Toyota Etios: Customer Expectations

The Toyota Etios seems to be the talk of town in auto circles and it’s due to grace the Indian market shortly. All set to deliver its 'Q class' quality, as Toyota defines it, this new sedan is expected to take on the Swift D’zire, Indigo Manza and Mahindra Logan, all of whom are established players in the market.

Coming from the house of Toyota, the Etios has a lot to live up to. The Corolla Altis, Innova, Fortuner, Camry and Land Cruiser are all quality products and the Etios will have to deliver on this account. It's going to be the cheapest Toyota in the market, and our market survey has drawn to one major conclusion-the Etios should be a car of quality on all accounts, despite its pricing and market segment. Toyota has been known to offer quality products and the Etios will have to prove itself in this arena, especially since the company has plans on selling over 70,000 units of Etios in 2011.

Elaborating on the expectations from the Etios, Sachin Bhatia from Delhi says, "I was planning to buy the Chevrolet Cruze but after hearing about Etios, I have delayed my plans to buy the Cruze. Toyota's Etios can be a better option if the features and the price tag fall in my bracket."

Another potential buyer, Deepak Arora, states. "It is power that is the area of concern. Toyota is a brand which is as good as Honda and there is no questioning the fact that the Etios will be technically sound but it is the power of Honda City that takes me on a high. If the Toyota Etios has something similar to offer, it will be a car to wait for."

Apart from build quality and performance, prospective customers have also been rather concerned with mileage, after all mileage is the holy grail to any car's success in India. Tushar Mathur from Gurgaon voices his concern, "Toyota's new sedan Etios has got the looks, the power and the reliability. The smiling 'human face' looks will definitely bring some smiles on people looking for sedan in this segment. The price range of Rs.7 lakh to Rs 9 lakh is very apt and will give a tough fight to the Honda City, Hyundai Verna and the Chevrolet Optra. Also the 1.5 liter petrol engine will definitely produce impressive power but my concern is the fuel efficiency. It might be an issue."

On the contrary, Amanish Kumar Jena of Mumbai is confident on the average Toyota Etios will offer, he says, "I am sure the Etios will offer at least 13-14 kilometers to the litre, but I am doubtful with the price. I think it will be a costly affair."

The survey also revealed that there could be issues with the Etios matching the class it has been offered in. "I am a little dicey with the Q class concept. With price range getting low, it might affect the features the other segments have," says a confused Nitin Maheshwari of Bangalore.

Overall the feedback from prospective customers and enthusiasts alike has revealed that the Etios needs to be a car of quality and should stand as testimony to Toyota's build quality. The car should be spacious, fuel efficient and have decent features. The price should by no means reach the Honda City territory. If the Etios lives up to these standards, Toyota has a winner on their hands. Come December, when the Etios is finally made available to customers, we will indeed get to know if the Etios has lived up to customer expectations.