[AjiGTI]

Originally Posted by gshanky

I am not sure about you, but I recall that Indica's center console is to accommodate the LHD and RHD markets and thereby saving money to make additional console. Toyota followed the same concept. And Toyota has been fined in USA for LYING.

I agree with you here. I remember reading a review on Toyota Echo when it was launched in Dubai. Toyota has launched Echo to replace the much popular Toyota Tercel which was a successful car. I think this was in year 2000 and Toyota said they have spent millions of dollars in R&D to design this car. If I recall correctly Echo was the first model with centre console launched by Toyota and they come out with the same argument that it is for the safety they have placed the consol at the centre. The reviewer has correctly pointed out that if it is for safety why Toyota has not bothered to launch their higher end cars like Camry or Corolla with the same type consol. Finally the reviewer concluded that the consol has been designed as a cost cutting measure, so that they can use the same consol in LHD and RHD markets.

After reading the excellent review by GTO I am convinced that this car is going to be a huge success in the Indian market. It satisfies most of the requirements of a sedan buyer in the current Indian conditions. I fail to understand why some of us bashing Toyota for launching such a car (made to a price) when Maruti and Tata makes and sells similar price/specs cars in huge nos.

I must confess that, though I am looking for an 8-10 lacs sedan I am not considering Etios.

[oxymoron]

@ Amalji

This much of affection for a brand is not good, as it becomes counter productive as the company will never learn if they do not get the right feedback.

Regarding your comment on Fiat, take out some time and test drive Tjet, you will never say that Fiats are not responsive. No petrol car can beat it for its torque/ pulling power.

[gshanky]

Originally Posted by AjiGTI

I fail to understand why some of us bashing Toyota for launching such a car (made to a price) when Maruti and Tata makes and sells similar price/specs cars in huge nos.

It is a very valid question. IMO Dzire has its own set of followers and those who dislike the looks and space. I rarely find anyone having issues with anything else for the price point.

In defense of TATA, when they launched Manza, that was the best job they have done so far. The car has its own issues reflected clearly by the sales nos. as it is no.2 behind Dzire. However I would like to state that they did not strip off any feature of the car like only able to roll down 70% of window glass, etc. May be I am taking a bad example, but I just want to drive home the point that the car was not conceived to be either good interiors with crappy engine and gearbox or good engine with crappy interiors, etc.

Now, lets come to Toyota, a company that has very good resources to develop and market well engineered cars. The first attempt they made to develop a car for india is Etios and I can't bring myself to say that they have done all they could to put a better product out there. IMO Ford Ikon - the first MNC manufactured india specific car is more complete and a better effort than Etios as a package/product.

To me it seems like Toyota started off thinking that they should sell this car at comparable pricepoints with Dzire and they want X% margin. Why? the Indian customer would buy it just for Toyota brand. As GTO pointed out in the review the Car if fundamentally good and it could as well be more durable than competition. But then why did they not go all the way?. It looks like one of those chinese cars with Toyota badge and Toyota does not sell this in China

Etios and its hatch sibling may well be on their way to sell about 2 Lakh cars per year. But still I feel that it is not a complete effort by Toyota to give a better product. They are just taking advantage of the non-discerning customer.

I am resting my case. I don't have anything against Toyota or any manufacturer. I just don't like Etios for the approach and effort by Toyota.

[sidindica]

Toyota Etios 1.5V production version

[DCEite]

A TATA inside a Toyota. Now thats cool

[sidindica]

Excuse the pics as the car was displayed in a small area and my shooting skills suck.

[sidindica]

etios final set of pics:

[kadanaJ]

Hey, I thought the high end V model had a Red colour trim.
In anycase, the interiors look really dull.

Thanks for the nice interior scoop pics Sid.

[AutoIndian]

Sid thanks for sharing the pics. Another observation, I don't find the sporty steering in this variant of the car. So is the sporty (flat bottom) steering available only in the higher end?

[Hrishiz]

Can someone please shed some light on the waiting period?

At Cochin, Kerala, It is 10 months it seems!

[RoadTiger]

Thanks, Sid for the pics.

This obviously is the V variant, right.

Quick questions/ observations:
1. No sporty steering it seems for any version, except top version !
2. Is the sound damping material in the engine bay lid an addition in the production version?
3. Fit and finish looks Toyota standard
4. Black fabric insert in door trim looks better than red, IMHO
5. Seat fabric colours look boring - desperately need good seat covers
6. The boot lid seems 'perforated' to maintain rigidity while being light weight ???
7. What tyres are these? I can only see the words 'Duraplus' in the pics
8. Is there any lining in the wheel walls in the prod version? Can't spot any in the pics

[kaviprem]

The overall size looks as small as Indigo CS size. Is it the real OR looks small in photos ? The Exterior design is very plain and really bad. Overall, looks like a "rounded" Logan !
Internal - No need to comment - Very much normal and well below Toyota's standard. Looks like, a real low value for money being asked. Adding to that, its waiting period !

By any chance, is this "Echo" redesigned ?

Prem.

[SunilM]

Thanks GTO for another 5-Star review - the wait was well worth it

I would still give this segment a pass. Didn't like Dezire or Manza, don't really like the ETIOS either. Only the VW Vento comes close, but not quite there. I would anyday go for Jazz or an i20 in that order. Maybe cars like Nissan Sunny will change the opinion, you never know!

[dot]

Originally Posted by amoghchaphalkar

Got to see the car in flesh and boy it looks ugly.

LOL, but look at the competition: Dezire, Manza, Logan, are they any good looking either? But that has not stopped their sales, specially Swift Dezire. In India, I feel, it is difficult to predict automotive success.

[airbender]

Originally Posted by kaviprem

By any chance, is this "Echo" redesigned ?

Ofcourse it is. Toyota is going the maruti way of giving old products as new in india. I hope they learn from ford's figo.

Originally Posted by amalji

But, do not think, Toyota will lie to its customers as well.

After knowing what has happened in USA this year I would take that statement with a pinch of salt.

Originally Posted by amalji

And Toyota says it's safer to have the console at the center.

And there are people who believe that.

Originally Posted by amalji

Quality comes at a price. It'll be costlier for Toyota to create a car with the same features that a TATA gives.

When ford and Maruti can do it why can't toyota. Actually toyota is in a better position than maruti with it's wider international network.Tata and Maruti sell products only in India(suzuki in japan) but toyota sells all over the world so why can't they come up with better product. Ford's expenses are higher than toyota or suzuki but they didnot cut corners with figo. So who is to blame here Toyota or customers who buy toyota's for the brand?

Originally Posted by DCEite

A TATA inside a Toyota. Now thats cool

I read somewhere that front driver and passenger seats are made by a tata company too.