2017 Toyota Etios Facelift Review
Car Tested: 2017 Toyota Etios; Road Test No. 816; Test Location: Mumbai
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 8.36 – 11.01 lakhs
The Toyota Platinum Etios will strike a better chord with private buyers
The Toyota Etios has always been known for its practical, reliable and efficient nature but the sedan has never been known for its sales in the private segment. Toyota has sold lots of copies of this car but most of the sales have gone to the commercial segment where fleet buyers have been lapping up the Etios left, right and centre. In a bid to increase the vehicle’s appeal for private buyers and to give it a more premium touch, Toyota recently gave another update to the Etios and this time around it is called the Platinum Etios.
Motor Quest: Toyota cars have always been known for their superior reliability and hence the Etios is widely preferred by fleet buyers because it offers a hassle-free ownership experience. However, Toyota wants to generate more sales from private buyers too, which is the reason for this facelift.
The bumpers look wider than before, some additional inserts on offer
Exteriors – The front fascia now gets a redesigned bumper and grille which make the car look better. The bumper is wider and comes with black inserts which kind of break the monotony. However, no changes have been made to any of the panels. The side profile looks similar as before while at the rear you get a restyled bumper and a chrome + reflector strip on the boot lid. There are no other differences but even these minor changes give the Etios a marginally higher premium appeal.
No major changes have been made to the interiors
Interiors – Moving inside, you still get the odd-looking dashboard from the older car. However, what you also get is a completely redesigned instrument cluster which looks far better than the older one. However, it is still placed in the centre. The texture of the seat fabric has also been given a change. The seats of the Etios are large and comfortable while space and storage areas in the cabin are also found in abundance. Some noteworthy features include electrically folding ORVMs, standard ABS with EBD, ISOFIX mounts at the rear, and a three point seat belt for even the fifth passenger. You also get an 2-DIN audio system with decent quality speakers. The AC does its job well most of the times but on a really hot day, I found it struggling to chill the cabin.
The petrol engine has just about average performance
Performance – Very few changes have been made to the mechanicals of the Etios. The petrol engine is a 1.5-litre unit producing 90 PS of power and 132 Nm of torque, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The engine has good drivability in the city but it seems to run out of breath on the highways or at higher RPMs. Fuel efficiency from the petrol engine is also just about average. However, it has always been the diesel engine which has been fetching sales for Toyota. The 1.4-litre D-4D engine churns out 68 PS and 170 Nm and performance is very good. Power delivery is linear and turbo lag is negligible. The mid-range feels very strong and the car pulls nicely. However, the engine runs out of breath post 3500 RPM.
The diesel engine is very good in its power delivery
The oil-burner is very frugal & has good performance, gets better NVH levels
While straight line acceleration isn’t the best, in-gear acceleration is very good and that will satisfy buyers. The 5-speed gearbox isn’t buttery smooth though and takes a mild effort to change gears. To make things easier, Toyota has made the clutch lighter this time around. Also, the clatter from the engine has been reduced thanks to better insulation on the car. The rubber mounts have also been replaced by hydraulic mounts, thus improving the NVH levels. The diesel engine can easily churn out anywhere between 15-19 km/l.
The stiff ride helps in making the Etios feel more stable
Driving Dynamics – The ride quality on the Etios is very good but the suspension is stiffly sprung and hence some sharp bumps filter in the cabin. However, the car never loses composure and always remains stable irrespective of road conditions. The steering offers brilliant feels and feels great to operate. The car feels eager to dive into corners but on heavy cornering, the tail slides out due to the rear end of the car being a bit too light. Braking performance is also good and confidence-inspiring.
The appeal of the car has gone a notch above with this facelift
Verdict – The Toyota Etios is actually a very practical car which is also comfortable and efficient. It doesn’t fetch good sales with private buyers mainly due to its quirky-looking exteriors and interiors. While the exteriors have been redesigned mildly now, the interior still has the same layout. However, the Etios now feels more appealing than before and that should positively help Toyota generate some more sales.
Toyota has improved the NVH levels with better insulation
What’s Cool
* Comfortable and large seats
* Diesel engine has good performance and is frugal
* Suspension setup is well-suited for long drives
* Toyota’s hassle-free ownership experience
What’s Not So Cool
* Dashboard still looks quirky and odd
* Features like push button start, reverse camera, etc. missing
Alternatives: Nissan Sunny, Renault Scala, Maruti Ciaz, Fiat Linea
Certain equipment is still missing on the Etios
Further Reading –
2013 Toyota Etios Review
Toyota Etios Cross Review
Toyota Etios Liva TRD Sportivo Review