Toyota Etios - Black

[thackervijay 16]

if you are spending 10L and dont worry too much for rear seats space nothing beats hyundai verna fluidic, petrol or diesel, though diesel is the one to go for, 1.6L crdi engine, sx variant with all niche features of abs, airbags, alloys, all disc brakes with fuel efficiency of 21.24kmpl for 1.6L diesel engine, plus second best service centres across nation.

[sgiitk 32]

Black: I will say you are a bold man, or have your man Friday to dust it every half hour.

Congratulations, on whatever you finally get.

[ani_meher 42]

Liva launched yesterday. At 4.69 ex showroom for acceptable G version, it is not worth waiting or going for. Except the Toyota badge, nothing is in favour of this car, not the quality, not the appearance, not the drive. God help T!

[dkaile 1,051]

Read this about Toyota from this month's Autocar. The views are of Shapur Kotwal, but I agree with Toyota's strategy fully, and that's the secret to its success -

THE ENIGMA THAT'S TOYOTA

WE MAY GO on and on about cars like they are living, breathing objects of desire, and to us they are.

But there are a huge number of 'everyday' folks for whom the car is mere transport and not motoring.

Asking "what's your car like to drive?" often result in a quizzical expression and bewilderment.

To them, cars are just white goods, beasts of burden, or objects of utility.

What would you say if we asked you what your fridge was 'like? "Cold" would be one answer and "it's good, it works" another.

Apart from that, you'd be lost for words. Just like these everyday non-car-loving folks would be if we asked about their cars.

The conspiracy theory goes that super-smart Toyota knows this, and while the rest of the industry wastes time chasing those of us who love cars,

Toyota spends its time delivering simple, efficient and super-reliable cars, sort of the perfect white goods on wheels.

This is especially true during the early years when the brand's products and reputation are not really well known.

Now let's assume people who like cars and those who don't can be split clean down the middle.

Sure, the reality is more like 60:40, but let's keep things simple. Now assuming the vast majority of Toyota owners, who can't express

themselves well about their cars, say "it's good and it works" when asked what their Toyota is like.

Can you imagine the consistent and positive vibe you'd get from just that? And once you know that brand of fridge works, well would you risk brand B

and curdled milk? No. So, more and more folks buy Toyota as the word spreads. And then, before car lovers like us can get fully stuck in,

come better and better cars, some of them not as heavily tried and tested, but hey Toyota's reputation is already cemented.

And then some of these cars even make us go wow.

Remember the Quails, Toyota's first car in India? That abominable utility vehicle that looked like a breadbox on wheels which was so plain

and unremarkable. Editor Hormazd and 1 refused to believe it was Toyota's first product in India, despite stumbling upon it,

recognising it as a Toyota and seeing testing agency ARAI's stickers all over the car. This just couldn't be it, we thought,

missing the scoop of the decade as we drove past, assuming it to be a testing "mule". But what a car it was.

Beautifully engineered to deliver just the minimum required, it was surprisingly nice to drive and turned out to be as indestructible as nuclear waste.

Cars with even 300,000 or 400,000km on the dock are normal, and owners just swear by them. And that has cemented Toyota's reputation.

Then came the much more appealing and just as well-engineered Innova, which immediately was a big success, and the even more desirable Fortuner.

And we all know how well that has sold despite the price.

So it was the Qualis I thought of when I first drove Toyota's new Liva, a simple, well engineered and minimalist no-frills car.

Built of tried and trusted mechanicals that will run faultlessly forever and ever, better and more appealing hatchbacks from Toyota will come further down

the line and further up the price band. But for now, the Liva and the Etios have their magic to work.

That is the Toyota way

@ani - so if you want a car that goes on and on and on, Toyota is the only choice...

Edited June 28, 2011 by dkaile

[dkaile 1,051]

For a complete review of the LIVA which you wont get anywhere else, go here - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/103512-toyota-liva-test-drive-review.html

[ani_meher 42]

@ani - so if you want a car that goes on and on and on, Toyota is the only choice...

I thought so before, but after the launch and the prices, I don't think I will go for Liva. I may buy a second hand jazz for the same price. Liva is too bland, and the engine too is not that much of a gem (as it is in etios).

[dkaile 1,051]

^

Jazz with shake, rattle and roll in 3 years of ownership... believe me, I'm an old Honda City owner... but then it will be music to your ears...

[ani_meher 42]

Is it? Damn But I thought Honda's were rattle free, unlike maruti.