[Mpower]

Really?

I fail to understand what is going on in Toyota's mind. On the one hand, they create a low cost car for developing markets that feels basic and not-posh when compared to even a Ritz or a Vista...forget Polo/Fabia. Then they go on to dress it up with lots of unecessary makeup and lipstick

Does that mean they are regretting the original strategy?

[blue_pulsar]

The car still looks two generations old. No amount of stickering or skirts or spoiler is going to enhance its looks. Neither waku doki nor Virat Kohli can help it enhance sales. With the exception of Hero Honda, I don't think these stickering jobs helped any car maker to achieve higher sales.

Like I stated on the other thread, this is a case study on how not to make cars in India. Toyota have burnt their fingers real bad this time. They were just lucky with the Qualis. But those times were different.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Toyota launched its Toyota Etios with bodykit, named it the Etios Liva TRD Sportivo.

Engines remain same. Probably would have made sense plonking in Etios' 1.5 on this variant at least (Or atleast the VGT from the Altis Diesel). The TRD association demanded a better engine.

More details here



Ex-showroom prices of base models

Petrol - Rs 4,36,984 (J variant) - 4,78,201 (G variant)
Diesel - Rs 5,87,871 (G variant)

Complete rubbish, Waku Doki notwithstanding.
Mutton Dressed as Lamb or a Stupid Sheep dressed in Wolf's clothing but without the wickedness to match!
I think this kind of cheap cosmetic job is an insult to our intelligence!

[mail4ajo]

No offense to Etios owners. But no amount of any makeup will make a boring and low quality feel car to get any better. Toyota thought that low cost means low quality and finish. They need to learn from Honda this time on low cost cars.

And promoting a car thru racing series, that too in India. Race cars and production cars are 2 different machines. A cardboard box can be raced when race fitted.

[a4anurag]

Another marketting gimmick. Why do such models crop up and I guess Maruti is their guru (teacher) for such launches. Most of the models in maruti keep getting lauched with cosmetic upgrades rather than heart transplants or heart upgrades

Coming to the TRD Sprtivo, I love those alloys. Reminds me of the Evo's. Why doesn't toyota get rid of those flap type door handles and get the present generation ones onto the car. They look a bit odd. Fog lamps omitted but there a plastic piece kept in its place. Looks cheap and doesn't gel with the car.

[ashis89]

It is another of the cheap tricks being played by Toyota. The add-ons look good but there is also a good hike in price(read 52k INR) over the G variant. IMO, the hike should have been less or best of all, no hike.

[raj_5004]

Typical Toyota. Take a base variant and add some accessories and roll it out as a special edition.

The bumper spoilers and side skirts looks very cheap, like typical after market fitments. The stickers spoil the show further. Only the alloys and boot spoiler looks good.

[dZired]

There are big half page advertisements of this sportivo liva in todays newspapers. Are the guys at toyota really hoping that it would sell that well? The features written in the advertisement dont make any practical sense. The car looks more awful than the stock models available so why would anyone pay an extra premium for a special edition which has no practicality. If there had been some performance upgrades as well, then the automobile enthusiasts of the country would have surely thought of the car but with all these useless cosmetic changes, I dont think it would sell well.

I like the alloys though. They are the only thing better than the stock model in this edition

[shadows123]

I fail to see what Toyota is trying to achieve here by doing a few cosmetic changes and price rise. If it was indeed a sports version, then they should've improved the performance to attract the enthusiasts!!

and 2 days ago in Bangalore, i saw a couple of new Liva taxis as well. Some taxi companies are replacing their Indicas with Liva?? If this was indeed true, then Toyota's sales could take a beating from some sections of people who wouldnt want to buy a car which is also a taxi!!!(although Indica continues to prove otherwise).

[simplyself]

Originally Posted by shadows123

and 2 days ago in Bangalore, i saw a couple of new Liva taxis as well. Some taxi companies are replacing their Indicas with Liva?? If this was indeed true, then Toyota's sales could take a beating from some sections of people who wouldnt want to buy a car which is also a taxi!!!(although Indica continues to prove otherwise).

This ' taxi image' concept flummoxes me. On one hand Tata Indica is viewed as Taxi and many buyers who otherwise have gone for it buy other vehicles. Same with Verito too. But when it comes to Scorpio and Innova, thereare no such image constraints. Also, do not get fooled by the passenger registration. Quite many Scorpios and Innovas which are registered as personal vehicles ply as taxis.

Even the RTA officials are influenced by the "image".

[ethanhunt123]

Originally Posted by simplyself

This ' taxi image' concept flummoxes me. On one hand Tata Indica is viewed as Taxi and many buyers who otherwise have gone for it buy other vehicles. Same with Verito too. But when it comes to Scorpio and Innova, thereare no such image constraints. Also, do not get fooled by the passenger registration. Quite many Scorpios and Innovas which are registered as personal vehicles ply as taxis.

Even the RTA officials are influenced by the "image".

Reason is simple - You have so many different options if you are looking for a hatch or a budget sedan which do not have a taxi image. If you are looking for a big MUV - which option you have which doesnt have a taxi image ? So best of the lot is Innova which gets picked up - though a lot of ppl still dont buy it as it is equated with a taxi image.

And i personally have hardly seen yellow board Scorpio's - most are white board ones (atleast down south). Therefore Scorpio gets picked up as a personal SUV.

PS: One of my colleagues owns a white indica and he has been waived at by a lot of people thinking its a cab

[tj123]

Etios & Liva should get a dashboard make over at least the instrument cluster plus a enriching the upholstery and the plastic around would have paid greater dividends to Toyota than just doing some superficial add on fitments on the bumper , side skirts and sticker job, ridiculous by all means.

[cawnpore ghost]

In my opinion, with or without the body kit, Etios Liva is not as attractive as contemporary swift, polo, punto et cetera. Even the generation old toyota starlet looks better.
I am inclined to think, Toyota would have done itself a great favor by bringing in the vitz/yaris in the first place.
TRD makes me dream of cars like supra, celica and then the sudden realization of the half hearted attempt to target Indian youth.

[Siddy]

I feel buyers in the Indian automobile market give more importance to looks than performance. So I guess this upgrade would definitely benefit Toyota. I personally liked the looks but an engine upgrade would have been even better.

[Vikhyath]

This is a well styled hatch especially for Japanese standards but the weaknesses of the vanilla variant should atleast have been fixed in this variant to atleast reward the spender for the extra cash. The steering and seats would have been in the top of my priority list if I was Toyota.