India is counted among the biggest markets for hatchbacks in Asia, but still seeing innovation is a rarity here. Due to high competition and low margins, the companies like to stick to tried and tested formulas for success. But still, once in a while a new car comes in the market to change the trend. The Toyota Etios Cross and Fiat Avventura are two such cars that have tried to change the mindset of Indian buyers.
The Etios Cross is based on the Liva, but looks a lot different. The car has large dominating front grill, diamond cut alloy wheels and bigger headlamps that come with fog lamps inserted inside. On the other hand, the Avventura looks more like an SUV as it comes with long sleek headlights and a large one-piece mesh grille that dominates its bold exteriors. The Avventura also has a tail mounted spare wheel that adds to its rugged look.
Coming to interiors, Avventura features a very stylish cabin. The concept car unveiled at the last year’s Auto Expo showed the impressive interiors that were colour coded to match its exteriors. Adding to its style, the car comes equipped with a compass, pitch and roll gauge. However, the interiors of Toyota Etios Cross are a little on a bit bland when compared to Avventura, but are still decent enough.
There are two petrol variants and one diesel variant of both the cars. The Etios Cross uses the same engine as Liva. The lower petrol variant comes with a 1.2-litre version capable of churning 79 bhp of peak power and 104 Nm of highest torque, while the higher petrol version has a 1.5-litre version that produces 89 bhp of power with 104 Nm of torque. The diesel variant comes with a 1.4-litre unit capable of producing 67 bhp of power and 170 Nm of torque. However, the lower-end petrol Avventura comes with a 1.2-litre engine that rolls out 67 bhp of power and a torque of 96 Nm, while the higher-end petrol variant has a 1.4-litre engine, producing 89 bhp and 115 Nm. Its diesel counterpart is powered by a 1.3-litre MultiJet engine, capable of churning out 90 bhp of peak power with 209 Nm of torque.
