Report - Toyota 'Etios C' under development to rival Honda City from 2016

Based on the Etios's platform.

A report on the Economic Times says that Toyota is working on a mid-size sedan offering, which is slated for an Indian launch in late 2016. Three people with knowledge about the new car have confirmed to the newspaper.

The Honda City rival from Toyota will be based on the Etios's platform, and the car is internally named 'Etios C' or Etios Core. The development work on the car has already begun, and when launched, it will slot between the Etios sedan and the Corolla Altis in TKM's (Toyota Kirloskar Motor's) lineup. On their part, TKM refused to comment on the product.

Analysts say that TKM is easily able to sell products in the premium segment (Innova, Fortuner and Corolla), but has seen less success in selling entry-level products like the Liva and Etios. It is to be noted that the Etios was developed specifically with the Indian market in mind.

Also read: 2015 Toyota Etios with new steering, infotainment spotted in Brazil

The Etios C will naturally come with petrol and diesel engine options. Initially, the company plans to sell about 40,000 - 50,000 units per annum, and will see better productivity at TKM's second factory in Bidadi, Karnataka.

Competitors: Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Sunny, Maruti Ciaz

Expected Price: INR 7.5-11 lakhs, ex-Showroom

Launch date: Late 2016

[Source - Economic Times]