TOTO Vespin II Two-Piece Skirted Elongated 1.28 GPF Toilet

The TOTO Vespin II positioning — the smart compromise

The Vespin II (CST474CEFG for the volume Cotton White Universal Height variant) solves a specific design problem: you want the visual cleanness of a one-piece toilet (no exposed trapway, hidden plumbing, smooth skirted bowl), but you want the install simplicity, lower weight, and easier service of a two-piece. The Vespin II is both. The tank bolts to the bowl (two-piece install), but the bowl has a one-piece-style skirted trapway and concealed mounting hardware (one-piece visual).

At $758-$880, the Vespin II sits between the Drake II ($430) and UltraMax II ($820), pricing aligned closer to UltraMax II than to Drake II. The case for spending $300+ over Drake II: the skirted aesthetic, the one-piece visual without the one-piece weight, the included SoftClose seat. The case against: if you can't see the toilet from across the room (powder-room-only bathroom), the visual upgrade may not matter.

Skirted trapway — what it means for owners

On a traditional two-piece like the Drake II, the bowl's trapway (the curved drain channel underneath) is visible from the side — you see a curving porcelain shape under the bowl rim. On a skirted-trapway design, that curve is hidden behind a smooth porcelain skirt that extends from the bowl rim down to floor level. The visible bowl shape is just a smooth vertical face, no curves.

The cleaning benefit is real: dust and grime accumulate on the curves of a traditional trapway. A skirted Vespin II has no curves to dust around — just a vertical surface that wipes clean with a single pass. Reviewers consistently mention this as a "didn't realize how much I'd appreciate this" feature after living with it.

Tornado Flush + CeFiONtect — the Vespin II inherits the premium tier

The Vespin II ships with the same Tornado Flush mechanism as the UltraMax II (three angled jet nozzles, 3-inch flush valve, vortex bowl-cleansing) and the same CeFiONtect hydrophobic glaze. The flush performance is identical to UltraMax II in MaP testing — 1,000g+. The bowl-cleansing characteristics are identical.

What's different: the Vespin II is a two-piece, which means the tank ships separately from the bowl. The same Tornado-engineered tank that feeds the UltraMax II's one-piece bowl feeds the Vespin II's two-piece bowl. Engineering-wise, they're essentially the same toilet with different molding strategies.

Install requirements and the procedure

• Two-piece install simplicity. Bowl weighs ~70 lbs, tank ~35 lbs. Each handled separately. Much easier than the UltraMax II's 115-lb one-piece lift.
• Rough-in: 12 inches (standard).
• The skirted-trapway specific consideration: the floor flange must be exactly at finished-floor level, not above. The Vespin II's skirt sits low and doesn't tolerate a flange that's protruding above the floor.
• Wax ring: standard with horn recommended for centered seal.
• SoftClose SS113 elongated seat included.
• Tank-to-bowl install: standard procedure — set bowl on wax ring, bolt to flange, set tank on bowl with tank bolts through bowl mounting holes, tighten alternately, reconnect supply.

The skirted-trapway install gotcha

The Vespin II's skirt covers the floor flange after install. If you ever need to access the floor flange (to repair a damaged wax ring or address a leak), you have to remove the entire bowl — there's no service access through the skirt. This is the trade-off vs a traditional Drake II: that bowl, you can lift slightly without full removal to reseat the wax. The Vespin II, you can't.

What owners report — the long-term reality

• The skirted aesthetic is the main reason owners buy it and reviews are consistently happy with the result.
• Flush performance matches UltraMax II. Tornado Flush is impressive in person.
• Easier to install than UltraMax II — the 35 + 70 lb split is manageable for a single person, unlike the 115 lb one-piece.
• Service is essentially identical to Drake II. Tank-to-bowl gasket replacement at ~12 years, flapper at 7-8 years, fill valve at 10+ years.
• Cleaning is dramatically easier than the Drake II thanks to the skirted trapway and CeFiONtect glaze combination.

Where Vespin II wins vs Drake II

• Skirted trapway aesthetic and easier cleaning
• SoftClose seat included (vs separate $45-75 purchase for Drake II)
• Tornado Flush (vs Drake II's Double Cyclone — marginal difference but Tornado is the premium tier)
• Same install complexity (both two-piece)

Where Drake II wins vs Vespin II

• Lower price ($430 vs $830 — $400 difference is meaningful)
• Service access to floor flange without bowl removal
• Broader plumbing-supply stock

Where Vespin II wins vs UltraMax II

• Lighter install (no 115-lb lift)
• Slightly lower price ($830 vs $820 — comparable)
• Tank lid replacement is cheaper (two-piece tank lid vs one-piece lid)
• If something cracks, you replace just one half

Where UltraMax II wins vs Vespin II

• True one-piece silhouette (no tank-to-bowl visible seam)
• No tank-to-bowl gasket service ever needed
• Slightly cleaner-looking overall

The verdict — should you buy a Vespin II?

Buy if:

• You want one-piece visual styling without the one-piece install weight
• You want Tornado Flush + CeFiONtect and the bathroom is visible from main living areas
• You don't mind the small visible tank-to-bowl seam
• You want the included SoftClose seat and TOTO performance

Skip if:

• The $300+ premium over Drake II is hard to justify for the aesthetic difference
• You're spec'ing for a powder room nobody sees
• You actually want the one-piece silhouette and have the install help to handle UltraMax II's weight
• You're rebuilding a rental and don't need this level of design polish

Warranty

TOTO Vespin II residential warranty: 1 year on tank trim, lifetime on porcelain. SoftClose seat carries its own 1-year warranty. Standard TOTO warranty service through Atlanta, GA Customer Service. Parts ship 5-7 business days for OEM items; universal parts (fill valve, supply line) available at any US plumbing supply.

Pricing reality (2026)

Vespin II CST474CEFG (Cotton White): $758-$830. Sedona Beige typically +$50. Ferguson and Build.com trade-discount to $720-770. Home Depot stocks at $799-849.