[saadat1992]

After repeatedly driving on the highways for 2 continuous days, I came to a conclusion as to why the Swifts and Innovas annoy me on the highways. The initial acceleration is not as good as those two and we need to keep the D-4D on the boil to keep up with them. But beyond 100-120kmph, its a different story. The Liva can keep those two at bay beyond that. Was being bullied by an Innova with those Hella Jethorns (the very annoying ones used in Politicians' vehicles) who thought he has the right of way just because his vehicle is bigger. Showed him what the little Toyota is capable of

[PCS]

Saadat
Just one question
Overall , how is LIVA DIESEL
Was the car really under estimated by many ?
Am reading lot of threads, even though vehicle is low on appeal, but people whoever bought it just go ga-ga with the vehicle for its real real no nonsense character. Those who have bought are really happy is what I think .

[Edwardanto]

Originally Posted by PCS

Those who have bought are really happy is what I think .

Hi PCS,

I own a 2012 Liva GD-SP model, driven 21K in over 2 years and I am quite happy with the car. I did thorough research on the car before buying and had a clear-cut estimate on what to expect from this car - high reliability, cheap maintenance, good fuel efficiency, spacious interiors and decent performance. And the car has delivered the same. The drab interiors and center mounted speedometer were definitely a let down, but wasn't a deal breaker for me.

What I like

1. Reliability
2. Cheap maintenance
3. Spacious Interiors
4. Good fuel efficiency. I get 16-17kmpl in Bangalore traffic and 20+kmpl on highway runs
5. Superb brakes
6. Good driveability in city

What I dislike

1. Dull interiors
2. Center mounted speedometer.
3. High cabin noise. (Though this is not a problem any more in newer models)
4. No Tachometer, rear defogger and rear wiper. (Available in VD models. But when I bought the Liva only GD model was launched.)

The main weakness of the car lies in its looks, external and internal. So for any potential buyer the weaknesses are quite obvious, which distract many. To understand the strengths better you got to own this car.

[saadat1992]

Originally Posted by PCS

Saadat
Just one question
Overall , how is LIVA DIESEL
Was the car really under estimated by many ?
Am reading lot of threads, even though vehicle is low on appeal, but people whoever bought it just go ga-ga with the vehicle for its real real no nonsense character. Those who have bought are really happy is what I think .

It really is an Underestimated car! People who dont have it only look at the bad bits of the car I.e. the interiors, the thin sheet metal (It has been improved considerably nowadays, some say its thicker than the Swift). The ones who own it only will know the real bad bits & the good bits!
There wasn't even one instance where I regretted buying this little toyota. The service & spares are super cheap (esp with the smiles package), the bullet proof reliability of Toyota! No other manufacturer comes close, the 1.4 D-4D about which you might have seen in my previous posts. Its one gem of an engine! The initial acceleration & punch might not be good as the swift but, it'll keep going on and on without any fuss! No issues at all! Amazing mileage on the highways. The max I got was close to 28kmpl with the needle hovering around 100-110kmph.
The space is unmatched! Rear passengers get so much leg room! Even more than you get in sedans. This car is for the ones who prefer practicality more than performance and visual appeal! Its no Love at first sight thing, but surely you will fall in love with it as time goes by!

[Kn1ght1941]

The Liva is a very underestimated car, but a brilliant one. I have driven it on some of the worst roads imaginable in Bihar, but not a single rattle or creak, the GC is great, and mileage is the best.

I guess all the negative publicity has left its imprint on the car's image.

[saadat1992]

Quick update:
The car just touched 30000kms!

[PCS]

Thanks for the reply saadat and edwardanto

In summary LIVA gives you some thing that can't be fitted or not even available in market..
Peace of Mind , mileage, comfort, ergonomics, space, true driving performance...
I think these are basics that toyota has always offered in their cars ... From livas to land crusiers...

[coolmel]

I want to upgrade my Liva's tyres from the stock GoodYears. Any best bets for the size 185/60 R15? Am looking at Michelin XM2, Bridgestone and the new Michelin 3ST but they come in 195/60 size. Will upsizing improve the ride?

[mroptimist]

Originally Posted by coolmel

I want to upgrade my Liva's tyres from the stock GoodYears. Any best bets for the size 185/60 R15? Am looking at Michelin XM2, Bridgestone and the new Michelin 3ST but they come in 195/60 size. Will upsizing improve the ride?

I had upsized my Etios' tyres from stock 185/60 to 195/60 from Bridgestone ER 300 to Bridgestone AR10, and the ride as well as road grip improved. Upsizing definitely helps.

If you are willing to spend, Primacy 3ST is superior in comfort, grip and silence to XM2 but has slightly softer sidewalls. If you are okay with a little less then go for XM2s. Have been using them on my Innova for last 20k without a puncture. But I am being more careful than before.

Regards.

[coolmel]

Originally Posted by mroptimist

I had upsized my Etios' tyres from stock 185/60 to 195/60 from Bridgestone ER 300 to Bridgestone AR10, and the ride as well as road grip improved. Upsizing definitely helps.

If you are willing to spend, Primacy 3ST is superior in comfort, grip and silence to XM2 but has slightly softer sidewalls. If you are okay with a little less then go for XM2s. Have been using them on my Innova for last 20k without a puncture. But I am being more careful than before.

Regards.

I've used the ER60 Turanzas on my Getz and they were just superb! Lasted for well more than 30,000 kms and were an absolute delight in rainy or dry weather. How do the XM2s stack up against the Bridgestones?

[mroptimist]

Originally Posted by coolmel

I've used the ER60 Turanzas on my Getz and they were just superb! Lasted for well more than 30,000 kms and were an absolute delight in rainy or dry weather. How do the XM2s stack up against the Bridgestones?

I don't have much experience with ER60. Bridgestone has discontinued ER60 in many sizes, you need to check that. AR20 is the new replacement for ER60.

I can definitely compare and tell you about ER300 and XM2s. XM2s are far superior to ER300 in almost every aspect. Be it mileage (XM2s will easily last 60k versus 40k of ER300) silence or both dry and wet grip.

AR20 and XM2s may be similar, but for silence and comfort which will be superior in XM2s.

If you are particular about comfort and silence above anything else go for XM2s eyes closed.

My 2 cents.

Edit: There are no sidewall rupture or cut issues reported with XM2s. I think XM1s were notorious for that which were further strengthened in XM1+ and latest in XM2s. So you should definitely give Michelin's a try.

Regards.

[coolmel]

Originally Posted by mroptimist

I don't have much experience with ER60. Bridgestone has discontinued ER60 in many sizes, you need to check that. AR20 is the new replacement for ER60.

I can definitely compare and tell you about ER300 and XM2s. XM2s are far superior to ER300 in almost every aspect. Be it mileage (XM2s will easily last 60k versus 40k of ER300) silence or both dry and wet grip.

AR20 and XM2s may be similar, but for silence and comfort which will be superior in XM2s.

If you are particular about comfort and silence above anything else go for XM2s eyes closed.

My 2 cents.

Regards.

Fantastic! I had given Bridgestone a try, think its time for Michelin. I do no want to upsize simply because of warranty constraints. Actually am very happy that my rims are R15s!

Road noise is not a criteria for me, want the tyres to perform well in both wet and dry. I love ripping, the feedback is important. In short a tyre which offers decent performance along with other benefits. One more reason for going in with Bridgestones was their tougher side walls which are a boon sometimes on long drives. I hope there is no such issue with the Michelins.

[saadat1992]

Update:
Got the 30k service done yesterday.
Few changes were done. The air filter was replaced & the fluids too were changed.
The servicing and replacements were done for free. Had to pay only Rs.379 for 3M interior cleaning apart from the smiles package.
Toyota has revised the Smiles package's rate and the kms covered. It now covers 20,000km instead of the usual 10,000km. The package I'm under now covers 20,000km - 40,000km. It effectively covers 30k & 40k service costs for me and they have revised the rate to Rs.7400 instead of the usual Rs.3500
I dont think so its expensive because it now covers three services - 20k service, 30k service and 40k service. And combining the service costs &labour costs of these three services is bound to be higher than 7k. So, the smiles package still is the best bet!

Also, tried out the new Liva! That one! I must say has been improved in every aspect. The doors are thicker, there's no more the tinny feel and there's a louder thud when I closed the doors. Interiors too have been vastly improved. Loved it!

[aaggoswami]

saadat1992, the thread is nice to know a car which was rejected by me just for central speedometer and NVH.

I have Grand i10 diesel, Magna variant purchased in Feb 2014. The FE is not good it seems and neither does it offer driveability nor strong performance. I am thinking of getting Liva diesel now. The GD variant now has 2 airbags, ABS, tilt adjustable steering and height adjustable driver's seat. This would cost me less than Rs. 7 lakh. The Korean horses certainly are not as strong as Japanese ones and Liva is certainly faster with better driveability than Grand i10 diesel. I need to first know my mother's opinion ( already the EMI is ON for Grand i10 ), dad though has agreed. Infact, back in Feb 2014 when I had TDed Liva, dad wanted to pay the booking amount for Liva on the spot. Liva had ABS and was available for Rs. 6.7 lakh. As of now, the similar model costs 6.8, had additional features. The only missing things : Fog lamps and manual ( internally ) adjustment for ORVM.

I have a few queries :

How is the single wiper ? Is it good enough for occasional strong rains ?
Headlight performance ?
High speed cruising : Engine suitability and handling ?

The above are parameters which would lead me to make or break decision. Headlight beam pattern in Grand i10 is such that I am always missing out on road right side obstacles. High speed cruising on Grand i10 is OK, but eats into FE, straight line stability good, but any directional change is not that good. I expected Grand i10 to perform better as its relatively low slung, but somehow I am not satisfied. I am still optimistic for diesel as the overall efficiency of Liva is likely to be superior to my 1.1 which is good for Santro/i10, but struggles in grand i10.

[saadat1992]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

saadat1992, the thread is nice to know a car which was rejected by me just for central speedometer and NVH.

I have Grand i10 diesel, Magna variant purchased in Feb 2014. The FE is not good it seems and neither does it offer driveability nor strong performance. I am thinking of getting Liva diesel now.

I have a few queries :

How is the single wiper ? Is it good enough for occasional strong rains ?
Headlight performance ?
High speed cruising : Engine suitability and handling ?

The above are parameters which would lead me to make or break decision. Headlight beam pattern in Grand i10 is such that I am always missing out on road right side obstacles. High speed cruising on Grand i10 is OK, but eats into FE, straight line stability good, but any directional change is not that good. I expected Grand i10 to perform better as its relatively low slung, but somehow I am not satisfied. I am still optimistic for diesel as the overall efficiency of Liva is likely to be superior to my 1.1 which is good for Santro/i10, but struggles in grand i10.

Hi Aaggoswami!
The Liva is a gem of a car once you start living with it. The interiors are a let down in an otherwise amazing car. The NVH in the new Liva has been drastically improved and is on par with the segment. The driveability is very good with the car darting as soon as you release the clutch. No turbolag at all.

* Single wiper: I still have the stock wiper I got with the car. Its been 2 and half years and still works as good as new. Got lashed several times on the highways and the wiper worked perfectly. It is a single wiper, but it has dual arms and the blade is longer than regular ones. You get a clean swipe across your windshield.

* Headlights: Headlight is not as good as the swift. You need to upgrade to 100/90 set up with ceramic holders for driving on the highways during night time. Get the Osram rally type ones. I'd also suggest a horn upgrade as the OEM single tone horn is very meek and no one moves out of your way (including pedestrians).

* High speed cruising: The Liva can easily cruise at speeds upwards of 120 all day. Car feels planted and is not wibbly wobbly at all. I had a Santro Xing previously and that one jumps like crazy after 90. The engine feels relaxed doing 120kmph. No strain at all, it'll feel like 90-100 at 120kmph, thanks to the suspension set up and good chassis. I have got a brilliant FE of 28kmpl cruising at 100-110kmph from Coimbatore -Chennai, a distance of 530kms. And even with a heavy foot and redlining , I got 15.6kmpl on the highway. This is a highway cruiser just like its siblings from Toyota!

*Handling: It handles well. Its a neutral handler! Don't expect the sharpness of the Figo and Swift but, it is a decent handler. Except some under steer when taking sharp corners at speeds.

The biggest plus point is Toyota's reliability and super cheap service and spares. Which is on the other end of the pole compared to Hyundai
Do TD the new Liva, you'll like it better than the old one you TD'd

Cheers