2011 car of the year
Some think it is nothing to look at beauty-wise. And for most city dwellers it’s a total nightmare when parking space is a premium. But ask any owner of the Toyota Noah and you will get an endless list of attributes that excite about this eight-seater Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV)/ mini-van.
The Noah is positioned as a C-segment MPV similar to the Toyota Wish, and has since 2001 been competing with the Honda StepWGN and the Nissan Serena in the family car category.
Most buyers love it for its spaciousness, easy handling, and cool interior, ample baggage and storage spaces. It can seat eight people comfortably even for long hauls. For most however, the appeal is in the power and fuel economy.
This monster shifts from 0-100kms in just 9.8 seconds and reaches top speeds of 175kph on 13.4kms per litre. Its 60 litre full-tank does over 700kms. Compare that to the Toyota Corolla which, according to the official performance figures, does 7.4lts per 100kms and can shift from 0-100kph in 9.7 seconds or the Toyota Hiace (Kamunye) which does 8.7 litres per 100kms and at top speed of 152kph. It has proved to be very versatile and easy to handle even on rural country roads because of its good ground clearance (I55 millimeter).
The Noah was the first Toyota car to be equipped with its next generation technology called valvematic in 2007. Compared to Toyota’s previous topline 2-liter 4-cylinder, the 3ZR-FAE with Valvematic is more powerful by eleven horses.
In the case of the 2.0L engine developed to when the technology debuted, fuel efficiency was claimed to be improved by 5% to 10% depending on driving conditions, while power levels are boosted by 10% with added responsiveness and more torque from low in the rev range.
While conventional engines control air intake using a throttle valve, Valvematic adjusts the volume of air taken in by continuously controlling the intake valve lift volume and timing of valve opening and closing. This ensures optimal performance based on the engine’s operational condition, thus helping vehicles achieve both high fuel efficiency and dynamic performance.
Toyota dubbed the technology a “further evolution of the gasoline engine”. Valvematic, it said, improves fuel efficiency by 5-10 percent, reduces CO2 emissions and boosts output by at least 10 percent.
Technically speaking, the official output numbers for the first Valvematic engine, the 3ZR-FAE 2.0 litre put out 158 PS at 6200rpm, 196Nm at 4,400rpm, and goes 14.2km per litre of fuel used. A non-Valvematic engine 3ZR-FE outputting 143 PS at 5,600rpm and 194Nm of torque at 3,900rpm and went 13.4km per litre of fuel.
The CO2 emissions for the Valvematic engine was also lower at 164k/gm compared to the 173g/km figure of the non-Valvematic engine.
Compared to Toyota’s previous flagship 2.0 litre, the new 3ZR engine without Valvematic made less power – 143 PS versus 147 PS, but the Valvematic 3ZR made more power – 158 PS vs 147 PS.
Originally, the Toyota Noah was for sell only in Japan and most models in Uganda not brand new. Not surprisingly, therefore, there are no figures for how many of these minivans have been sold in Uganda. Anecdotally, their omnipresence on our roads speaks volumes.
However, globally speaking, the Toyota Noah and its namesake, the Toyota Voxy, did very well in 2011. In one month, September, they sold up to 10,352 pieces and placed among the twenty best-selling Toyota models for the month ahead of the Rav4, 8,441; the Wish 5,983; the Hiace 2747; and the Prado 3,410. Another popular car in Uganda, the Toyota Premio sold just 1,672 pieces.
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written by tiffany jewelry, March 31, 2012
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