Toyota may officially launch the Etios Cross on May 7. Bookings for the car began in February this year. At the unveiling of the vehicle, at the Auto Expo, the company announced the pricing and the launch date has been set for May.
Based on the Etios Liva hatchback, the Etios Cross features aggressive body kit for the mean crossover looks. The resultant vehicle is taller, longer and wider than the Liva hatchback, but retains the same wheelbase dimensions. The vehicle also features roof rails with a load bearing capacity of 50kgs. The 10 spoke 15-inch alloy-wheels are diamond cut and suit the aggressive styling.
The vehicle’s interiors feature a piano black colour on the dashboard, a two-DIN music system with Bluetooth, USB and Aux-In and steering mounted controls. The car also gets white stitching on the seats with the brand logo embedded in it.
The Etios Cross is already on sale in international markets like Brazil and Argentina, albeit in left-hand-drive. The delay in launching the car might be due to the tooling required to make it a right-hand-drive. India might be the first market to get the Etios Cross as a RHD.
In India, the Etios Cross will compete against the VW Cross Polo and the upcoming Punto Avventura. The vehicle will be available in three engine options a DOHC 1.2-litre and 1.5-litre petrol and the 1.4-litre D-4D oil burner. The 1.2-litre petrol and the 1.4-litre diesel might pass off under the excise concessions but the 1.5-litre might be penalised as the rules don’t allow an engine capacity larger than 1.2-litre for petrol.
The 1.5-litre petrol engine equipped Etios Cross will be the range-topper and could be expensive by a considerable margin over the other variants. Will the Etios Cross be priced under Rs 9 lakh mark? Watch this space for more on the Etios Cross.
Source: Autocar
