It is no secret that Toyota will launch the new re-badged Ciaz sedan in the Indian market. The sedan will replace the recently discontinued Yaris sedan; however, Toyota dealers have some units of the Yaris which will continue to be on sale for the next few months. A new media report claims that Toyota’s version of the Ciaz sedan will be launched in the middle of August 2021.
The new model is expected to be called the Toyota Belta, as the name has already been trademarked in India. The new mid-sized sedan will be positioned against the likes of the Hyundai Verna and the Honda City. The report also claims that the other reason behind the discontinuation of the Yaris is the brand’s upcoming mid-sized SUV.
The new mid-sized SUV will be jointly developed by Maruti Suzuki and Toyota on the same assembly line that produces the Yaris sedan. The new mid-sized SUV will rival the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos. The new mid-sized SUV is rumoured to be based on the Toyota’s DNGA platform, which also underpins the Toyota Raize and the Daihatsu Rocky.
The Toyota Belta will retain the design of the Ciaz; however, minor changes are expected to give it a fresh feel. The sedan will feature chromed ‘Toyota’ badge on the centre of the grille. It could also get newly-developed alloy wheels. The interior layout and features will be exactly similar to the Maruti Ciaz; however, it could get different colour scheme.
The Toyota Belta will be powered by the same 1.5-litre 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine that produces 104bhp of maximum power and 138Nm of torque. Transmission choices will include a 5-speed manual and a 4-speed torque convertor automatic.
Source – autocarindia
