It’s been long due but Toyota has finally included a mid-sized sedan offering in its line up. It’s called the Toyota Yaris (and not the Vios as reported earlier), and has been unveiled at Auto Expo 2018. Bookings for the same will begin in April 2018 onwards.
Positioned between the popular Etios but below the Corolla Altis, the Yaris comes with a strong 5-star safety rating in ASEAN NCAP. Other segment-first features include seven airbags, tyre pressure monitoring system, disc brakes on all four wheels, acoustic and vibration control glass, roof-mounted air vents, power-operated driver’s seat etc.
Powering the car is a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. Gearbox choices include a 6-speed manual and a 7-step CVT (with paddle shifters). There’s cruise control, hill-start assist, vehicle stability control, ABS with EBD, etc.
And Toyota hasn’t skimped on comfort-/luxury-features, either. Ambient lighting, gesture control for navigation system, impact-sensing door unlock mechanism, Isofix child seats, leather seats, projector headlamps, push-button start, etc. constitute the list.
Toyota’s CEO Takatomo Suzuki said, “We are delighted to mark Toyota’s entry in the B-high segment in India with the Yaris. We see Yaris as a model that will introduce new customers to brand Toyota in the country. We have developed our new saloon without compromise to embody the Indian car buyers’ overarching desires for a premium and high performance vehicle. We are certain that the design concept of Yaris, which is inspired by actual customer needs rather than traditional ideas will exceed expectations. Our focus has been on creating a distinctive, superior car with intuitive functions that is set to lead the next generation of B-high segment and simultaneously drive an emotional connect with the Indian customer base.”
