Toyota Yaris diesel India launch unlikely as the automaker is uncertain about developing a BS6 compliant diesel engine.
Toyota unveiled the India-spec Yaris recently at the 2018 Auto Expo. To our surprise, the company told that the Yaris would be initially available only with a petrol powertrain. We were expecting that a diesel Yaris would follow eventually but it seems that isn’t going to happen. If you’re someone waiting for the diesel-engined Yaris, we have bad news.
Given the reduced demand for diesel cars and the significant investment required to make the 1.4-litre diesel motor (that is seen under the hood of the Etios and Corolla) BS6 compliant or for that matter even developing a new BS6 compliant diesel engine, Toyota maintains that this would drive the diesel variant’s price to a point where it would become uncompetitive plus the overall share of the diesel variant in total sales may be far too small to justify the additional investment. The carmaker may even drop the 1.4-litre diesel mill from the Etios and Corolla come 2020.
Instead of a diesel engine variant, the Toyota’s City and Verna rival is likely to get a hybrid variant, that again is some time away. Bookings for the vehicle will commence from April and deliveries from May 2018. So, if you were waiting for the diesel version of the Yaris, we suggest you look at the other options available in the segment.
Toyota Yaris Diesel
– Yaris diesel may not be launched in India
– The current 1.4-litre diesel isn’t BS6 compliant, company likely to drop the engine come 2020
– Automaker claims that customers in the segment are increasingly preferring petrol over diesel cars
Source – AutocarIndia.com
