Toyota Pixis Joy
Want a small retro hatchback in
North America? your choices essentially come down to the Mini, Fiat 500 or VW
Beetle. But back in Japan there are more on offer, like the new Toyota Pixis
Joy, the Daihatsu Cast sisters.
The Pixis Joy
takes aim squarely at the Honda N-One with its fashion-forward styling and
compact form.
It comes in three different forms, each
distinguished by its alternative take on the same cutesy design theme: the
Pixis Joy C with a rugged appearance and taller ride height, the Pixis Joy F
that takes a more elegant approach, and the Pixis Joy S with a sportier
appearance. Each gets its own bumpers, rocker panels, wheels and more to carry
the theme forward.
The Pixis Joy
is powered by a 660 cc engine driving the front wheels through a continuously
variable transmission. A turbocharged version is offered on the C and F
versions and comes standard on the sporty S model, with all-wheel drive offered
across the range as an option.
The Joy models join others in the Pixis
range, including the Pixis Space wagon, Pixis Mega minivan, Pixis Van, Pixis
Truck, and Pixis Epoch hatchback – all of them manufactured by Daihatsu, which
Toyota recently acquired specifically on the strength of its small-car
expertise.
They'll be sold through an array of 211
dealers across Japan, with prices ranging from 1,220,400 to 1,620,000 yen – or
about US$ 12-16k at current exchange rates.
