Toyota Platinum Etios

 The interiors on the other hand are truly one of the strongest selling points of the Etios. The first thing that strikes you is the red and black upholstery. It looks sporty, a little flashy too but definitely adds to the bling factor and youth appeal. The interiors are, without a doubt, the most practical and spacious of the lot in this price range and make the car feel like a much bigger segment vehicle on several occasions. There a million cubby holes for knick-knacks, cups, bottles et al and much thought and process has gone into making the cabin a very relaxing and airy place to be in. On the inside of the Sportivo you get new dual tone fabric seat upholstery with TRD Sportivo logos and chrome accentuated gear knob.

 Toyota has already created a good name among Indians with products like the Altis and the Innova. The brand is today known for reliability, comfort and status. This in itself helped the Etios win half the game even before it was launched. And true to most Toyotas, the Etios too carries a much understated look but in the Sportivo it is a wee bit sportier now. Currently TRD is supporting TKM in planning and study of Etios based one make race. Back to the cosmetic changes and what you get is 15-inch smoked-design alloy wheels (which looks good), a sporty bodykit with front spoiler and side skirts, TRD Sportivo badge and some graphics. On the inside you get new dual tone fabric seat upholstery with TRD Sportivo logos and chrome accentuated gear knob.

 With the petrol, the company also claims an ARAI fuel efficiency figure of 17.6kmpl which is astonishing for a car of this class and with an engine so potent. The diesel also has a fantastic ARAI rated fuel economy of 23.59kmpl which means you will easy get around 17-18kmpl in real world conditions. Both the petrol and diesel engines are mated to a 5-speed manual transmission which has precise and good shifts.

 The Toyota Etios gets struts upfront and the rear anchors torsion beam. The suspension set-up is on the softer side to ensure a better ride and comfort factor for the Indian families than for hitting the twisties on weekends. Test mules were run for a million of kilometres to perfect the set-up and trust me when I add, the Etios sets a new benchmark in the class as far as comfort goes. The Etios glides over potholes and undulations easily though we feel the under-body insulation hasn’t been upto the mark. Drive the car at speeds over gravel and the sound of small stones hitting the body are very much audible.

 The Etios is now powered by two engine options. The petrol is the best in class 1.5-litre unit which is basically Toyota’s 2NR-FE unit but does without the VVTi technology to keep costs low. It not only puts out a very healthy 90PS of power, but at the same time, the car being as light as a premium hatchback means it’s power to weight ratio is better than the competition. This engine manages to score top marks in every single department – refinement, low end punch, outright acceleration as well as fuel economy. I repeatedly drove the car in rush hour traffic while pondering at speeds as low as 30-35km/h in top gear.

 This car will hardly be used to set hot laps or be a boy racer’s toy but even if that needs arises, it won’t really disappoint. Where it will outshine others is its ability to handle in traffic. The steering is very well weighed and we love its lightness at parking speeds. The car responds sharply to the driver’s inputs and its ability to zip through traffic is remarkable. It would be safe to say that overall drive dynamics and vehicle behaviour are neutral. The 185/60R15 tyres on top end models fill the arches pretty well and make the car feel planted at high speeds. The top trim levels get ABS and EBS as standard.