2022 Daihatsu Xenia is Avanza's more affordable twin
Check out the sportier twin of the Avanza, the all-new Daihatsu Xenia
Earlier this week, Toyota held the global debut of the 2022 Avanza. Not only does the MPV get a sleek new look inside and out, but it's also underpinned by the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA). As a result, it has ditched the previous body-on-frame rear-wheel drive layout in favor of a more passenger-friendly front-wheel drive unibody platform.
But did you know that the Avanza has a Daihatsu twin? This is the 2022 Xenia, and it's basically the more affordable version of the MPV.
Like the Avanza that was revealed a few days ago, the Xenia gets a similar makeover that gives the MPV a more stylish look. But unlike the Toyota version which looks more upscale, the Daihatsu has a sportier appearance.
Daihatsu didn't hold back when it came to making the Xenia look aggressive. It gets a dual-port diamond-pattern front grille, blacked-out foglight bezels, and red highlights on the upper grille. Higher-grand variants even come with a subtle body kit that further accentuates the MPV's sportier leanings.
Similar to the exterior, the interior of the Xenia looks nearly identical to that of the Avanza. To distinguish the two, the Daihatsu gets red accents which can be seen on the dashboard, aircon vents, engine start/stop button, and fabric seats. When it comes to features, it's available with a touchscreen infotainment system, digital manual air-conditioning, power-folding side mirrors, rear aircon vents with adjustable fan speed, and a 360-degree camera.
Under the hood, the Xenia is powered by (you guessed it) the familiar 1.3- and 1.5-liter Dual VVT-i engines. The former puts out 98 PS with 121 Nm of torque, while the latter generates 106 PS and 137 Nm of torque. Available transmissions include a five-speed manual and a CVT with sequential shifting.
To give drivers peace of mind, the 2022 Xenia comes with the Advanced Safety Assist (ASA), essentially Daihatsu's version of Toyota Safety Sense. It gives the MPV intelligent safety features such as a pre-collision system, front departure alert, leading vehicle departure warning, lane-departure assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear-cross traffic alert.
While there's little to no chance of the 2022 Xenia arriving in the Philippines, we do like the sportier design that Daihatsu made for the MPV. Once the all-new Avanza arrives in the country, we won't be surprised if some buyers decide to make the MPV look like the Xenia.
