A review of the Toyota Etios Platinum

The Etios is one of the best selling cars for Toyota in India.[Prices: 6.98 - 9.02 lacs(ex showroom Bengaluru) ] The entry level sedan is practical, fuel efficient and of course, reliable. That being said, Toyota has a very unique problem to tackle. Most, if not all their offerings in India are used as taxis and Etios is no exception. Keeping that in mind, Toyota has launched the Etios Platinum. Toyota say its the perfect family car. I drove one recently to find out if that's true.

  

As far as design is concerned, this is one of the most subtle facelifts ever. The front grille is now 'V' shaped, fog lamps are new and that's about it. There are supposed to be more changes if you look closely. Eg: the tail lamps are actually new! One thing that is very clear is that the Etios does not look striking or attention-grabbing. It a plain looking car. It will neither please nor put off anyone. That being said, it is very well proportioned and not everyone wants to be looked at while waiting for the traffic signal to go green.

As soon as you get into the Etios, one thing that you will notice is that it is not plain at all. With the dual tone dashboard and a centrally mounted instrument cluster, the interior design language of the Etios is actually quite interesting.The top end variants get steering wheel controls as well. While the AC vents are big, the driver gets only one AC vent. The tachometer is now digital and the whole appearance of the instrument cluster has been improved. That being said, a centrally mounted instrument cluster does not make a lot of sense. What's wrong with the normal ones?  

One of the best things about the Etios is the sheer legroom that you get in the backseats. Cars which cost twice have lesser leg room. Thanks to the big windows, the whole car feels very airy. On the whole, the backseat of the Etios is a happy place to be in. The boot of the Etios is huge. You can actually fit a small planet in it. 

When it comes to the driving experience of the car, the engineers at Toyota have listened to the feedback of the customers and as a result, the clutch is very light and driving the car in the city is extremely easy.Highway performance is very good as well. High speed stability is excellent. You get 2 engine options. A petrol and a diesel. While the petrol returns 16.5 kmpl, the diesel manages an impressive 23.5 kmpl. Since it is a Toyota, it will most likely outlast any other car in it's segment. 

In conclusion. though the Toyota Etios is not a head-turner, it is extremely practical and reasonably priced.

The Good Stuff:

1) Toyota's legendary reliability.

2)  Loads of legroom for the passengers.

3)  Enormous boot capacity

4)  Safety

The Bad Stuff:

1) Looks quite boring

2) The engine does not like to be pushed

3) Lack of equipment

Credits: 

I would like to thank the people at Palace Toyota, Hootagalli, Mysuru for lending us the car.

Phone: 0821 4248222

A review of the Mahindra XUV 500

Mahindra's first attempt at a building a 'premium' SUV was a grand success. Launched in 2011, the XUV 500 filled a very important void in the market. There were no SUVs between 13-20 lacs and Mahindra capitalized on that. Ever since, the XUV 500 has been amongst the bestsellers for Mahindra [Price:12.58 - 18.75 lacs (ex-showroom, Bengaluru)]. It enjoys a unique position in the market even today as there is no direct competition to the XUV 500. I drove one recently and here's what I think of it.

The design of the XUV 500 will not impress everyone. While some people absolutely love it, some people don't. The XUV 500 does come across as a little too aggressive. But, the facelift looks far more mature.The cheap plastic is gone and overall. the car looks much better now.    

The interiors are a big leap when it comes to what we have seen from Mahindra so far. There is a quality feel to everything that you see or touch. While the fit and finish is not as good as a Honda or a Volkswagen, there is no doubt that this is the best Mahindra yet. The dual tone dashboard is colored beige and dark grey. The AC vents look unnecessarily complicated. Someone was given way too much time to design them. Another problem when it comes to the dashboard is the sheer number of buttons and knobs. One does get the feeling that the interior of the XUV 500 is over-designed. That being said, the front seats of the XUV 500 are very good and provide excellent support. The kit is very good too. You get cruise control, daytime running LEDs, Start/Stop button and climate control. Like the design of the car itself, the instrument cluster is blatantly aggressive. But, you never get a sense that you are being overloaded with information. Everything is just where it needs to be.

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One thing of particular interest in the XUV 500 is the backseats. They are huge. Seating 3 people is extremely easy. Unlike most other cars, there is an almost flat floor for the 2nd row passengers. Unfortunately, the 3rd row seats are best suited only for children or extremely small people.

The XUV 500 is powered by a 140 bhp 2.2 litre turbocharged diesel engine. The first thing to know about the engine is that it is not a new engine. The good news is that it is very good nonetheless. As with recent turbocharged Mahindra vehicles, there is no turbo lag. Right from 1400 rpm, there is an abundance of torque. Because of the turbo kicking in so fast, Mahindra need not bother with bigger engines. Because of this, you get good fuel economy too. 11 kmpl in city and 13 kmpl on highway.Driving in city is not as difficult as you would imagine. The clutch is light and there are a variety of aids to help you park.The only problem with the driving experience is cabin insulation which is not great. And this has been a consistent problem with Mahindra. While the mechanics of the cars are very good, the vibrations and the noise inside the car is something that Mahindra should work on. There are a few off road specific features too. Eg: Diff. locks and Hill descend control. 

In conclusion, the Mahindra XUV 500 is easily the most refined Mahindra that you can buy today.

The Good Stuff:

1) Amazing highway and city performance.

2) The 2nd row seats are huge and extremely comfortable

3) A lot of driver aids and a long equipment list.

The Bad Stuff:

1) When all the seats are up, there is no boot space.    

2) Mahindra's electronics are known to go bad

Credits:

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I would like to thank Mr Rajesh at India Garage, Mysore for lending us the car.

Phone:9686203205