JOIN USNew Platinum Etios to attract more buyers from families
Hard work pays. That is exactly what the Indian engineers at Toyota Kirloskar Motor have proved. They have put their heart and soul into 18 months of hard work in order to upgrade versions of mid-sized sedan Etios and hatchback Liva.
Toyota had been working on feedback received by customers to improve the Etios family. In response, the new Platinum Etios and the new Liva altogether have brought in 20 changes, including safety and comfort aspets, over the previous versions.
Perception change
Toyota began the Etios family in 2010, and it became an instant hit. Till date, the company has sold a total of over 3.3 lakh units from the car family since launch. Interestingly, even as it has become an instant favourite, largely it has been the cab aggregators and taxi operators who have seen purpose in the car. While this trend indeed filled Toyota’s books with volumes for the sedan and the hatchback, the idea of the Etios becoming a family fit remained to be seen.
The idea behind the Platinum Etios seems to be just that, wanting to set in a perception change. The advertising campaigns, to put it in perspective, clearly sees Toyota urging individuals to notice the Etios as a complete, dependable family sedan. With the same thought, we are at Bidadi plant to experience Toyota’s new family offering.
Looks matter
The Platinmu Etios may seem like an older Etios with make-up. But the company has carefully worked on getting the otherwise straightforward car to sport some style and finesse. At first look, the design reminds one of the Corolla Altis, the legendary auto, one of the most beautiful cars made by Toyota till date.
The new front bumper and grille on the exterior are the most striking visual elements, the company has worked out. Even the bumper has been made to look sharper and sportier. Also, large heavily scouted black insert bumper houses the fog lamps with chrome bezels. A stylish rear chrome garnish on the bootlid adds value to the car. The new alloy wheels gives the car a sporty look.
Toyota cars are known for luxury. Even on the inside, it speaks lots of it. Once you get into the cabin, the luxurious ivory-shade seat upholstery instills a pleasant feeling. The instrument cluster now gets the new optitron combimeter, which ensures in clear readouts, while also displaying essential information such as the time, odometer reading and tripmeter readout.
Moving on to the rear seat, the company has added a new feature of a foldable armrest which can take a load of 82 kg. The rear-seat armrest and door armrest are of the same size which offers rear passengers with convenience and relaxation.
All three occupants in the rear seat get headrests which is a good safety and comfort feature, protecting passengers from any sort of whiplash injury. However, the headrests are very stiff, and we wish is it would have been smooth, with cushioning to help during long journeys. In terms of convenience, the Platinum Etios and Liva get electrically foldable outside rear view mirrors (ORVMs) and rear parking sensors as new features. The Liva gets a rear wiper as standard across all variants. Steering-mounted audio controls, Bluetooth, electrically-adjustable mirrors, enhanced audio system, and height-adjustable driver seat are available on the top variants.
Huge boot space
Planning for a long outing? Now, you can carry your neighbour’s luggage too. Thanks to the best-in-class 592-litre boot, the luggage space can further be enhanced with the foldable rear seat. Toyota became the first carmaker in India to standardise anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) across all its models. More safety features such as dual front airbags will be available across all variants of the two models.
The rear seat is equipped with new dual ISOFIX child seat locks, so that your kid’s seat can be mounted and attached as per internationally-established standards. Further, all five seats get seat belts with three point ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor), while the front seats get pre-tensioner and force limiter (PTFL) ensuring industry-leading safety standards.
Drive time
It’s at Toyota’s plant in Bidadi, Karnataka, where we’ve been offered an opportunity to drive the car. The road conditions are fantastic, and we drive the Platinum Etios 1.4 diesel which produces 68 ps@3,800 rpm and 170 Nm@1,800-2,400 rpm. Toyota claims a 7% reduction in noise levels and no doubt, the diesel engine is indeed quiet while idling.
The company claimed that the suspension has been further tweaked for an enhanced ride and handling. We couldn’t get an opportunity to check the suspension on potholed roads, but earlier too, the Etios is known to have great ground clearance and ideal of Indian roads. However, we liked the lighter clutch which is smooth and helps in gearshift.
We wish that Toyota would have given an option for automatic drive, which is in big demand today. Most of its competitors have already begun selling AT or AMT-version cars in big numbers. In today’s bumper-to-bumper traffic, the AT would give a big relief for the daily commuter.
The petrol option of the Platinum Etios is powered by a 1.5-litre engine, and is priced between Rs 6.43 lakh and Rs 7.74 lakh, while the diesel option is powered by a 1.4-litre engine, with a price-tag ranging from Rs 7.56 lakh to Rs 8.87 lakh. The company claims a mileage of 16.78 kmpl on the petrol, and 23.59 kmpl on the diesel.
The new Liva, on the other hand, has a 1.2-litre petrol engine and is priced between Rs 5.24 lakh and Rs 6.28 lakh, while the diesel version of the hatchback with a 1.4-litre engine is priced between Rs 6.61 lakh and Rs 7.44 lakh, (all prices ex-showroom Mumbai).
The company is targeting more customers in the personal usage segment with the new design and upgrades. The advanced versions of the new Platinum Etios are priced higher by Rs 10,000-22,000, as compared to the older versions. With the Platinum Etios, it’s to be seen if the Etios and Liva will make the walk from an airport parking bay to the family garage.
New safety features
First in the industry to standardise ABS (anti-lock braking system) and EBD (electronic brake force distribution) across all models and in all grades
First in the industry to standardise dual front airbags for both driver and passenger
New dual ISOFIX child seat locks for all models and all grades
All 5 seats with 3 point ELR (emergency locking retractor) seatbelts
With pre-tensioner and force limiters (PTFL) for front seats
New exterior features
All new front and rear bumper
All new front grille
New fog lamp bezel
New alloys (for Liva)
New rear chrome garnish with reflectors (for Etios)
Toyota Platinum Etios
Verdict : We are surprised why Toyota has not launched an AT version which is in big demand.
Engine 4-Cylinder 8V, SOHC,D-4D-1,364 cc (cm3)
Power 50KW (68 PS) @ 3800rpm
Torque 170Nm(17.3 kg-m) @ 1800-2400rpm
Fuel Supply System Common Rail Direct Injection(CRDI)
Mileage Diesel (23.59 kmpl), Petrol (16.78 kmpl)
PRICE 7.56 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai)