- Third model to be launched under Suzuki-Toyota alliance
- Likely to be launched in India soon
The Suzuki Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation collaboration signed in 2019 witnessed two cross-badged models in the form of the Toyota Glanza and the Toyota Urban Cruiser. Now, based on the new spy shots leaked on the web, the third model to join the pack is likely to be the Toyota Belta that is essentially the rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz mid-size sedan.
The initial batch of the Belta sedan seen includes left-hand-drive models that are expected to be exported to global markets. The India launch of the Belta is expected to happen sometime in the coming months. Besides the Toyota logo at the front and rear, the Belta is the exact replica of the Ciaz and will also share the colour options and feature list with the latter.
A few months back, Toyota filed for ‘Belta’ name from the trademarked registry. However, the application is still under objection, and you can know more about it here.
The Belta will be powered by the 1.5-litre Smart Hybrid engine that produces 103bhp and 138Nm of torque. The five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmission options will also be taken over from the current-gen Ciaz. With the Belta, Toyota will be able to compete against the same set of rivals that include the Hyundai Verna, Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Volkswagen Vento, and the Skoda Rapid.
