Suffered by low sales rates and unable to crack the small affordable car market of India, Toyota Kirloskar has declared it will no longer compete in the small car segment and will focus on only larger and more expensive cars in India. This means that Toyota India will be selling only the premium and more profitable cars in the domestic car market going forward; models such as the likes of Corolla and the Fortuner. Now, Toyota Kirloskar is ready to enter a new segment in India with the Etios Cross. The compact crossover segment is yet not very lucrative in India, as the consumers still can’t figure out the actual difference between these mini crossovers and regular hatchbacks. However, given the new bold and attractive looks of the Toyota Cross, the car might as well be a hit, if it is priced reasonably enough.
Toyota Etios Cross Auto Expo
Toyota first showcased the Etios Cross in India at the 2014 Auto Expo that was held in the month of February. The Etios Cross is nothing but essentially the Etios Liva hatchback that is already selling in India, though it is not very popular. However, the Etios Cross is a rather interesting and vastly different looking car than the Liva, and Toyota must be appreciated for this smart job. The new Toyota Etios Cross has been rescheduled to launch in India on 9th May from the previously reported launch date of 7th May.
A mini crossovers can be termed as something between a hatchback and a SUV, thus it can be said that these cars are attractive looking pseudo SUVs with better road handling capabilities than the hatchbacks.
The Toyota Etios Cross is built on the platform of the Etios, and is 120mm longer, 40mm wider, and 45mm taller than the Liva hatchback. It looks very vibrant and youthful with a lot of plastic claddings and chrome garnishes, while the aggressive looking front grille and the roof rails add to its bold and distinguished visual appeal.
The Etios Cross boasts of premium interiors with piano black trimming and sporty seats featuring Etios Cross logo. It comes packed with world-class features such as 2-DIN audio system with Bluetooth and USB, steering wheel mounted audio controls, dual front airbags, ABS and EBD.
Toyota will offer a wide range of engine choices for the Etios Cross. The crossover will have 3 engine choices comprising of a 1.2 liter petrol and 1.5 liter petrol engines, and a 1.4 liter diesel engine.
The prices of the Toyota Etios Cross will be known upon its launch, but it is speculated to cost around Rs 20,000 dearer than the Liva hatch.
Toyota Etios Cross will compete against the likes of the Volkswagen Cross Polo and Fiat Avventura. Though the Etios Cross cannot be termed as an off-roader, it certainly will handle bad road conditions better.
The Etios Cross with its head turning looks is hoped to make Toyota smile with good sales.
This post was written by
I am into the auto blogs field for quite a long time. Living my passion of reviewing cars.
Tagged: Toyota Etios Cross
Leave a Reply