Toyota recently unleashed its attack on Maruti Suzuki by launching the Etios sedan and following it with the Etios Liva hatchback. Now the company plans to launch the Etios diesel in September 2011, giving tough competition to the Maruti Suzuki’s Swift DZire. The diesel powered Etios will come at a premium of Rs. 75,000/- over the petrol variant and will be powered by the same 1.4-liter D4-D motor that powers the Corolla Altis Diesel. However the diesel engine of the Toyota Etios will make do with a fixed geometry turbo, while the Corolla uses a more expensive variable geometry turbo. Power from the Etios diesel will be 75 PS at 4000 RPM, while torque of 185 Nm at around 1800 RPM will ensure excellent driving dynamics in city driving conditions.
The Toyota Etios is by far the lightest sedan on sale in India and the diesel version will be no different. Weighing in at around 950 kgs, the low weight of the Etios diesel will help in performance and fuel economy. Expect class leading figures from the diesel Etios, which is expected to have lower waiting periods compared to the Swift DZire. Toyota has invested a large amount of money in boosting production to ensure they meet demand for their vehicles without making its customers wait. Club that with the brand image of the company in India, and all of a sudden the Etios looks like a favourite to rule the roost in the C-segment. But it won’t be a cake walk as Maruti plans to launch the next generation DZire early next year.
