Overview
A new challenger. Maruti has been ruling the entry level sedan roost with the Dzire, while Mahindra's Logan and Hyundai's Accent have been doing reasonably well too. But, a new Toyota has been drawing the crowds lately. So, is the Etios really better? We find out
The world is inclining towards emerging markets, such as India, and that has resulted in the birth of a whole new range of cars. These are specifically made for local conditions; for local tastes and needs. And customers are loving this new attention.
In the past, we have seen how Maruti Suzuki used the Swift. and morphed it into the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire. post a boot surgery. This particular car is exclusive to this part of the world and the Indian public received it with open arms.So much so that many of the people who desired a Dzire are still waiting for their cars to be delivered.
Speaking of waiting periods, it is Toyota's Etios that has set a new benchmark in this regard. An insane eight month waiting period is the current norm. Numerous bookings were made even when most interested parties hadn't even seen the vehicle since most showrooms didn't even have a demo vehicle. This was mainly because of the Toyota brand name on which most Indians confer blind faith.
Like the Maruti Suzuki Swift, the Etios too has been designed with India in mind and Yoshinori Noritake, chief engineer, Toyota, had a massive challenge to keep costs down while at the same time producing a satisfying product.To achieve this the development team undertook numerous customer clinics to find out what the Indian buyer wanted. The team drove all across the country to experience the varied terrain and the equally varied climate. So, it's not surprising that the Etios'design is more a case of form following function. But unlike the Maruti the Toyota will be sold else where as well. Nevertheless India is the first market to see it.
Exterior & Interior
Interiors are bare basic with limited equipment on board.
The Accent Looks proportionate and the 172mm ground clearance is adequate
But, our job here remains to fi nd out which of these petrol powered cars you should put your money down on.
THE Hyundai is the oldest car in this lot and yet it looks quite alright. The best part is that since it was designed at a time when the European Safety norms where not so stringent, the designers came out with a well proportioned styling. So the boot doesn't look like an add-on job.
However the design has its drawbacks. The ingress/egress is not easy, thanks to the low roof line and seating. Slide into the car and the first thing you will miss is the amount of space. It's a tight fit especially for the rearoccupants.
Quality of plastics too are not up to the mark and the instrumentation looks childish.
The newest kid on the block doesn't look like its the newest of them at all
For the driver the good news is that all round visibility is very good. The bonnet too doesn't slope down and one has good view of all four corners. The interiors, while basic, look bright thanks to the beige colour scheme. The little wood trim on the console and instrument binnacle look good as well.
However one does miss most modern amenities like climate control, stereo, steering mounted controls and safety features like ABS and airbags. However a split 60:40 rear seat does add to the versatility of this sedan.
Start up the Accent and the 1.4-litre petrol engine springs to life before settling down smoothly. The gearbox offers a positive feel and the clutch too is light enough for easy city use. On the move we were surprised that this old competitor could keep up with the modern motors pretty well. And if you look at the performance tables you will know that this is no slow coach either.
The Accent does have a stiffer suspension setting than the others here and as a result offers good ride over a variety of surfaces. Moreover, although it does look like a pretty low car, the 172mm ground clearance seems to be enough as it never touches anything underneath. The steering is reasonably direct but throwing it around corners can be good fun.
Options are limited and switches don't feel right.
The design of the Logan belongs to days gone by but there's loads of space inside.
THE Logan was never built to participate in beauty contests, but to be a low cost offering in most markets. So we are not taken aback by its boxy looks. However even in its form, the Logan seems to have been the inspiration for the much younger Toyota Etios.
While externally there's little to write about, it is the interiors which are its USP. Make no mistake, it surely isn't draped in Nappa leather, but what it does have is space and acres of it. The rear bench is adequate for three and this makes it a fi ve-seater car in which fi ve can actually travel comfortably. The rear seat also has three headrests but that can hinder rear visibility. It also looks plasticky all round and the quality of plastics too needed to be better. The instrument panel looks a tad drab, but it does have a very comprehensive trip computer.
However the Logan fights back with its fantastic ride quality. The suspension absorbs undulations like nobody's business. Sure at slow speeds it does transmit undulations a bit into the cabin, butonce cruising, it's very comfy. Looking at this, one must admit that at high speeds (which you get to eventually), the Logan stays planted on the road which is confi dence inspiring. It handles well too, at least for a car in this class. The ground clearance too is adequate and even with a full load, there's no problem.
MARUTI SUZUKI'S in-house development led to the birth of the Swift Dzire. Up front it looks like the Swift, albeit with a new grille and fog lamps but as you move towards the rear, it all starts getting rather mismatched. The boot looks like an add-on job gone wrong although it does offer a fair bit of cargo space.
Loads of equipment available on the ZXI version.
The Dzire offers the best feel of quality and fun factor in this quartet.
Inside, the Dzire though looks the best amongst the four cars. The grained plastics look good and although it is an all black affair inside, the Dzire sure does delight. On the top-of-the-line ZXI version, it also offers steering mounted controls which fall into your hands easily.Climate control too is on the option list (none of the others offer this feature) and this makes the Dzire a ratherwell spec-ed offering. It also gets ABS and airbags as standard in this variant. However apart from these offerings, the Dzire loses out on space. Even at the rear, there's limited space and with three on board the situation gets even more cramped. The rear seats are wee bit more slanted than in the Swift and this makes it marginally more comfortable to be on than in the latter.
THE Etios is a classic case of 'form following function.' And that's clearly evident in its design. It has a smiling front and a large rear end, which makes it look some what like a modern Logan. However look inside and you will find it is very spacious. Lift the bonnet orboot, open the doors and you will fi nd them to be feather weight. This is primarily because overall the car weighs just 930kg and that's lighter than most hatchbacks.There also seems to be cost cutting as far as painting goes. Under the bonnet, inside the engine bay orthe boot lid, Toyota has not bothered to paint it. So paint primer is visible in all these areas.
Open the door and the Etios pretends to be a rock star inside. Red and black upholstery screams at you with attitude. The asymmetric vents on the dash look different and Toyota says they are there for better cooling for rear passengers. We don't disagree. The centrally positioned instrument binnacle is perhaps one of a kind. Not the position but the instruments as the lettering isstickered on to the panel and perhaps is the worst bit on the car. The steering though is good fun as it is fl at bottomed and feels good to hold and turn. Adding to it are the controls for the audio mounted on it.
The seats are thin but there's loads of space up front. At the back, the seats lack support and the front end of the seat squab folds under the occupant's weight. But space again is top notch.
Engine & Gearbox
Honda Civic The 1.4 motor offers 95bhp but could be more refined.
The third contender is the Mahindra Logan, but with a 1.4- litre petrol engine as the 1.6-litre engine has been discontinued. Our final contender is the Hyundai Accent. Surprised? Don't be as this car is still racking up respectable numbers. In spite of being offered in just one variant, its affordable price is still luring people. One must note, that the Logan and the Accent are also available with the option of alternative fuels.
Toyota Etios Engine though is lovely; quick and very driveable.
The 1.5-litre engine is its best bit. It offers superb and linear power delivery. Add to it the lack of weight and it's not surprising to see why it's so quick. It also requires fewer gear changes; just dab the throttle and no matter which gear you are in, the Etios will pull through. The gearbox is light and easy to use too. The Etios also rides well and this gets better with speed. The steering, though light to use, lacks any kind of feedback.
Mahindra-Renault Logan Engine feels underpowered.
As far as the petrol options go, the Logan was earlier available with a choice of either a 1.6 or a 1.4. However the 1.4 is the only one on sale today. Now this engine offers 75bhp and that's pretty low for a car this big. On our acceleration runs, the Logan took a yawn inducing 17.1 seconds to hit 100kmph. This also translates into the fact that the Logan is as slow in normal driving conditions. Soa quick overtaking manoeuvre can only be undertaken after a downshift. It isso slow that sometimes it gets rather irritating to drive.
Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire Perky new K-series loves to keep the rev needle near the redline of the tachometer.
Maruti Suzuki has recently started offering the Dzire with the new generation K-series 1.2-litre petrol engine. This motor is a perky little thing and loves to be revved. So on the move, you will have loads of fun shifting at high revs. However at the low range of the revcounter, the Dzire does feel a bit sluggish and that means downshifting is required to gain momentum quickly. The gearbox feels notchy but is fun to slot in. The Dzire also runs a soft suspension setup, especially at the rear. So,while low speed undulations are taken care off well, as speeds increase, the car tends to crash into potholes. This is the same reason that the Dzire feels twitchy whilst negotiating corners. The steering, in true Maruti style, is quick but mute at the same time.
Dimension
Hyundai Accent (mm) |
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The boot does have intrusions but loading is easy. |
Toyota Etios (mm) |
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Boot is spacious as well./p> |
Mahindra-Renault Logan (mm) |
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Boot at 510 litres is truly spacious. |
Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire (mm) |
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Boot offers 440 litres of space. |
Scorecard & Verdict
Toyota Etios - Apart from the looks, it is the best offering in this lot and boasts a superb engine and ride quality.
Maruti Suzuki Swift - This one's got the perkiest motor and the best equipment. However it loses out on space and warranty.
Mahindra-Renault Logan- Space is the USP of the Logan, followed by superb ride. On the downside it is the slowest of the lot.
Hyundai Accent - Dated it may be but it still looks good. Ingress is an issue but that engine is still potent. VFM even now.
Scorecard
Body: If space is what you want, it is the Etios you should head for. Apart from a spacious cabin it gets a generous boot too. However as far as finish is concerned, it is the Dzire which looks the best. Safety features too are at par with what the Etios offers.
Drive: The Etios is the quickest of the lot and also has the highest top speed. However the surprise of all is the Accent, which is as quick as the Dzire. However hands down the winner is the Etios as far as drive ability goes. The Dzire though is the most effi cient.
Comfort: The Logan boasts the best ride, followed by the Etios. The Dzire with its soft set up isn't as good. However the Dzire does scores high for comfort equipment and operability. The Dzire is also the quietest of the lot on this test.
Dynamics: The quick steering of the Dzire scores the most. The Etios' steering is light but is absolutely lifeless as well. Nonetheless the Etios feels planted. The Etios and the Dzire are the ones to offer ABS while the rest do without this safety feature.
Cost: The Dzire has the advantage here. Not only is it the cheap but it also offers loads of equipment at that price. Resale value too is top notch. However spoiling its broth is warranty.
Verdict
The Etios is surely the best of the lot but don't think you will get the finesse seen in its larger more expensive siblings like the Corolla Altis and Camry. It is a Toyota alright, but built on a budget and it looks and feels so. Space is one of its USPs. However the trump card is the engine which offers superb driveability and good fuel economy. Ride quality too is very good. However don't forget that till Toyota sorts out production capacities, the waiting period will be long.
