It’s no secret that Toyota is working on a mid-size sedan for the Indian market, but there’s still no clarity if that would be Vios or a new vehicle based on the Etios. About a couple of years ago Economic Times reported that the Japanese carmaker is working on a new sedan based on the existing Etios, codenamed Toyota Etios C or Etios Core, to rival Honda City, and now the same has been said by a Brazilian auto expert. The vehicle might be first launched in the Brazilian market, followed by its introduction in India in 2017.
Expected to be called the Toyota Yaris in Brazil, the new mid-size sedan will be positioned between Etios and Corolla. We still don’t know whether it will be called Yaris in India too or will get a new name.
Months of ban on registration of higher-capacity diesel cars and SUVs in Delhi-NCR has discouraged Toyota to invest more in India. Two of its top-selling models – Innova and Fortuner – are currently banned in the National Capital. Therefore, a product based on a highly-localised platform is the most feasible option with Toyota in India.
Since the Etios is developed locally both in India and Brazil, it won’t be a challenge for the company to keep the costs of the Etios C in check. On the other hand, Toyota will need fresh investment to develop the Vios locally as bringing it via CKD (completely knocked down) route will make it more expensive than all of its competitors.
Toyota Etios C Design
To give a hint at what it might look like, CarAndDriver Brazil has rendered its images. These images suggest that the design of the upcoming mid-size sedan will be heavily inspired by the existing Vios. Though, it will be dimensionally bigger than the Etios
Toyota Etios C Engine Options
As far as the engine options are concerned, the company might use the slightly-tuned version of the existing Etios’s 1.4-litre D-4D diesel and 1.5-litre petrol mills.
Toyota Etios C Price (Estimated)
As mentioned earlier, the company might price the Etios C quite competitively if it plans to build in on the highly localised Etios platform. Since it will take on the likes of the City, Ciaz and Verna, we expect it to be priced between Rs 8 lakh – Rs 12 lakh.
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4. Toyota Vios
Image rendered by – CarAndDriver
