The Toyota Etios was launched with alot of enthusiasm by the Japanese automaker, pumping close to Rs. 3200 crore in the development of the Etios siblings. Little did the company know that just by putting the Toyota symbol and offering something as bland as the Etios would simply not work. Case in point, just log into Facebook and see how the Etios is the butt of all car jokes. Mind you, the Etios is not a bad car at all, its simply overpriced for the quality and driving dynamics it offers. The Honda Jazz, which is a car clearly above the Etios Liva in every aspect comes cheaper than the Etios!
Now Toyota doesn’t really care if the Etios will offer the same levels of driving pleasure as the Ford Fiesta Classic, so the company has now happily positioned the Etios sedan as a luxury cab in major cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. But how can you position something like the Etios as a luxury cab? Yes, the Etios has good amount of space and legroom but when you pump in such a huge amount in the development of a country specific model, it is imperative to atleast get the styling right. The Etios is simply too boxy and not worth a second glance at all.
Currently Toyota has delivered close to 600 cars to the luxury cab segment and is also going to be part of the Meru cab service. The Etios cab cars are coloured red and white and another 400 will soon be on the roads. The Etios taxis are powered by a petrol engine and use CNG for economic benefits. In certain countries the Corolla and Camry are used as cabs, while there the Innova is famous as a Tourist taxi in India already. Is Toyota getting its volumes from the taxi segment the world over? Who knows but one things for sure, T for Toyota, T for Taxi and this is set to continue with private buyers not so keen to buy the Etios.
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
This was bound to happen!
Ugly cars always end up as cabs!
Another car following Logan / Verito way ( Taxi way )…
Surprised how a company like Toyota could launch a cheap and bland car at higher prices… Not sure what kind of study they did in India ( they claim so ) for very long time to come out with such a design ( both in and out ).
Now Indian customer will look at Toyota as a Taxi company… Just like Tata Motors products ( Indica, Indicab, Indigo, Sumo, Winger, Venture, etc )… all taxi products…
Well well, there is nothing wrong in selling to taxi segment, if you go to Germany 80% of cabs there are Merc’s, BMW’s & Audi’s. So, I don’t see anything wrong or disparaging here. People’s mindset will have to change and that will take sometime.
Indian Market can’t be compared to German’s!
The population and the ratio of Car OWNERs need to be considered!
OEMs here in India try selling more cars at high price to COMMUTERS who form the larger section of the PIE!
See the fate or Aria or other luxury cars from Tata stable! They are still reeling with the CABsy image created earlier!
Renault was too careless by launching such a bland FIRST product Logan thro’ M&M. Atleast, Toyota has proved its mettle earlier!
Even Toyota’s first product Qualis was bland, but Toyota is in different league. Their products may not become instant chart busters, but slowly but surely they will be the most sought after. Their products always stand the test of time and that’s the forte of Toyota. I suspect Toyota will do a Qualis to Innova again with Etios to Matrix. As per comparision with German market, that’s the reason why I mentioned it’s about mindset.. Germany is a far more matured market when compared to Indian market.. and may be another 5-10 years down the line, no one will talk silly stuff like this in our market.
Pulsarboy, in Germany, those cars are taxis because they are famous. In India they are famous because they are taxis.
@Pulsarboy: Well said but the change in mindset needs to come from the car makers- they cannot continue to treat the Indian car buyer like a third world customer who will lap up whatever cheap set of junk-o-wheels that they throw at us. If they dont change their mindset- they end up rightly as… cabs!!
Fas, remember Logan? it was based on the same cost cutting methods, looks boxy and ended up as taxi in India. The same is going to be the fate of Etios,(who the idiot designed such an ugly car). Toyota thinks that we are still the same Indians who buys anything just for the badge or the brand. Now Indians are getting educated and smarter in making choice of cars. Jai Ho…
Ninu, the whole point is that they have invested alot of momey in the Etios project, they could have made it look much better.