Toyota Liva launch expected on 27 June

Toyota has been doing extremely well with its Etios sedan in India. The Innova and the Corolla too have been going strong. The Corolla, in particular has responded very well to the competition. The demand is more than the supply for Toyota, and production constraints are creating long waiting periods for the Etios customers. However, Toyota is planning to go ahead with the launch of its much awaited hatchback, the Liva on 27th June. The Liva will be the first Toyota product in the segment, and is expected to affect the sales of its rivals right from the outset.

Just like the Etios sedan, the Etios Liva hatchback too will have aggressive pricing as one of its biggest USPs. Toyota’s reliability, generous cabin space, and expected frugality of the new car’s engine will be some other incentives for the customers to go for the new car. The Liva will be powered by a 1.2-liter petrol engine at the time of the launch, a diesel variant will follow later. With a peak power output figure of around 80PS, the new engine may not be the segment topper in terms of specific output, but it is expected to be very fuel efficient and linear in terms of power delivery. It would be very drivable, refined and frugal – the characteristics that really matter in this segment.

Toyota will introduce a diesel variant of the Liva later in the year, sometime around Diwali. The diesel variant will be powered by the same 1.4-liter diesel engine which currently propels the Corolla diesel. Strange, but that’s the thing with diesel engines, the crazy amount of torque they produce deems them fit to put vehicles across segments in motion. Expect the diesel Liva to be one of the most fuel efficient car too, apart from being one of the most torquey.

The Etios Liva is expected to be priced at par with the Suzuki Swift, which itself will witness itself being reincarnated possibly by the end of June. The new Swift is expected to be priced about 5% more than the current version, as it is bigger and better equipped than the outgoing version. At that price point, which of the two would you prefer?