[flyingkolors]

What a fabulous review. Rated a well deserved 5 stars. You didnt leave anything for questions :-) Wish you many more miles and drive her safe.

My only wish was if you had waited for the new Fiesta. It would have ticked all your QRs, probably.

And yea, we need more pictures too, please.

[condor]

@RadiantKarma, congrats on your new car. That was a very well written initial review. If you can write a review like this, wonder how would your travelogues be ? Hope you to do travel more than than the 500-600 km you think you will

RadiantKarma :
Rejecting the ever-so-beautiful-forever-tugging-at-my-heart Linea was an easy decision in terms of physical efforts and tough one for the heart. ... I refused to even TD the fabulous performer to avoid haplessly falling in love!

Tell me about it ! Have loved the Fiats, but have not had the pleasure of being with one.

RadiantKarma : Wifey refused to get off the Manza sofa on the rear and had to be pulled out!

RadiantKarma : and gobbles up three large-23kg international travel check-in bags and two standard cabin bags

Yes, a huge boot. Dont know how does Toyota manage this. Reminds me of a 1996 Camry that could take Three huge 30kg suitcases where the competition (read Accord) managed just two.

RadiantKarma : •Average road presence. Exterior styling is neither striking nor distinctive from the distance – a plain Jane in true sense.

Simple. But why so simple, Toyota ? My ex-boss is looking at this and he feels he has not seen these on the road. He's wondering if there is something wrong with the Etios that it is not selling. How do I tell him that a Toyota cannot fail ?

Personally, I feel the styling is such that it prevents drawing any attention to itself. The headlamp/grille combination is different. Wish they had done something different here.

Suggest some sun-film for the front windshield also. And some damping inside the doors.

So, let me step away and wait for the pics you have promised us. And wishing you a long, happy ownership of your Etios.

[RadiantKarma]

Hey flyingkolors and condor,

Glad you guys liked the review. Thanks for all the nice words. And did I love your signatures!

Pics have already been uploaded, and been added to the opening post.

Originally Posted by flyingkolors

My only wish was if you had waited for the new Fiesta. It would have ticked all your QRs, probably.

Fiesta vs. Etios? I did think about it. Rehaan has this to say about New Fiesta...

The new 1.5 petrol just doesn’t have the low-down torque to match the old 1.6 engine. Below 3,000 RPM, there’s no contest. Add to that, the gearing of the new Fiesta is noticeably taller than the Classic (though no figures have been released yet) – this would be a major contributing factor to the difference in peppiness and feel between the two cars...

From engine performance point of view, there is no contest between New Fiesta and Etios.

The real contest therefore is between Fiesta Classic and Etios. Fiesta would beat Etios hollow in terms of handling, though the latter has quite acceptable credentials. I am not sure how these cars compare in engine performance among themselves, because for me, Fiesta road manners and steering feel are too overwhelming to discern this aspect. Overall, Fiesta is the winner. Then why Etios? Let us leave apart the better reliability expectations from a Toyota for a moment. You might have noticed in my review that, over and above the initial QRs, what really got me was near effortless performance. As exciting a performer the Classic is, the main driving controls require some effort, be it heavier gearshift or steering movement, to deliver the superior results. Many won't discern this difference, just in the way lotsa people can't even discern the road manners of a Ford! But for me, it mattered. To sum up, Fiesta Classic vs. Etios for me is Work to perform brilliantly vs. Effortless good performance.

Originally Posted by condor

If you can write a review like this, wonder how would your travelogues be ? Hope you to do travel more than than the 500-600 km you think you will

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Suggest some sun-film for the front windshield also. And some damping inside the doors.

As lazy a creature that I am, I usually prefer rail/cab to go long-distance. But with Etios around, who knows, I may be more inclined to take up such road trips myself? Time will tell. And travelogues? I'm flattered! You are showing me some new panoramas altogether! Then, on second thoughts, why not?! If there is a trip, I will try my hand at one!

Thanks for the suggestions reg. front windshield protection and damping. Really want to get the latter done. Need to find out who can do it well in Noida/ Delhi. Anybody ahoy?! Regarding the former, I am a bit wary, if it can affect visibility in any way, now or at a later stage.

Cheers.

[condor]

Originally Posted by RadiantKarma

.. reg. front windshield protection ... I am a bit wary, if it can affect visibility in any way, now or at a later stage.

No, it does not. Go for light tints. The focus here is heat rejection. The feedback I have got is that it makes a huge difference, esp noticed on long drives. Waiting to get one for my Ikon.

[RadiantKarma]

1. Update on FE: Latest fuel (normal petrol) topup to topup has given a figure of 14.6 kmpl with 100% AC on - the driving has been 30-40 on highways, balance in city.

2. Uploading some more Pics - with apologies for not so good picture quality...

I am not sure if this picture can convey the boot size, but am sure that had Saif Ali Khan been driving an Etios instead of Aveo UVA, he would have had the entire football team fitted in here!


Who says Toyota has done cost cutting in Etios? Absolutely wrong. Just look at all that chrome there. I am on the lookout for the guy who designed this flap handle. Pl. PM me if you know. I'll gift you all that chrome!


My daughter loves these dials. Talk about generation gap! They do look really cool though in the white backlight in the night. Don't they? If you don't think so, you're way too old! Just kidding...


I am going to put a warning label on these seats "Beware! The seats may surprise you into comfort.".


Front seats can slide a long way, and the slider bar has closely spaced slots enabling one to find comfortable seating.


Once you are placed in between this chunky funky (awesome sporty steering wheel) and lanky comfy (thin but comfortable front seat) in an Etios on the move, you will NOT believe it's the cheapest Toyota on earth. The feeling is awesome! Do try a spin.


If this car wears the side skirts, she has to shed the front mud flaps. The Alloys look funky.


Has the IVRM slided off? Nope, that's how it's been perched there, glued to the windshield. Can it come unstuck? Was there anything wrong with the conventional placement? Can this measure too offer scope for cost-cutting?


There are no light indicators on the window switches. One has to grope a wee bit in the dark for that groove on the driver window switch.


The heart under the body. The body metal is not any tinnier than a typical Japanese car. Try lifting the bonnet.



In the end, a couple of glances at the the rear cabin...

[Reinhard]

RadiantKarma,

You really are enjoying your car .
Ok as for the mirror "glued" to the windshield. Its not that much of a cost cutting measure specifically. Its the way the IRVM is set in most high end cars as a matter of fact. Of course it saves some buck in making the metallic base and fitment into the roof, but this definitely is not one of the Etios specific things. Quite a lot of current generation cars on road have the IRVM fitted this way.

[RadiantKarma]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

RadiantKarma,

You really are enjoying your car .

Of course! Some of the esteemed fellow bhpians had requested more pics, so this post was just plain duty!

Appreciate the prompt response reg the mirror on the windshield. Also clicked thanks on the post.

Cheers.

[charthom]

RK,nice snaps. Why did you keep your state of the art steering turned upside down in the photos?I would have liked to see it clearly in close up

Have you fitted any insulating sheets yet? I can see you have fitted parcel tray in the boot. Planning for any 3D Kagu mats too?

[RadiantKarma]

^^ Hey charthom, you did really look close! Apologies for disappointing you by inadvertently hiding that flat steering bottom.

I will require some leisurely day to get the insulation sheets fitted.

Yeah, I've put luggage tray in the boot. You've got an eagle eye, mate. The luggage tray is necessary not only to protect the flimsy sheet layer in the boot, but also to give the boot an acceptable look. In all likelihood, this rubber tray is also doing a good job of absorbing the road noise, that would otherwise travel to the cabin.

I haven't really thought of Kagu mats. Would rather get the whole carpet changed with good quality one if I can.

[RadiantKarma]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

...as for the mirror "glued" to the windshield. Its not that much of a cost cutting measure specifically. Its the way the IRVM is set in most high end cars as a matter of fact. Of course it saves some buck in making the metallic base and fitment into the roof, but this definitely is not one of the Etios specific things. Quite a lot of current generation cars on road have the IRVM fitted this way.

Hey Reinhard, all I have been looking at in a car since your post is the position of IVRM! By now, I have already seen similar fitment - glued to the windshield, so to speak - in SX4, Innova, Skodas, VW (Jetta/Passat?), and probably Fortuner too, and am lookout for some more! Somehow, I've never noticed this aspect earlier and kinda assumed it's a bit of costc-cutting on part of Toyota, and bumped this thing off on this forum. Ok, ok, I agree with what you are looking to tell me. Where is the card? Here it is, .

Cheers.

[Reinhard]

Vista, Manza to add a couple to the list. Just watch any hollywood movie. Chances are all cars you see in it, will have the IRVM glued. And stop thinking of the cost cutting! Its an excellent car you have, just enjoy it as much as possible...

[amateurpro]

[quote=RadiantKarma;2425596]

I am going to put a warning label on these seats "Beware! The seats may surprise you into comfort.". [quote]

I agree with you on this one. The comfort provided by the seats is awesome for the city driving I have done so far.

[RadiantKarma]

Hey amateurpro,

Welcome to my thread. I hope you are also working on your thread. It's a mouthwatering prospect going by the brillinat initial brief review you've posted on GTO's thread!

Looking forward to continued sharing of the experiences of the car...

Cheers.

[mohan41]

Hi RadiantKarma,

Congratulations to you on getting new car. I am considering buying an Etios, and I came across this thread in http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...omplaints.html.

This makes me concerned. I hope existing owners like yourself can shed some light on whether this issue (water leaking due to missing door beeding) is one-off case or experienced by many others.

[RadiantKarma]

Hi Mohan41,

I have not faced the reported issue in my car so far. This with a disclaimer that my car has not been driven a lot in the rains. (It doesn't rain a lot in this part of the world.) Also, my car remains in a protected parking shed.

At the same time, the larger underlying issue arising from the given link, questions the bullet-proof reliability of Toyota. This is where I have something to add. Recently, my car developed the problem of vibrations at idle. gautam109 has also reported similar problem in one of the threads. The vibration is mild so far in my case, but it's there alright, and can even be felt in the seat. Revv a little above 1000 rpm, and all izz well in the world. I'm yet to take the car to service station for this - waiting for a convenient working day for the purpose, but hating even the thought of it. Early on, mild rattling made me visit the service centre, now mild vibrations! These repeated mild problems are making me a little wild! I am ok if Toyota did cost-cutting on aesthetics front. I expect such things from a company that places Function over Form. But Function it must! I can't bear the thought that Toyota skimped on some essentials, maybe proper engine mounting and/or damping, that has caused the problem post-delivery. I have mentioned earlier somewhere, will mention here again, that if there is one reason why Toyota fanbois exist in this world, it's because its cars "drive like new, forever". And I did not buy a Toyota to make frequent visits to service centre. I have loved the excellent behaviour of the A.S.S. staff, but that's not enough incentive for me to look forward to such visits!

I am seriously wondering if Toyota has lost its grip with its famed quality practices.

I had actually wanted to report this problem after I had given an opportunity to the A.S.S. But since you've brought it up, just as well! Can't let an inquisitive prospective buyer remain in the dark. Will also update further about what A.S.S. does about it.

Let me take this opportunity to give a brief update on my ownership experience.

• My car hasn't done a lot of miles on the odo in the last month or so. A few outstation visits, some illnesses at home have kept the car somewhat grounded in the parking bay.
• All the same, the engine noise is gradually waning ~1900 km on the odo. The grunt at higher rpm is increasingly lower, and whatever you hear feels way more sporty and quite likeable, as against a little coarseness early on.
• Ride quality and comfort keeps making me feel happy. Driveability remains as amazing as ever.
• I was facing, only occasionally, some grating sound while engaging the car in reverse gear immediately on starting (I need to reverse the car to take it out of its regular parking lounge). I referred to the thread http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ear-sound.html by abhi1881. Now, I engage the car in 1st gear, move a few inches ahead. And then reverse. The problem has not recurred. I understand from the referred thread that Etios has sliding reverse gear, and not a synchromesh one.
• Regarding the single wiper, I recently got to drive in the rains in the dark for some time. The large sweep that a single wiper has to make to clean on the driver side takes a while. Even at max wiper speed in hard rains, you want the wiper to reach your portion of the windshield just a little faster. It's manageable, but I had to be extra watchful. This experience has settled the argument of single/dual wiper for me. Under normal circumstances, I will take the single wiper for cleaning the glass without leaving unclean portion in the middle. But in the night, the dual wipers are better. Since the latter situation demands greater safety level and comfort, my overall thumbs down to the single wiper.
• And the tranmission of mild vibrations to the cabin at idle is mildly shaking me up!