Yesterday, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) introduced the 2024 Toyota Yaris G Limited in Malaysia, a (600 unit) limited-run variant of its popular B-Segment hatchback, priced at RM 99,600.

For the price premium, the 2024 Yaris G Limited adds an aero kit and aesthetic updates, handling upgrades (body braces and stiffer shocks), and notably a cold air intake system that boosts power. The latter of which, is quite uncommon.

What does a cold air intake do?

Well to understand, let’s get back to basics. Any petrol internal combustion engine needs 3 things to work – air (oxygen), fuel, and spark – to create a small and controlled explosion that drives the pistons and then the engine as a whole.

Also read: Cold air intake, suspension upgrades, and more - 2024 Toyota Yaris G Limited launched in Malaysia; 600 units only, from RM 99k

Air is sucked in via the air intake inlet, funnelled through an air filter and then along the intake manifold where it is mixed with petrol and sent to the engine to be ignited by the spark plugs.

But note, the engine bay is a hot place – the engine, transmission, engine accessories and ambient temperatures from the outside all contribute to a lot of heat that is trapped in by your front bonnet.

So, if you can get that air to be cooler – and thus more dense with oxygen molecules – the better the combustion process, and hence more power. This is the very principle of a cold air intake system.

So how does cold air intake work?

Put simply, a cold air intake is designed to draw air from the coolest parts of the engine and funnel it faster to the engine. The coolest air in an engine is actually what’s coming in from the outside (through the front grille) or furthest away from the exhaust manifold, which is the hottest part of the engine.

The factory air intake system (with its inlet underneath the airbox) is already within the hot engine bay and close to the exhaust manifold. Whereas if you observe the design of the cold air intake in the Yaris G Limited, it is routed from the left, upper section of the engine bay – further away from the exhaust manifold.

In addition, the cold air intake includes a cone-type air filter which is designed to increase airflow (over the stock cartridge-type filter) and get it through it and get it to the engine faster. So, with colder air and better airflow, you can now generate more power.

However, do not be confused, cold air intakes don’t mean the air is cold, just cooler than the factory system. And cold air intakes don't suck or force air into the engine, that’s the job of a turbo system.

However, to geek out a bit more, it does promote better airflow to the engine courtesy of its design. If we observe the Yaris G system again, we can see it’s a relatively small pipe with smooth turns that is designed to give an uninhibited path for air to reach the engine.

What are the benefits of a cold air intake system?

The benefits of a well-designed cold air intake system are known to deliver between 2- to 5 percent more power (over stock) for a naturally-aspirated engine, and a bit more in a turbocharged engine.

In addition, a proper cold air intake can also deliver other benefits:

• Improved engine response: Because air reaches the engine faster, it can deliver quicker throttle response.
• Improved fuel efficiency: Better combustion due to more oxygen also improves fuel economy
• Better sound: Due to faster airflow and especially the cone-type filter, the intake also generates a raspy note when accelerating hard.

Taking an educated guess, the Yaris G Limited could make between 1 and 3 PS more over the standard 107 PS and 140 Nm delivered by its 2NR-FE 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. Also note, that the Yaris G comes with a throttle controller for increased engine response. 

Perhaps best of all, modifications of the Yaris G Limited also come with a warranty for 1-year/20,000 km.