hatchback makes grand entrance
TOYOTA Motors meant serious business when it went full throttle with its launch of the new Wigo last Feb. 19 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.
The grand event was witnessed not only by local Cebu media but by dozens of journalists who were flown in from the capital and other areas, with a high-caliber celebrity serving as host, to boot.
So what’s with the Wigo and why is Toyota so gung-ho in promoting this micro hatchback?
No less than Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. (TMPC) president Michinobo Sugata himself pitched the Wigo at the Pacific Grand Ballroom of the hotel during the launch.
In a display of confidence for their new product, Sugata summed up what makes the Wigo a must-own car: it’s easy to own, easy to drive, and easy to enjoy.
“The Wigo is the most affordable Toyota, with excellent fuel efficiency, and even giving waku-doki for both drivers and passengers,” Sugata said during the presentation. Waku-doki is a Japanese term for the rush a person feels when he’s about to do something exciting.
Sugata described the Wigo as a car with a young and dynamic design. Its stylish and functional interior coupled with a spacious and comfortable cabin make it fun to drive, particularly for road trips. Further, the Wigo, Sugata added, puts a premium on safety.
Sugata explained that since it sounds like “we go,” Wigo has a name with high recall and clear connection with its target market, mainly those who are young and single or those who are just starting a family.
“One of their top priorities is affordability,” Sugata said, referring to Wigo’s target buyers. “Yet they are also looking for that perfect blend of style and practicality.”
Two of the Wigo variants are priced at just under half a million pesos.
The 1.0 G manual transmission goes for P499,000 while the 1.0 E MT is only P448,000. The 1.0 G automatic transmission costs slightly higher at P534,000. The Wigo, which comes in six colors and three variants, is powered by a 1.0 liter 1KR-FE engine.
Toyota’s top executive said he was bullish about Wigo’s potential customers, which he is certain will become “a major market segment in the future.”
Among those who shared Sugata’s excitement were Wigo chief engineer Nobuhiko Ono, first vice president Jose Maria Atienza, senior vice president Ariel Arias, senior executive vice president David Go, and executive vice president Yohei Murase, all of whom graced the event. (N.S. Villaflor)
