World’s no.1 carmaker Toyota is known for its reliable cars and bullet proof after sales service has launched the new version of Etios in India. With new name Etios Platinum, the brand looks to redefine the sub 8 lakh segment in India as it accounts for over 70 percent of the market. In 2010, Toyota decided to launch a new sedan called Etios which was plotted below Corolla and was welcomed by Indian customers. It has been a favorite for taxi aggregators due to decent pricing and reliability. The brand has been giving sedan frequent updates to make to sporty and appealing to make it a family car. This time, the carmaker has invested quite of few changes to pack a punch. So can new Platinum Etios still make the difference in this segment with these changes? Let’s have a look on the Pros and Cons of the sedan.
High:
- New Toyota Etios might still not be the best looking car but when it comes to ride and handling Etios doesn’t disappoints at all with its mature ride quality and frugal drivability.
- Etios has one of the highest mileages (23.59 Kmpl) in its segment which is certainly another USP for the sedan. In India the driving expenditure is dominated by two factors- high mileage and low ownership cost.
- Ride and quality has been Etios’ USP as the car soars over the bad patches with ears. The good riding ability is doubled up by the terrific drivability of diesel engine.
- New Etios has seating capacity for 5 persons which is being accompanied by more than sufficient legroom space and headroom space for rear passengers. The rear side space of new Etios can even beat more expensive cars.
- Some of the good cars are spoiled by company’s poor after sales service but this is not the case with Etios as brand is known for its bullet proof and excellent services.
Low:
- Petrol engine has high NVH levels especially after 3000rpm which seems to become unbearable after 3500rpm. Its efficiency is also on the lower side at 16KPL.
- When we see other cars of this segment Honda Amaze, Xcent and newly launched Tata Zest, they consists long list of features but on the contrary new Etios has few in numbers.
- In a price prone country where people bother more about price rather than overall package of the car, Toyota put new Etios in higher initial price bracket by increasing its price more than the current ongoing model which also more than its competitors.
- In new Toyota Etios you will find many cost cutting areas like single reverse light, basic quality sun visors and no partition between rear seats and boot.
Verdict:
The new Toyota Platinum Etios packs a punch with new exterior design and updated feature list. Interiors of the sedan are still not up to mark, thus causing disappointment. The Etios has the most powerful engine in the segment that brings smiles to the consumers and high efficiency doubles it up. It’s worthy contender if you are looking for reliable, practical and power packed sedan.
