The Japanese car maker, Toyota Motor is keen upon upgrading its Etios Liva hatchback to 1.5 litre petrol in order to bring in more sales from youth of the nation. Despite consistently bringing in decent sales volume, the car has been facing some serious challenge from Maruti Suzuki Swift for being the preferred car for younger buyers. In a bid to lure in these buyers, the car maker is planning for several enhancements; the first of which has already been launched as Liva TRD Sportivo with racing details. Now, the buzz of the town is that the car is set for a facelift including several exterior and interior upgrades, which is to be launched in 2013.
The major improvement will be the addition of the 1.5 litre petrol variant to the Etios Liva series, which will be able to produce 90 bhp of maximum power, which is miles ahead of existing 1.2 litre diesel powertrain producing 79 bhp. It is expected that the facelifted version of the Etios Liva will be featuring the body kit of the recently launched Liva TDR Sportivo with improved interiors and wider tyres. With major improvements over the existing Etios Liva, the new facelifted version will be pricier. Incidentally, the outgoing model available across three variants starts from Rs. 3.99 lacs.
Coming back to the upgradation of the hatchback to 1.5L motor, it will debar the car maker from availing the excise benefits enjoyed by sub-4 metres cars in India. This means that the petrol model will be essentially costlier than its diesel sibling, considering additional cosmetic overhauls as well.
The major hurdle for the new hatchback in the country will be the challenge posed by the Maruti Suzuki Swift. However, both the hatchbacks have their own appeal; while Liva being more comfortable caters to the individuals with family, the Swift attracts youngsters with its aggressive and youthful styling. The status enjoyed by Swift being a Maruti Suzuki product will be the major hurdle for the new car; however, Liva too comes with a brand equity associated with Toyota and is a more practical and spacious model. Recently, Maruti Suzuki, the largest car maker in India, updated the Swift with a more powerful 1.2 Litre K12M petrol powertrain to give it an edge over other models in the respective segment. So, it all boils down to the intended audience for both the cars and if indeed the Japanese car maker is trying to lure in youth, it will need to outperform the stellar Maruti Suzuki Swift.
