Yaris is a hatchback that Toyota sells in the international market whereas in India we get it as a mid-size sedan. The hatchback was recently spotted in Delhi while it was on a test. The hatchback was black in colour and was running on steel wheels. It is still not clear why Toyota is testing the Yaris hatchback in India. Here, is a video of the Yaris being tested on Indian roads.
The Yaris in the video can be seen with projector headlamps while the rear of the hatchback looks pretty unique. All the Toyota logos on the were hidden. Yaris can be considered a premium hatchback. So, it would go against the likes of Hyundai i20, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Volkswagen Polo, Tata Altroz and Honda Jazz.
Also read: Maruti Suzuki Discounts on Nexa cars for March 2021: Baleno to Ciaz
Interestingly, Toyota already has a premium hatchback in India known as Glanza. It is a rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno. Toyota also exports the Glanza to Africa and it is sold as Starlet.
Yaris measures just 3,940 mm in length and is based on the GA-B platform. In the pictures, we can see that it is the four-door version of the Yaris. You can also get a GR Yaris which is a hot hatch version of the Yaris and is offered only as a three-door body style. Yaris is only offered with a set of three-cylinder petrol engine options. You can even get a hybrid powertrain with the Yaris.
Then there is GR Yaris which was made for WRC. The most powerful version of the GR Yaris produces 272 PS of max power and a peak torque output of 370 Nm. An engine is still a three-cylinder unit with a displacement of just 1.3-litres. It comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and it drives all the four wheels.
Upcoming vehicles
While the launch of the Yaris in India is uncertain. What we do know is that Toyota is working on their version of the Ciaz and Ertiga. They also filed a trademark for the name “Belta”. The new name is expected to be used for Toyota’s Ciaz. A picture of Ciaz’s grille with Toyota’s logo was spotted on the internet. Cosmetically there can be reworked front and rear bumpers. The interior might also get finished in a different upholstery. A graphic of Ertiga’s grille was leaked online but it was using the logo from Toyota. So, it looks like Toyota will also be selling a rebadged version of Ertiga.
Toyota already sells the rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the Vitara Brezza in the Indian market. The Vitara Brezza’s rebadged version is called Urban Cruiser and it gets a slightly different front bumper design. The grille is inspired by the Fortuner so that Urban Cruiser looks like it belongs to the Toyota family. The biggest change that you would spot is in the interior. The interior of the Urban Cruiser is finished in brown colour instead of black. This enhances the appeal of the cabin and the manufacturer is expected to do the same for the future rebadged models.
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