Comparing 1000cc and 1300cc Vehicle Performance in Hilly Regions Insights and Experiences, Before buying new Yaris 1000CC hybrid.

[Thilina Rajapaksha]

Can someone elaborate on the driving performance in areas like Badulla and Ella with a 1000cc vehicle like the Toyota Vitz or a 1300cc Honda GP1 Hybrid, both with and without the A/C turned on?

I have experience driving a 1300cc Nissan FB15 and a Suzuki Celerio. During some steep and winding roads, the speed tends to be really slow. Is it the same with the Vitz or GP1? Does anyone have personal experience with these two vehicles?

I think the Toyota Aqua would perform better since it has a 1500cc engine.

Edited January 13 by Thilina Rajapaksha

[iRage]

5 hours ago, Thilina Rajapaksha said:

Can someone elaborate on the driving performance in areas like Badulla and Ella with a 1000cc vehicle like the Toyota Vitz or a 1300cc Honda GP1 Hybrid, both with and without the A/C turned on?

I have experience driving a 1300cc Nissan FB15 and a Suzuki Celerio. During some steep and winding roads, the speed tends to be really slow. Is it the same with the Vitz or GP1? Does anyone have personal experience with these two vehicles?

I think the Toyota Aqua would perform better since it has a 1500cc engine.

The heading of your thread and its body doesn't line up.

For starters the NEW Yaris only has a 1.5L Hybrid. A newer version of what is in the Axio/Aqua. The old Yaris which is most commonly found as Vitz in SL (because that model was called Vitz in Japan) is also the same. But with an older 1.5L Hybrid system.

The 1L 1KR engine (which is pure petrol) is really weak. It is slow and lethargic. With more than two people climbing up a hill the engine is going to be whining like crazy. The 1L Vitz in Japan is mostly used as a business car for city deliveries and as rental cars. Have used quite a few of them (unfortunately) and hated all every single one of it. The same engine was put on the new Yaris with some minor updates. It still sucked. Compared to the 1L Vitz the 1.3L Sunny will feel like it is having a nice stroll around the park sipping on a cappuccino. 

The 1300cc Fit and Aqua will do a lot better, provided that the Hybrid system is properly working.

 

[amsandun]

As an owner of a 1000cc Vitz, has experience driving a 1300cc Suzuki Swift and a 1300cc Vitz (My father's), and also as someone from the areas you mentioned, I'd say whatever's 1300cc or more power would give you better satisfaction specially in these areas.

I have driven to Badulla so many times along different roads in my 1L Vitz. You can get the job done but you'd wish you had more engine power most of the times. 1300cc gives you more power and driving satisfaction. 1500cc would be ideal in my opinion but you can't go wrong with the 1300.

1L Vitz became popular due to the lower tax structure but current model came with minimum options/features. My 2016 model has only 2 Airbags whereas the 2007 KSP90 1300cc got 8 Air bags, 6 speakers etc. Of course safety features are available in newer models but having experience in 2 generations of the car, I prefer if newer models had those options as well.

 

[john cooper]

Hiya,

I would encourage you to go for the high engine capacity in the specific car model you are going to settle with.

If you are going to drive in hilly country the majority of the time, the higher capacity engine gets the job done with less stress.
It would make more sense if you are doing the majority of the driving within Colombo city than to go for the smaller engine model but it sounded like you have a specific reason.

One of my Anties in SL used to have a 2009 1.3 Vitz, but now she has a 2010 1.5 Vitz RS with all the bells. She claims RS is more economical on long trips than her previous low-mileage 1.3 Vitz.

Regards,

JC

[matroska]

On 1/13/2025 at 11:31 AM, Thilina Rajapaksha said:

I have experience driving a 1300cc Nissan FB15 and a Suzuki Celerio. During some steep and winding roads, the speed tends to be really slow. Is it the same with the Vitz or GP1? Does anyone have personal experience with these two vehicles?

I had a GP1 - did not have any issues at all. (mind you the hybrid drive train was trouble free) 

Strange that the 1.3 B15 struggled. We had a 1.3 L B14 back in the day (GA13) . While it was not a fast car, it struggled for sudden bursts of speed specially when overtaking, it did not have any particular struggle up hills. 

 

 

[alpha17]

Just stick with a higher capacity car. The 1000cc's gonna be freakingly noisy in those roads

[Noobdriver]

For up-hill areas, avoid a 1L Vitz (the new Yaris has the same engine; 1KR-FE). Generally, driving from Colombo to Kandy is not a major problem for me, as long as I use the throttle correctly, and speed up before steeper climbs but there is always that one dude who was not paying attention and usually with a less performant vehicle, they're now struggling to climb and doing so slowly, so you'll also have to end up having to slow down and that's when the struggle begins, but Kandy is not that bad, just bad fuel economy.

The fun starts when you're heading towards Nuwara Eliya. As you approach closer, the climbs get steeper, and I don't recall being able to go over 40-50 km/h no matter how much I tried at most climbs. I also had to cancel my hotel reservation as it had a steep slope downwards towards where the hotel is located and I knew for sure, my car would be able to make it down safely, but I won't be able to drive it back up.

--

Also, as many have mentioned, there's no 1L Hybrid variant, there's just a petrol variant for 1L Yaris. GP1 (1.3L Hybrid) or most 1.5L car should be fine.