In the heated segment of ‘hot hatches’ in India, The Etios Liva and the Renault Pulse provide a fresh rivalry. The rivalry between Toyota and Renault has come to India in the lower segment of cars. The Liva, the hatchback version of the Etios has a fresh look which makes it look bigger than the normal hatchbacks. The Pulse on the other hand looks a lot like the Micra but, the changed front end gives it a whole new dimension of aggression and dynamism. On first looks, it’s the Pulse that steals the limelight with its wide grill with the Renault logo in the middle. It has got all the perfect looks for a hot hatch and especially a Pulse with alloy wheels looks like a dirt racer.

 

The Liva on the other hand has a softer and subtle look. Coming from the Etios, the Liva has more of a family car feeling to it than the Pulse with its straight lines and elegant curves. Going from the exterior to the interior, both the cars somewhat disappoint the consumer with the usage of cheap plastic and dull colours. The Pulse has too many circles everywhere and fells a bit impractical. The Liva also annoyingly does not live up to Toyota standards and the extensive use of plastic and dull colours don’t let it get away from the cheap tag.

Under the hood, the Liva has a 1,364CC engine, producing a maximum power if 68PS and a maximum torque of 170 NM. The Liva takes 17.01 seconds to go from zero to a hundred kilometers an hour which is slow for hot hatches. The Pulse houses a larger 1,461CC engine, providing a maximum power of 64PS and a maximum torque of 160NM. Even though with less power, the Pulse is quicker to the hundred kilometer mark, completing it in 15.2 seconds which is way quicker than the Liva. Overall, it is the Pulse that has a better heart, which is more aggressive and responsive and makes the Pulse more fun to drive compared to its Japanese counterpart. Both the Pulse and the Liva feel a bit unstable a doing corners.

One more important aspect of a four-door hatch is the comfort of the rear passenger. The Liva is the clear winner in this department. With its longer wheel base, it provides greater leg room and comfort. It can also easily seat 3 people on the rear seat which is not so easy for passenger of the Pulse.The Pulse and the Liva are competitively priced between 6-7 lakh rupees. The former coming in 2 variant priced at Rs. 6.7 lakh and Rs. 7.26 lakh (Ex. Showroom Delhi) and the latter being priced at Rs 6.3 lakh and Rs. 6.57 lakh (Ex. Showroom Delhi).

Overall, the Pulse if for the young user who wants more driving pleasure than the comfort of passengers and the Liva is for the young Indian family man who wants the reliability of Toyota at a good price.