Toyota has been lying low, of late. Come Auto Expo 2018, it will have a new product of immense mass interest. The model in the spotlight is the Yaris sedan that will debut at the motor show, with a launch planned for the latter part of 2018. A natural rival to the likes of the Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, the Yaris will be a more premium offering than Toyota’s own Etios sedan.
Just in: Toyota Yaris complete variant and feature list
The Yaris cabin will not break the mould in any way but photos do point to a well-thought-out space. The dashboard is neatly styled and comes with its touchscreen positioned high up, which would aid usability. A chunky steering wheel, chrome-ringed dials and silver accents through the interior are other items of note on the inside. While the cabin treatment and colours for the India car are not yet known, you can expect Toyota to opt for a premium-looking dual-tone colour theme. Interestingly, Toyota claims best-in-class cabin width in markets abroad. This could give the Yaris a small but crucial advantage in India too.
Toyota will launch the Yaris in India with a 107hp and 1.5-litre petrol engine. There will be no diesel engine, at least to begin with, as Toyota does not have a small capacity diesel engine that can meet BS-VI norms that come into effect in 2020. What is a possibility, however, is a hybrid version of the 1.5-litre petrol that could join the line-up in the future. Toyota is big in hybrids and would like to leverage its experience in the area for maximizing efficiency and minimizing emissions. The Yaris sedan will be offered with a five-speed manual as standard and there will also be the option of a 7-step CVT. The Yaris will be conventional in its suspension setup with front MacPherson struts and a rear torsion beam arrangement.
Toyota has much ground to cover in the mid-size sedan space in India and is likely to price the Yaris competitively to give it firm footing amidst well-entrenched rivals. Expect prices to range from Rs 8.5-11 lakh (estimated, ex-showroom). A reasonable price tag and Toyota’s golden reputation for service and reliability could just make the Yaris a rather sensible option for mid-size sedan buyers.
Also see:
Auto Expo 2018 preview: Scooters and bikes
Auto Expo 2018 preview: Cars and SUVs