Toyota is known for its niche cars catering to niche segment. Toyota is good at beating the competition too. Till now Toyota has beaten Ford in SUV turf, Civic in Luxury segment, created a new homeground with Quails which is now ruled by its Innova.
Toyota never tried its forte in making a low cost car like Etios. Players like Maruti, Hyundai, Mahindra, Ford and General Motors have already introduced low cost sedans in Indian market and few of these introductions were liked by Indian masses. Few months back Toyota decided to launch its fight in this segment as well. Etios has given decent volumes to Toyota vault and now Toyota is eyeing more volumes from Liva.
Recently launched Liva, hatchback version of Etios is the cheapest offering from Toyota. Toyota has launched the same model that was showcased at Auto-expo 2010. It would be rather wrong to say that Liva is equivalent to Etios minus boot. Liva is actually not as ugly as its sedan version. Body skirt and rear spoiler gives a richer look to otherwise barren vehicle. It has shorter wheelbase which gives a balanced look. From front to B-Pillar the Hatch is similar to the sedan version. I would say it’s the fatty tail-lamps that add glamour to the vehicle. The exterior doesn’t give an image of sporty or aerodynamic vehicle, rather the exterior look hints towards spacious cabin inside.
The interior styling is exactly the same as interiors of Etios sedan. Though Toyota has reduced the wheelbase by 90 mm, still there is no compromise on the interior space. Infact the space inside the cabin is also same. (But) Toyota has kept the interior designs also same and has used the same materials as well. Henceforth, I was disappointed in the same manner. The same cost cutting measures were visible and it doesn’t give a feel of premiumness to the customers. Toyota should have benchmark its closest competitors (Read as Swift, Ritz, Polo or Fabia) before designing such an interior. The only need that it satisfies is the “space”, but then same is available in Tata as well. Toyota engineers have used thin seats to give an image of roominess inside. By this Toyota made a clear statement that a customer should either ask for space or for comfort. Asking for both would be a serious crime. The other better things are seven cup holders, cooled glove box and some gadgets. I feel that Audio should have been loaded with features like USB or Bluetooth, but then it is a Low cost car :)
The vehicle is quite calm when you crank it, but it will show its true color when you try to push it hard. The engine sounds a little harsh at times. Liva is powered by 1197cc 16-valve DOHC inline-four cylinder petrol engine, with 78.9 bhp at 5600 rpm and 10.6 kgm of torque at 3100 rpm. The figures aren’t exceptional but I would say that the vehicle is tuned for City driving. The torque band is apt for minimal gear shifts. I felt that Liva is designed for speeds of 80~90 kmph. The gear shifts are short and smooth. Toyota claims an ARAI fuel efficiency rating of 18.3 kpl – the idea of course is to stretch the litre as much as possible. This is possibly because of Light Body shell. Ahhh…. Liva is the lightest car in its segment.
I expected worse handling from a lighter vehicle, but to my surprise Liva is quite good in this department. The suspension is tuned for comfort and wider footprint gives stability to its ride. The Etios Liva doesn’t get too unsettled when submitted to potholes and bad roads. The steering is light and perfectly centered and it is easy to drive and hold the vehicle while cornering as well.
Overall the vehicle is not that impressive. I guess Toyota had seen the market with a myopic vision. These products (Etios and Liva) will not last for another life. (i.e. the life of these products will not be more than five years. I feel that people might not be interested in waiting for New Etios or for New Liva on road). For sure, this vehicle will not impress its owners, though it might promise good sales figures to Toyota.
(It is interesting to see that Toyota and VW are fighting for No1 spot. VW offers products like Polo and Vento in Indian Market and Toyota relies on number game by offering Etios and Liva to market. Hope Toyota is not on the wrong way!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Why Buy: Functional Interiors, Space, Toyota Branding
Why Deny: Cheap Interiors, Low performance, More noise inside cabin
