2014 Toyota Etios Cross: Review

In today’s day and age, the SUV is the de facto king of the automotive segment. This statement holds true not only in India but also globally where everyone has seen a trend of regular sedan and hatchback buyers move slowly towards the more practical and often better looking utility vehicle segment. In India for example, nothing stirs up the excitement of the masses like a new SUV. The hatchback then, the traditional favorite of the Indian consumer has had to step its game up recently and what better way to do it than to emulate the SUV in terms of its macho looks and rugged appeal. The cross hatchback then encompasses the practicality and size of a hatchback with the visual aura of a SUV and Toyota’s latest offering in this segment is the all-new 2014 Etios Cross.

While the Etios Liva, the hatchback the Cross is based on is rather plain and simple, Toyota have done a phenomenal job tarting the latter up. The first thing one notices is the large grille/bull bar in a shade of matte silver up front paired with a similarly finished skid plate. The grille itself now comprises of a set of vertically placed slats that continue with the 2014 Toyota Etios Cross’ chunky looks. Toyota has added visual bulk to the car with a set of well-crafted and high quality plastic claddings that adorn the car’s length. The bumpers, finished in matte black as compared to conventional body colored ones, too give a sense of purpose to the Etios Cross.

The sporty additions continue with a set of matte silver roof rails and mirrors with inbuilt turn signals. We particularly liked the well-placed strips of chrome on the door handles and the silver side skirts and rear bumper cladding that completes the look. The Etios Cross also comes with a rather well detailed, chunky and handsome set of diamond cut 15-inch wheels that gel extremely well with the overall design of the car.

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On the interior front, the 2014 Toyota Etios Cross gave us a rather pleasant surprise. As compared to the somber and rather plain interiors offered in the regular car, the Etios Cross with its piano black dashboard and its large dual-din infotainment system does give one a lot to look forward to. The infotainment system in particular feels extremely premium to touch along with most of the knobs and buttons on the car. The Etios Cross also comes with the sporty, flat-bottomed steering wheel that one gets in the TRD version of the Etios Liva. T

he slightly redesigned driver’s binnacle, still placed in the centre of the car too has been given a slight once over. The Etios Cross also features a new interior package with black fabric seats and the ‘Etios Cross’ logos stitched in the seat backs. In general though, the Etios Cross feels great in the interior department with every switch, knob and panel reeking of quality.

The Toyota Etios Cross comes with three engine options: the 1.2-litre and 1.5-litre petrol and a 1.4-litre diesel mill. Carried over from the likes of the Etios Liva hatchaback and the Etios saloon, the engines feel at home in the Etios Cross. The 1.5-litre petrol engine, producing 90PS is the sportiest of the lot offering a wide rev band and some yummy acoustics. With 132Nm of torque and mated to a rather well sorted 5-speed manual transmission, the petrol engine does feel rather premium and sporty, exactly what the 2014 Toyota Etios Cross should feel like in our opinion.

But as with most other cars or SUVs in India, the crowd favorite is bound to be the 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder, D-4D diesel engine. This single overhead camshaft, eight valve engine may appear underpowered on paper with only 68PS of peak power and 170Nm of peak torque on tap, but in the real world, it tells a whole different story. With the motor generating all its torque at as little as 1800rpm, the Etios Cross diesel does feel rather nippy to drive around town as well as on the open highway. The 5-speed gearbox too feels precise and throws are both accurate and confidence inspiring.

The Etios Cross may look taller and bulkier than the regular car, but in fact the suspension on both are near identical. As with the normal Etios Liva, the Etios Cross is not meant to be a corner carving hot hatch. While the ride and handling exceed expectations in the city and in general urban driving conditions, the Etios Cross does feel a little light at higher speeds. There is more than a noticeable level of roll in the Etios Cross at triple digit speeds, a phenomenon that tends to take away some of the confidence the engine and gearbox package inspire.

The steering, precise and well weighted in the urban driving conditions too gets let down generally by the rather soft and roll inducing suspension setup. That said, we did indulge the Etios Cross over some uneven gravel and dirt surfaces and came out all smiles! Maybe there still is a bit of ‘Group A’ Celica GT-Four somewhere down there afterall.

The 2014 Toyota Etios Cross may just be the poke in the arm the cross hatchback segment needs to get off the line. The Etios Cross is a funky car for a funky era, especially in the bright new shade of orange Toyota has thankfully added to their portfolio. With a capable engine and gearbox package, acceptable suspension and handling, a snazzy new interior and priced between Rs 5.75-7.4 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Etios Cross is a worthy alternative to the conventional hatchback.