[amalji]

Talked with service team lead of Nippon Toyota, Kalamassery. These are his inputs.

• The passenger was not wearing seatbelt and banged his head on the glass. The driver was wearing a seatbelt and hence he was unhurt (inspite of sitting closer to the steering)
• This was not an accident which needed an airbag to save the passenger. Airbag expanding algorithm is carefully designed only to come out when really needed.
• One important factor that triggers the airbags is the amount of deceleration. By just hitting against something head on doesn't necessarily trigger the airbags. In this particular case, it was not that high and hence airbags were not needed.
• Airbags without the use of seatbelt is useless.

[Edwardanto]

Originally Posted by amalji

Talked with service team lead of Nippon Toyota, Kalamassery. These are his inputs.

Thanks amalji. I was looking forward to an update on this incident and was vaguely hoping you to come up. Quite glad that the driver who was wearing the seatbelt was unhurt. The owner must have been thanking the car for absorbing the impact. Instead one of his subordinates posted on social media cursing the car and the service adviser and it went on viral. Toyota gathered a lot of unwanted negative publicity for no fault of theirs.

[amalji]

Originally Posted by Edwardanto

Thanks amalji. I was looking forward to an update on this incident and was vaguely hoping you to come up. Quite glad that the driver who was wearing the seatbelt was unhurt. The owner must have been thanking the car for absorbing the impact. Instead one of his subordinates posted on social media cursing the car and the service adviser and it went on viral. Toyota gathered a lot of unwanted negative publicity for no fault of theirs.

My first thought when I saw that crash photo was -
"The structural integrity seems to be good for this car. "
It crumbled well without affecting the passenger cabin and that's exactly why the Etios got 4 star rating in the Latin NCAP Crash tests ( inspite of many claiming it to be tinny ) -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAaFeRQnz2E

Further proof that it's not the thickness of the sheet metal used that decides the safety of a car. The Etios is a well designed car in most aspects ( except for the interior aesthetics ).

[Samba]

Few points on the new facelift Etios.

Am highlighting only the changes which i could figure out- My comparison will be mostly with the 1st generation Etios. I own a 2011 Etios petrol so my comparison will be based on that.


Exteriors-

1)The new front grill adds more character to the plain last generation Etios.

Pic saved from Google.

2)Indicators has been added to the ORVM's.


Interiors-

1) The interiors are much more improved and feels better.
2) Music system is standard from 'G'. Now Etios gets 4 speakers and 2 tweeters. Till the last generation, Etios owners badly missed the rear speakers which has been taken care of now.
3)Driver side power window gets one touch down which was lacking.
4) Driver side height adjustable seats are included from the 'G' variant.
5)Electrically adjustable rear view mirrors are added.
6) Rear defogger is added from "G" onwards.
7) Finally the Odometer console gets bigger in size and a digital clock has been added to it. Plus the 'G' variant now gets a Tachometer.

Pic saved from Google. The collage has been made by me.


Performance-
1)The engines are the same as before so no change is performance.
2)Only thing i can figure out is Toyota has vastly improved on the NVH factor. Now its close or at per with the competition.

Tyres-
1) Earlier 175/65/R14 was there on the J and G and V and VX used to get 185/60/R15. Now 185/60/R15 is standard across all variants.

Safety-

1) Dual airbags are now standard across all variants.
2) Abs and EBD is available from V onwards.


The places where Toyota missed out-

1)Fog lams are now only available on the VX version. Earlier it was present in 'V'.
2)Alloy wheels are also available on the VX version. Earlier it was present in 'V'.
3)A missed opportunity to make the ABS and Ebd standard across all variants!
4) Last but not the least they still retained the center console speedometer.

Verdict- From my 1st generation Etios i must say in terms of feel good factor this car is hugely improved. The earlier 'cheap' or 'cost cutting' feel is no more once you enter the car. Though quality wise Toyota never compromised even on the 1st generation Etios. Those who own the car are happy. The new Etios owners should be happier. At this price bracket it offers the best cabin space, biggest boot, a fun to drive petrol engine, a reliable , economical and cheap to maintain diesel engine, excellent air-conditioner, very good ride quality. Over all it feels a complete package. The petrol "G" is priced around 7 lakhs on road Kolkata and GD is priced 1 lakh more than the "G". Paying this amount the buyer will get the above positives and will lose out on the flashy looks, the more equipped or modern interiors.

My personal opinion is going for the new Etios makes decent sense, if one can adjust with the boring looks, 'the not so great/modern interiors' and the center console speedometer.


I have been using a petrol Etios for nearly 3.5 years nearing 40,000kms in the odometer and am satisfied in the long run. Hope the new Etios will be no exception with better features and interiors.

For details on the petrol, apart from the Team Bhp official review one can check out my long term ownership report on Petrol Etios. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...oint-view.html

For details on the diesel, apart from the Team Bhp official review one can check out Amalji's long term ownership review on diesel Etios.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...6-500-kms.html

[SchumiFan]

Originally Posted by Samba

Few points on the new facelift Etios.

Brilliant post comparing the variants. The upgrade seems to address a lot of flaws with the vehicle. I personally like the way the front looks now. At least the head-on view.

I don't care much for alloy wheels or fog lamps and it is commendable on Toyota's part to have provided adequate safety features even in the lower variants.

I am not sure if there is a plan for Automatic in the future. But Toyota can try their hands on it, since the cheapest auto from their stable costs upward of 10L.

[kotirajendra]

Originally Posted by amalji

My first thought when I saw that crash photo was -
"The structural integrity seems to be good for this car. "
It crumbled well without affecting the passenger cabin and that's exactly why the Etios got 4 star rating in the Latin NCAP Crash tests ( inspite of many claiming it to be tinny ) - https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=MAaFeRQnz2E

Further proof that it's not the thickness of the sheet metal used that decides the safety of a car. The Etios is a well designed car in most aspects ( except for the interior aesthetics ).

Do bear in mind that the ETios sold in Brazil is different than the one sold in India. I checked the Brazil website and using google translated some of the specs. The Brazil etios gets load limiters and pre-tensioners. The boot space is also lower. Couldn't find the body weight anywhere so that is one aspect that I couldn't compare.

[saadat1992]

Originally Posted by kotirajendra

Do bear in mind that the ETios sold in Brazil is different than the one sold in India. I checked the Brazil website and using google translated some of the specs. The Brazil etios gets load limiters and pre-tensioners. The boot space is also lower. Couldn't find the body weight anywhere so that is one aspect that I couldn't compare.

No matter how different the interiors & features are, the structure and the structural integrity will still be the same. They might use thicker sheet metal on the export versions but that'll cost them more.

[JonSnow]

Originally Posted by kotirajendra

Do bear in mind that the ETios sold in Brazil is different than the one sold in India. I checked the Brazil website and using google translated some of the specs. The Brazil etios gets load limiters and pre-tensioners. The boot space is also lower. Couldn't find the body weight anywhere so that is one aspect that I couldn't compare.

Originally Posted by saadat1992

No matter how different the interiors & features are, the structure and the structural integrity will still be the same. They might use thicker sheet metal on the export versions but that'll cost them more.

Weight is in similar range. Can't compare exactly because the engines are different.
http://download.uol.com.br/carros/to...tios_ficha.pdf
http://www.icarros.com.br/toyota/eti...-tecnica/15416

As saadat1992 said, they should be structurally similar even though some features may be different. Brazil and India are somewhat similar economically so most car models would be similar. Eg. Suzuki Swift in Europe is different structurally from India, but in Brazil the same Indian Swift is sold (but with airbags, so it got 3 stars in Latin NCAP).

[abkett]

Is the next gen Etios coming in 2016 . It was supposed to be showcased for autoexpo 2016

[Piyush Singh]

Hello friends, I just joined Team BHP today. I had purchased the new Etios G Petrol sedan on 30 Dec last year, through CSD. Everyone in my family loves its road presence, relaxed & spacious sitting space & a humongous boot. The front facia seems much better than the old one, plus with 15" wheels in the G variant now, its stance looks improved too.

[procrj]

Test drove the Etios petrol today and was really surprised by how comfortable and spacious the car is. And the best part is the super engine housed in that sedate looking body.

Interiors:
- doesnt feel 'cheap' when you compare it to the Zest or Dzire
- though the quality of the plastics might not be as good as the Elite or Dzire but it is at par with that of the Zest
- The seats are lot better than the 2011 model (based on the way it looks. Haven't driven a 2011 Etios) and if you compare it to the Zest, it feels a lot better when it comes to under thigh and lumbar support
- Height adjustable driver seats ensures good driving position even for someone on the heavier side and 6+ feet tall
- Ample space in the back seat even when I have adjusted the front seat to my liking

Engine & Performance:
- The 1.5L engine is such a delight drive (especially if you have been driving a 1L for the last 6 years!)
- The torque and the way it call pull at low RPM is just great
- Shift early and you still get torque on demand with just a slight tap
- Compared to the Zest & Dzire, the car seems a lot more fun to drive around. Not sure how it will handle twisties and bad roads
- Moderate to slightly large Speed breakers and potholes are handled with ease. No thudding noise when the car drops into a pothole
- NVH levels are pretty decent and you do not get a lot of engine or road noise. But this was at low speeds 50-60 kmph. Not sure about 100+
- Did not get a chance to test on very bad roads and hence cant comment on ride quality

As mentioned by many others, I think the biggest let down in the center console with its ancient dials and minimalistic information display . But on the whole I certainly would think very hard before I exclude the Etios from the consideration list.

[amalji]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

People might laugh at this, but somehow after seeing the Etios on the highways as well the twisties, it reminds me of my Baleno. It was an under rated car as well and did a lot of things quite well like the Etios. Sometimes I think of going for a Black Etios with fat rubber and black alloys. Anyways, sorry for going off-topic. Wish you and your driver many miles of happiness

Around 4 years back, I had asked the same question to Rush ( GTO ), since their torque curve and power to weight ratio are very similar. And GTO had replied on the affirmative. :-)

I still consider the Baleno as the best vehicle from Maruti in India. Just one drive and i fell in love with it. Sales numbers won't show it though. What market demands is something different.

[ashver9133]

I own not one but 2 Toyota Etios cars. Both petrol - one 2015 VX and one 2013 G-SP. Both vehicles have the same rattling sound coming from somewhere in the dashboard (seems like behind the stereo). Is this a common issue with the Etios? The rattling is usually there when going over rough roads with pot holes. Has anyone else faced this issue as well. I am planning to go to the service centre soon but any heads up would be appreciated!

[driving_smartly]

Originally Posted by ashver9133

I own not one but 2 Toyota Etios cars. Both petrol - one 2015 VX and one 2013 G-SP. Both vehicles have the same rattling sound coming from somewhere in the dashboard (seems like behind the stereo). Is this a common issue with the Etios? The rattling is usually there when going over rough roads with pot holes. Has anyone else faced this issue as well. I am planning to go to the service centre soon but any heads up would be appreciated!

My Nov 2013 manufactured Liva had developed some vibration and odd rattling from 2 Ac vents near stereo, this was fixed by the dealer by applying some anti rattling kit (the kit was applied to all four Ac vents)

Post installation vibration & rattling have vanished

[vasudeva]

I have a Etios VX petrol May 2012 which has done around 9,500 km so far. No problems at this stage. No complaints even about the interiors. However, the sheet metal is a lot thinner and not thick enough. Overall, a good ownership experience so far.