Toyota Etios Sedan Petrol and Diesel version Review

INTRODUCTION: Toyota tasted success with models like quails, Innova and the Fortuner needed a low cost car in its portfolio in a price sensitive market like India.Toyota focused on its emerging market frontier concept(EFC) for 5 years and with more than 2 lakh kms of testing introduced the Etios sedan and hatchback variants.This offering is the cheapest one from the Toyota stable known for its excellent durability of the vehicles.We look into Etios sedan variant..

Etios sedan features: >Specifically developed 2NR-FE 1.5 litre petrol motor and 1.4 liter diesel motor >First Asia specific design produced by Toyota. >Value offering with simplistic design with maximum space inside.

DESIGN AND INTERIORS: The exterior design is nothing  sort of one to drool about.Its simplistic with a prominent smiling grill and chrome lip.The bumper and headlamp design fits well into the overall look.The rear has a thick chrome plate with a Toyota badge at the center and with the tail lamp design integrates well and gives a decent look.It does not feel like an afterthought like the the Swift Dzire . The interiors too aren't of great sorts.The dashboard looks bit odd with instrument cluster at the center. It has 2 din music system placed at the center console and  ta the side has 2 air cons one above the other which Toyota says would give better Ac cooling effect at the rear.

Interior design is not eye catchy but spacious interiors

Step inside the Etios you would feel very comfortable with the large inside space and the red and black upholstery.The leg room at the rear is best in class.You would find many places for cup holders which can fit one litre bottles easily. The 13 litre glove box gets AC vent too to keep things cold.The front visibility is good thanks to its thin A pillar.The central instrument cluster does not distract you either.The boot space is large with 595 liter's which can swallow quit a bit of luggage.

Superb Leg room

THE DRIVE: Petrol version: The specifically developed  2 NR-FE 1.5 litre petrol engine develops 89bhp@5600rpm and torque of 132 nm@3000rpm. This may give a impression of being underpowered.But Toyota has its game changer plans.It is a master when it comes to not being obese and keeps the weight off!!!The Etios sedan is just 930kg which is less than the B segments Hatch backs like Polo, Punto and swift.This makes the power to weight ration to be more than 90bhp/ton. The engine is refined and smooth and always have adequate power on the tap.The gear ratios are well matched for city and highway conditions,this gives it a very linear power delivery.The short gear lever is easy to engage.The engine is rev happy and gives optimum performance.You would enjoy highway cruising in this car.The ride and handling is very balanced.The steering is light and gives the exact feedback.The suspension set up is soft and it absorbs the shocks of the bumpy road very well which is not felt inside.

Diesel Version: The diesel 1.4 litre engine develops 68PS@3800rpm and 170nm @1800 rpm.The variable geometry turbo is excluded.The engine has the typical noise grunt of the diesel and accelerates quickly once the turbo kicks in at 1800rpm.Toyota has configured the gear ratios well such that even at top gear it can run at slow speeds below 40km/hr.The handling and dynamics are similar to it petrol sibling with light steering and soft suspension setup.All in all it is best highway cruiser and good city handler.Toyota claims the ARAI tested fuel efficiency to be 23km/litre.

VERDICT: Toyota now has its cheapest offering in the sedan segment which will hot up the competition with its legendry quality an reliability stamp.Its is worth buy in the current segment.The petrol variant starts at 5.12 lakh Rs. to 71.2 lakh Rs. for the top end version.The diesel GD variant starts 6.6 lakh Rs. to the top end VX-D variant at 8.07 lakh Rs.

By: Raghavendra Murthy