Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) with the launch of its Etios Liva on June 27th, 2011, marked its entry into the hatchback market in India. Etios Liva is the hatch back version of the company’s sedan Etios and both are built on the same platform. Etios Liva will be available in four variants J, G, V and VX in India. The newly launched hatchback is priced between Rs. 399,000 and Rs. 599,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi).
In terms of performance, Etios Liva is fitted with a 1197cc petrol unit and churns out 80 PS at 5600rpm. The newly developed 1.2 Litre, 16V DHOC engine is coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission. The hatchback boasts of a mileage of 18.31kmpl. As for the interiors, the power steering is fitted with audio controls and the hatchback has an impressive cabin and boot space (251L capacity space). Its safety features include – energy absorbing shell and ABS with EBD. In terms of its looks, Etios has a distinctive front grille with a smile line and the roof is designed for better aerodynamics.
Mr. Hiroji Onishi, President, Toyota Motor Asia Pacific, Marketing and Sales, commenting on the launch quoting, “India is an integral part of our global growth strategy. The Etios project is a milestone not only for Toyota in India but for Toyota globally. The Etios Liva has been designed focusing on the Indian customer’s aspirations, tastes and preferences that were gathered, studied and understood through extensive research. We hope the Etios Liva will further reinforce the Toyota brand in India, making Toyota a household name.”
The car with its competitive pricing is posed to give a stiff competition to Maruti Suzuki’s Swift, Hyundai’s i20, Volkswagen’s Polo and Ford’s Figo.