After giving the old second-generation Avanza two facelifts, Toyota and Daihatsu finally updated the said model into its third generation on November 10, 2021. And being a totally new model, the third-gen or W100 Avanza gets a fresh, more contemporary design, and it rides on a new platform as well.
How does the new Avanza (right) compare to the old Avanza (left)?
So, how does it differ from the previous version? Just how dramatic are the changes made to the new one? Let’s find out by comparing the outgoing Avanza against the new one.
2022 Toyota Avanza Old vs New: Exterior
While the outgoing second-generation was given a new face back in 2019, the new third-generation 2022 Toyota Avanza now features a front fascia that is more aligned with the current Toyota design language.
For starters, it now sports a more prominent trapezoid-shaped grille with a set of more defined slats. The old model also had a trapezoidal grille, but it is smaller.
The old 2nd-gen Toyota Avanza with the second facelift
Moreover, the new Avanza gets a pair of circular front fog lamps that are framed by more angular fog lamp housings. It also lost the “quad headlamp” setup in favor of a more compact and more conventional-looking LED headlamp cluster.
In-between the said headlamps is a straight line bisecting the width of the new MPV. In comparison, the old version had a bow-like line that connected its headlamps.
Towards the sides, the new Avanza also gets a prominent character line which is absent on the old model. Also, the side mirrors on the new model are now mounted lower on the door, instead of below the A-pillar. The fender flares of the new Avanza are also more visible and are positioned higher than the old model.
The all-new 2022 Toyota Avanza
Similar to the front, the rear is also more modern-looking compared to the rear of the old Avanza. It also lost the quad taillight design, in favor of a cleaner but more traditional single cluster setup.
Lastly, the new version also comes with a set of larger wheels. The current top-spec Avanza Veloz rides on a set of 15-inch wheels, whereas the new top-spec Avanza G version now has 16-inch wheels. The new Avanza E however, does retain a set of 15-inch alloys, while the entry-level J gets a set of 15-inch steelies.
2022 Toyota Avanza Old vs New: Interior
Just like the older Avanza, the new third-generation Avanza can still seat up to seven people. Then again, it features a more modern interior, which is more premium-looking than the utilitarian-feeling interior of the old version.
Inside the old Avanza
Starting with the dash, the old one was hefty-looking, and it had a large center stack that dominated the front cabin. In contrast, the new model gets a slimmer center stack. This was achieved by repositioning the headunit farther up into a “floating touchscreen” setup.
The multi-tiered look of the dash itself was also enhanced on the new model, with deeper and more angular nooks and crannies. The air-conditioning vents were also redesigned to be slimmer and sleeker than the square-shaped ones on the old model.
Furthermore, the old dial-type AC controls we're also ditched in favor of a neater-looking digital type control cluster. The steering-wheel on the new model also looks much slimmer and lefy heftier compared to the one on the outgoing Avanza.
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A peek into the new Avanza's cockpit
As with the older outgoing model, the new Avanza gets a folding second row and third row.
2022 Toyota Avanza Old vs New: Tech and Safety
On top of the fancier interior arrangement, the new Avanza also comes with more tech compared to the older version. For starters, the new Avanza's G and E variants both get a new eight-inch touchscreen headunit, which is of course much larger than the old Avanza’s 6.8-inch display audio unit.
It is also more capable as it now has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In comparison, the old version was only able to connect to phones via Bluetooth, USB, and via the T-Link phone mirroring software. That said though, the new Avanza's entry-level J trim still comes with a 6.75-inch touchscreen with similar capabilities to the older headunit.
The old Avanza's touchscreen headunit
Safety-wise, the new Avaza is similar to the old one in that it gets what you’d expect from a modern MPV. It comes with anti-lock braking with electronic brakeforce distribution, seat belt reminders, stability control, etc.
The new Avanza's touchscreen positioned further up the dash
Then again, the new Avanza G now has six airbags, which is a whole lot more than the old Avanza Veloz’s two airbags. Other lower-spec trims does retain a dual airbag setup though.
One big change on the new Avanza is the addition of some driver-assist tech, at least on the top-spec Avanza G. Specifically, it now has blind-spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert. These were unavailable on the outgoing Avanza.
2022 Toyota Avanza Old vs New: Engine and Drivetrain
Like the old Avanza, the new Avanza will still come with two engine options: a 1.3-liter or a 1.5-liter gasoline mill. There are no changes to these engines, as the smaller 1.3-liter engine can still make 97 hp and 122 Nm, while the larger 1.5-liter engine can produce up to 105 hp and 138 Nm.
The old Avanza's longitudinally mounted engine
As for transmission choices though, the new Avanza has dropped the old four-speed automatic gearbox in favor of a continuously variable transmission. However, a five-speed manual tranny is still available at least for the Avanza E and J trims.
The biggest change on the new Avanza is that it no longer uses a rear-wheel-drive. Instead, the engine now sends power to the front wheels. Moreover, the Daihatsu New Global Architecture-B (DNGA-B) platform it uses is a full monocoque chassis instead of the semi-monocoque chassis the old version used. And yes, this means that the front half of the new Avanza is no longer ladder frame.
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The new Avanza's engine bay
For more comparisons between old and new car models, keep it here on Philkotse.