3rd Generation Toyota Noah and Voxy (R80G/W)

It's time for me to throw the gauntlet as our first brand new model of the new year gets it and this time, the arrival of the all new, third generation, Toyota Noah and Voxy minivans will signal the start of the new year with new models on the horizon. Yes, these new models will spearhead the year 2014 with a bang...sort of.

2014 Toyota Noah

2014 Toyota Voxy

They're identically the same so are there any differences?

Much like the Premio and Allion saloons, the Porte and Spade compacts, and the Alphard and Vellfire flagship MPVs, both the Noah and Voxy are essentially the same cars with different outlooks to suit different tastes. They're sold at different dealerships as the Noah is sold in Corolla dealerships while the Voxy is sold in Netz dealerships (noticing the Netz badge at the front face).

The Noah is targeted for middle-aged moms and dads with kids while the Voxy is made for the younger audience in their late 20's and early 30's...or perhaps someone who has mates most likely to ask him to go out to the big city. So, you get the idea, the Noah is a family van while the Voxy is a joyrider's MPV suitable for road trips with friends.

Anyway, what's new?

2014 Toyota Voxy interior

2014 Toyota Noah interior

The brand new third-generation Noah and Voxy features a class-leading stuff, something that its rivals like the Honda StepWGN and the recently facelifted Nissan Serena C26 couldn't hold on. The sliding doors can be opened at 805mm wider, that's beyond compare than any other JDM minivans in its class. It has the lowest floor in its class by 360mm, 810mm of floor space when the second-row seats slide backwards, interior height is now 1400mm (highest in its class), lowest rear floor in its class by 500mm, there's so much to explain about its class-leading statistics.

There is now a hybrid model?

Yes, there is. Both the Noah and the Voxy now comes, for the first time, ever a hybrid powerplant. Quite intriguing but Toyota made this to make sure it has some serious competition against the S-HYBRID variant of the Nissan Serena C26. How does it stack up? Well, the updated 1.8L engine connected to an electric motor and nickel metal battery may not be quite as powerful than the Serena's but the fuel economy easily beats is because this hybrid powerplant on the all new Noah and Voxy is capable of having a fuel economy of 23.8km/L, calculated in JC08 Mode standards. You heard that right. 23.8kmpl of fuel consumption, 7.8kmpl more than the Serena's. So, there you go, families all over Japan. If you're looking for a fuel-efficient people mover that can take you places from one prefecture to another, look no further.

But there is a catch, right?

Yes, there is a catch because the new models start at 2,210,000 Japanese Yen, which is 26,000 Yen more than the Nissan Serena C26 and 22,000 Yen more than the Honda StepWGN. How annoying was that? And then when the 8% consumption tax rate is implemented in Japan on April 2014, that's gotta be more pain in the budget but all and all, it's a huge price to pay for a fuel-efficient MPV suitable enough to carry seven or eight people around you.

There's also a 2.0L petrol engine, right?

Yes it is. For those who think that the hybrid model is a bit...(clears throat) not your type, there's a more powerful 2.0L petrol engine offered. While equipped with a familiar Super CVT-i gearbox as similar as the hybrid model, this 2.0L 3ZR-FAE engine produces 152PS of power and 193Nm of torque. It even comes with the idling stop system that cuts off the engine when stop and then starts it again when on the move. So, the fuel economy for this 2.0L engine? 16.0km/L, as calculated by JC08 Mode standards. Just a kmpl more than the StepWGN's. Fact.

Should I buy one?

2014 Toyota Noah 

2014 Toyota Voxy

As I said earlier, both the new Noah and the Voxy are more expensive than the Serena and the StepWGN but with all that costly pricing, these new minivans are now the top of the minivan food chain because for these new arrivals, they're now lower, more spacious, more fuel efficient, more roomier, and these minivans will have high hopes for the Japanese carmaker.

But...

They're available only in Japan so back off, smugglers.

Available Colors:

Noah - White Pearl Crystal Shine, Silver Metallic, Black, Bordeaux Mica Metallic, Dark Cherry Mica Metallic, Ocean Mint Metallic, and Dark Violet Mica Metallic.

Voxy - White Pearl Crystal Shine, Silver Metallic, Black, Blackish Ageha Glass Flake, Bordeaux Mica Metallic, Ocean Mint Metallic, and Dark Violet Mica Metallic.

Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation