Toyota Yaris may not get diesel option at all

Readying a BS-VI-compliant diesel engine would entail additional investment and, with diesel demand flagging, Toyota may not see the business case for one.

Published On Feb 21, 2018 06:30:00 AM

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Toyota Yaris may not get diesel option at all

There's no two ways about it, the Toyota Yaris has got people talking. Finally, here's a Toyota that can take the fight to the Honda City and the Hyundai Verna, and unsurprisingly, sedan buyers are already adding it to their shortlists. However, if you happen to be one of them and are willing to wait for a diesel-engined Yaris, don't, for it may not happen at all.

The Yaris was unveiled at Auto Expo 2018 with a 1.5-litre, 108hp, four-cylinder petrol engine. At the reveal, Toyota officials chose to stay tight-lipped on the prospect of there being a diesel Yaris in the future as they face the same quandary as other carmakers – launching new products before the new BS-VI emission norms kick in.

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As it stands, the only small-capacity diesel Toyota offers in India is the 1.4-litre unit that does duty in the Etios twins and in the Corolla. The 1.4 isn't BS-VI-compliant, and may even be dropped from the Etios and Corolla ranges come 2020. While it is still studying the situation, Toyota is uncertain about developing a new, BS-VI-compliant engine as it would entail significant investment and drive the diesel variant's price to a point where it'd become uncompetitive.

That aside, Toyota maintains that customers in the segment are, increasingly, preferring petrols over diesels, and the overall share of the diesel variant in total sales may be far too small to justify the additional investment. It is more likely that Toyota may opt to introduce a hybrid version of the Yaris, but even that will likely be some time away.

The Yaris will be offered with the option of a six-speed manual or a seven-speed (step) CVT, and will also feature some segment-firsts, such as a powered driver's seat and front parking sensors, among others. Toyota's City fighter is expected to be priced between Rs 8.4 - 13.5 lakh when it is launched in the month of May.

Also see:

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