[amtak]

All of a sudden, Verito Vibe looks so much better! Toyota, please don't bother about launching this car in India.

[rajshenoy]

If it comes in white, It will resemble the old Indi-cabs

Anyways, I bet Toyota has not touched the interiors, especially that aweful looking dashboard!!
I wish they use 1/5th of the plastic that they have used on the outside into a modern interior package !!

[anu21v]

Good to see even mighties are falling.... until now they were way ahead of the rest of the pack... now they look like following MAHINDRA mentality when it comes to design and matching the Pack. Democracy all around.

[RYP]

It looks way better in these pics. Its all perspective indeed

[subratasenn]

Originally Posted by gemi_kk

Agreed!
Toyota really tried to fix this car, but no where close to the industry standard. (Swift).
If Toyota really has really addressed all these, then why it is still under the industry Bench mark? (Swift) I also agree that there is a significant price difference between both.
If they couldn't upgrade it to the levels of benchmark, then there is no point in upgrading it. I wouldn't mind if they up the price by 20-30K but I want it to give the premium feel of/like swift.
Well, undeniably i agree that, the whole Etios/Liva package is excellent for the price, but somehow, i don't feel like buying it. I always think of negatives of this. May be because, it misses the industry standard by a mile, when it comes to interior quality. Some of the points which i didn't liked in these are
- The thick cushion under carpets. Ugly.
- The thin profile seats, (first gen ones). Even the new beige doesn't look great.
- Ugly looking center console.
- Poor quality Dash.
- Old gen handles. (Exterior)
- Poor door handles and door pads (interior)
- Bare bone power window switches and its console.
- Plastic around handbrake and center console.

I think the answer to all your points lie below:

Originally Posted by RYP

Its all perspective indeed

Further, please check amalji's thread on Etios in this forum. Here is the thread: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...00-kms-11.html

His benchmarks on a good car are different and they are:

Life time fuel filter
Life time timing chain
Life time Transmission Oil
Life time Clutch Fluid
1,50,000 kms replacement interval coolant
40,000 replacement interval air filter
Mineral oil by default ( Toyota doesn't force synthetic oil on its customers )
The Toyota exclusive SMILES pack option
Fast and efficient work force ( 2 hour express service )
Long life piezo electric injectors ( vs Solenoid ones )

Well. It's a matter of perspective.

[ashphil]

Seems very plasticky! Has it been well received in Brazil for Toyota to so confidently think of launching it in India?
Regards,
Ashok

[Inquisitive]

Etios/Liva owners are a happy lot and only thing that scores against this range is probably its interiors. I do not know what changes are made inside but you know 'beauty is always to the beholder'. If looks alone decided cars, then many hugely popular cars especially CS versions would have never made it to the market.

[rangarx]

Etios is one of the overpriced (for what it offers) cars in the market and the 'premium' they claim for the badge is totally an injustice. Enough with these duos. The bumper and sheet metal are way too flimsy. I am paying the price of repair rather hefty for owning one. No offence meant for my fellow owners.

[keshavarora]

If it goes on sale, it will probably be the most unattractive looking car on sale. It will also act as a 'nazarbhattu' for the autoexpo

On a serious note, I fail to understand why Toyota would take such a step. I am sure they spent time and money in (if I may say) designing this car, a car that is unlikely to sell any better than the cross polo.

[VishnuNarayanan]

I have always been a fanboy of Toyota Liva especially the diesel variants. But the 'Etios Cross' looks horrible to me.
A driver oriented Instrument cluster and tachometer standard from GD variant would make Liva a better competitor.
I think the fate of Etios Cross would be same as that of the skoda fabia combi and the cross polo.

[sansvk]

From the front it looks ok, but the side gives it away- its a Liva!
It appears as a private Mod job rather than a factory release.

[GuruGautham]

What is this fascination with cross models by indian manufacturers. First it was the Skoda Scout then the VW CrossPolo and now this. If it actually came with 4 wheel drive or a more powerful engine then it makes a little sense, but just adding cladding to a car and charging a premium for it is certainly not going to work

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by RYP

It looks way better in these pics. Its all perspective indeed

As I posted, it's the shades than perspective! These DO look good! May be a set of chunkier tyres could take it to next level.

Originally Posted by subratasenn

...Further, please check amalji's thread on Etios in this forum. Here is the thread:..

His benchmarks on a good car are different and they are:
...
Well. It's a matter of perspective.

I do NOT think a lot of people are bothered about the mechanical parts of a car. Try asking Swift customers on the engine brand and most of them will tell you it's Maruti's own engine which even Fiat uses. For them what is visible matters more. While the above pieces of mechanicals could be superior to the competition, it would NOT make much of a difference to the common buyers - NOT even the engine rating or the high NVH (which Honda got away with). As a matter of fact, I found Liva's interior quality better than Brio. Amaze even has integrated seats.

They would have wanted interiors which looked like the other cars in the segment; exteriors be damned - that's neutral anyway! I still believe a redesign of the dash can bring in much wanted volumes for these cars rather than the external add ons.

[Inquisitive]

Please refer to the official review of Liva 1.5L TRD Sportivo (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...al-review.html). Mind you Toyota has discontinued this product after three months after getting the rave reviews about the great potential of this variant.

This Etios Cross is seemingly a spruced up version of the same product that would appeal to a niche clientele. Nobody would question the sprite and fun factor in TRD sportivo but if it now comes with a visual quirkiness that befits the energy under the bonnet, I think this would be a very interesting proposition in the 9L+ segment. But Toyota needs to be active in media to create the hype. I do not think they even spend 10% of their competitors budget in advertising. About the looks, what can I say? If CS can provide the Indian buyers with the satisfaction of owning a sedan, I do not blame Toyota for thinking that they can also get away with it.

[Ferruccio]

Originally Posted by RishikeshK

Looks horribly overdone. It should be named Etios 'Crass' !!

IMHO Hideous Crass

Doing a 'special edition' is the last attempt of the Product Head and a 'cross edition' is the absolute death song. Look at the history - Fiat, Opel, VW all tried it and it never worked. The Indian car buyer is too smart to pay extra for a hatchback with plastic bolt ons. The EcoSport is a smart take which he recognizes and is willing to stand in a queue for.

Despite the historical precedent, some bean counter or a typical white tower resident Boss has commanded the poor Product Head - You are being negative if you say it wont work. If EcoSport can sell a hatch turned into an SUV you can too. Before you ask, no additional development budgets, no marketing budgets AND I need the launch next week.

Et Voila - the Hideous Crass!