Toyota has released images and details of its Indian compact car, the Etios and it has gone on show at the 10th Auto Expo in New Delhi.
The Etios is aimed at family users in India’s rapidly growing automobile market. Reflecting its “one class above” theme, the Etios’ styling evokes a sense of advanced status, and, along with a spacious interior with abundant storage space, it aims to offer both smooth and powerful driving and excellent fuel efficiency.
To make the car as affordable as possible for potential customers, thorough use of local parts will be pursued to keep costs low. On display at the show are a sedan version with a newly developed 1.5-litre gasoline engine and a hatchback version with a newly developed 1.2-litre gasoline engine.
Etios chief engineer, Yoshinori Noritake, said at the show: “I visited many Indian cities and homes to learn the market and to hear from the consumer directly. Over four years, more than 2,000 engineers have been involved in the development of the Etios, and each has devoted his or her best effort with no compromises. I am convinced in my heart that the Etios offers joy of ownership and quality of life to consumers in India.”
TKM will produce the Etios from late 2010 at its second plant, which is now being built expressly for the new car. Annual sales in India are set at 70,000 units.
Toyota says that exports are planned so we could see the Toyota Etios in showrooms across Australia in the next year or so.
3 thoughts on “Toyota’s New Indian Compact”
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Where does this car compete price wise with that new TATA car that was supposed to retail at about $2.500 ?
While there was no specific mention in the press release of the price for the Toyota Etios I did see somewhere else that Toyota wasn’t planning on trying to compete with the new Tata.
I think Toyota wants the Etios to be a more up-market car and to appeal to a more affluent level of Indian society.
Stuart