[prakasse]

GTO,

Thanks, for the awesome detailed review. I have stopped purchasing auto magazines and watching TV shows. I was constantly logging in to the website to see if your review has come out.

The Initial booking reflects the Toyota badge value and I was stunned by the pricing.

Thanks to Rehaan for your contribution too.

Maruti will not lose much if they fix the waiting period problem. TATA has serious Problems to fix.

Regards,
Prakash

[nitin.rai]

IMHO the Japanese duo (Honda & Toyota) have realized that the majority Indian public can be taken by ride in the name of quality overpricing their cars.

No questions that the Etios seems like a decent effort but for the price am sure it could have been much better (and am not referring to the entry level version).
I would love to see the Indian Car buyer mature and start trashing sub-par or over priced products in the name of quality.
Mind you, this one still will sell like hot cakes!

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by prashanthyr

Excellent review, covers all the points a prospective buyer would need to decide on a car. However, looking at onroad prices for the top end, I am thinking maybe Honda's City is priced reasonably afterall! I was told at the Nandi Toyota dealership that the top end would be Rs 820,000 on road, where as the City starts at about 10,40,000 on road. For 220,000 extra, one does get a lot more extra with the city - for starters, no signs of cost cutting, better looks, more equipment, a proper entry level luxury car rather than a cut price product and many more extras. Am I alone in thinking that top end Etios will actually favor the City's sales?

IMHO the Etios should even be mentioned in the same line as the City. In terms of trim and features, the City is an altogether different beast. Make no mistake, I am no fan of the City - its only my observation. Or is the City the benchmark for overpricing?

Toyota could have atleast provided decent interiors. Nobody paying so much would want such basic level of design (if that word is applicable to this car at all). And whats with the seat covers? They seem like an afterthought to add some brightness to an otherwise dull car

[Warwithwheels]

Originally Posted by clevermax

Isn't the plastic over the foot well bent? The foot well looks unfinished.

+1 to it. Looks utterly disgusting. I sincerely pray that this kinda fit n finish is strictly restricted to the pre-production cars.

Just wondering why should Toyota stoop so low and give us a half baked bread box as this?? Guys just imagine... what would happen if Bentley's and BMW's start making cars like Etios just to grab a minuscule share of the already over crowded segment.

My decade long association with brand "Toyota" has only made it all the more difficult to accept this Etios as a car with a Toyota badge. A very hasty move by Toyota I would call and thats were the Germans score over the Japs.

Why would a sensible well informed choose Etios over the other driver's car in the market?? Hard to reason. Prolly a diesel engine would put a smile on the commercial fleet owners face and the like.

All that you get out of this 8 lac rupee car is oodles of space, excellent A.S.S. and reportedly respectable fuel economy. I just can't think of anything more. There are several other reliable cars which offer a better package minus the space.

My two cents!!

[crisscross]

Thanks GTO.

Etios seems like great value for money car, but I guess I will never buy it, the centre console, quality of the seats, gear knob, plastic buttons etc are a big turn-off for me. Also not sure what else they have compromised under the hood. I would wait for long term ownership reports before passing final judgement though.

[RoadTiger]

Things I didnt like
- Lack of 'feel good' factor in the cabin
- The knobs (bonnet release especially) are from a different generation altogether
- No MID (I believe the lower two variants dont even have a Tachometer!)
- Rear window doesnt fully roll down
- Single wiper (I mean how much more could a second wiper have costed!)
- NVH levels in the cabin, based on what GTO mentions
- Poor carpeting in the footwell and the boot
- Single side indicator while reversing (that has to be unique?)
- Cheap sun visors
- No second lamp in centre of cabin
- Hard plastics
- Grey plastics all around (why not black or biege?)
- All 4 speakers in the front - none at the back
- Unelegant fonts for the speedo and tacho
- Height adjust for seats

I liked:
- The steering
- Space doesnt seem to be in short supply
- Lack of hump for passenger sitting in middle at the rear seat
- Engine, Ride quality, Comfort (based on GTO's review)
- Lots of places for bottles etc
- Cooled glove compartment
- Light weight = better FE
- Perception of fit, finish, overall quality

[9thsphinx]

Originally Posted by gitartha

Guys, Dunno about the motor, but the body shell is definately 10 YEARS OLD !! This is the same body shell that came on the Toyota Echo 2000 model (no surprise then about the old fashioned pull type door handles and the truck like bonnet knob).

I double you gitartha. I had once rented an olive green base model Echo while I was in North-East Canada in 2003 and I hated every thing about the car then - and therefore mostly abused it for some 360 degree (almost) spins over snow/ice laden roads before giving it back.

And I had wished I never had to see that pale, skinny and almost ugly looking piece of machine ever. Yet, here it is. The Etios.

For some reason though, I can bet the Etios WILL be a hit in India.

[SchumiFan]

Originally Posted by RoadTiger

- Rear window doesnt fully roll down
-

I liked:

Well then you should have liked that Toyota decided to give power windows for the rear even though it doesn't roll down fully

Even the iCOTY Figo doesn't have it

Originally Posted by Warwithwheels

All that you get out of this 8 lac rupee car is oodles of space, excellent A.S.S. and reportedly respectable fuel economy. I just can't think of anything more. There are several other reliable cars which offer a better package minus the space.

My two cents!!

Well the problem is that this combo that you have just mentioned is available only with Toyota. Maruti Dzire has the second and third (A.S.S. and F.E.) while Manza hasn't got A.S.S to the level of Maruti and Toyota. So when you have all the three desirable qualities in a car, it sure is going to be a winner.

[kadanaJ]

Brilliant review GTO. Thanks a lot for giving us such a detailed overview about the car.

This thing screams 'just another Toyota Success Story"

Honestly I just can't understand why Toyota wont ramp up their production, because once the diesel hits this car will be breaking records all over the place.

[adimicra]

So, Toyota has given us an outdated car with cheap interiors and bebadged it as Etios! No wonder, we do not have the NCAP ratings as it would no doubt fail miserably. Still, we have 15000 bookings in just 3 weeks.
So, what does it prove? I guess the answer is best left unanswered.

I feel bad that it might prompt other manufacturers to rebadge some of their old shelved models and launch those as 'new' cars in India with a seemingly cheap price. And Voila, you have months and months of waiting period.

But one thing to Toyota's advantage is that not every manufacturer has the brand image of Toyota. Toyota is just cashing in on their brand image here. If the same car would have been launched by Tata, we would not have even 10% of the bookings.

[SchumiFan]

Originally Posted by adimicra

So, Toyota has given us an outdated car with cheap interiors and bebadged it as Etios! No wonder, we do not have the NCAP ratings as it would no doubt fail miserably. Still, we have 15000 bookings in just 3 weeks.
So, what does it prove? I guess the answer is best left unanswered.

I feel bad that it might prompt other manufacturers to rebadge some of their old shelved models and launch those as 'new' cars in India with a seemingly cheap price. And Voila, you have months and months of waiting period.

But one thing to Toyota's advantage is that not every manufacturer has the brand image of Toyota. Toyota is just cashing in on their brand image here. If the same car would have been launched by Tata, we would not have even 10% of the bookings.

The reason why there are these many bookings are because it is a Toyota. It is a trust on the brand which has been built over years not just in a fortnight. Also I don't think people are that blind to go behind brand. Else we wouldn't have seen flops (read Astar and Estilo) even with the biggest car manufacturer in India, Maruti.

The iCOTY is not from the latest platform of Fiesta hatch but it sold well since it had what people wanted.

[guptad42]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

@GTO - If boot is not to be considered, would you consider Etios (ABS + airbags) a good buy at 6.7L versus an i20 Asta petrol? I know for sure that I am not going to use the boot for 90% of the times even though I would be traveling mostly on the highways. The i20's boot is enough for my luggage needs. I am sure there'd be others too who would be in similar situations where they have shortlisted the i20 but with Etios being launched are seriously giving it second thoughts.

You would have seen GTO's response by now. Here's another way of looking at it - Etios sedan currently runs a quoted 9 - 10 month waiting period. So, if you book the Etios Liva hatch on the day of the launch, you may actually get it earlier than the sedan!

Given the huge sedan boot, the cut-down hatch boot will still be good-sized for a hatch. Some of the Etios sedan negatives (poor sound insulation is a big one for me) could be easily taken care of in the premium/top-end versions of the hatch. (I hope Toyota offers it as a premium accesory pack on the sedan as well

And, the Etios hatch looks sharp, esp compared to the sedan.
And, you can always pray for the diesel hatch to be launched simultaneously.

What say?

[breezydrive]

Originally Posted by Pyrotek

Clearly, what Toyota dealers will have to work hard on is their attitude towards customers who will certainly not all be as rich as their Fortuner, Corolla buying counterparts.

They must be conscious about the danger of taking their potential Etios buyers less seriously than their Fortuner/Corolla buyers, or being more conscientious.

My recent experience at both Toyota and Nissan dealers indicates that high-handedness remains an issue. When I hinted a potential Corolla purchase instead, the attitude almost took a 180 degree turn in the positive direction.

Now, how TOYOTA dealers are going to handle mad rush of A.S.S, is to be seen!

Originally Posted by Minardi

Excellent review as always! Etios seems to be a typically boring car the masses would love to have and t-bhpians would love to skip. The antipode to a Fiat Linea

Surely, agree 100%

Originally Posted by tanwaramit

Excellent review GTO.
Altis still gives alloys (on spare tyre) as compared to Honda, which doesnt gives it on civic.

Same for Linea T-jet also!

[RGK]

Thanks GTO for the clear review and pictures. Convey my thanks to Rehaan also.
Pricing is the mantra for Auto in India now. It is very clearly seen in Etios.

When Rahman does his orchestra in the Etios advt, I was very eager, but somehow not satisfied with the quality of the product. But introduced on the market lines of 3feet added Swift & Tata, no one would expect a better quality from this auto giant.

Have Etios dash & centre console outsourced to low cost companies?

I have been seeing a new Toyota vehicle daily during my school drop for two weeks, but never spent time on looking it, On seeing these review/photos it may be Etios - I presume.. Will update tomo

[RoadTiger]

An afterthought - I find it interesting that Toyota chose to provide ABS and 2 airbags as standard (that would've cost a pretty packet) on the top 2 variants but skimped big-time on the interiors ('chillar' items) that all of us (me included) crib about.

Only if they had like a 'super premium' variant with all the safety features AND better interiors