Toyota Etios Range To Be Discontinued By April 2020

Toyota's entry-level sedan, hatchback and cross-hatch will not be updated to meet BS6 emission norms

• All three models were pulled off the production line in January.
• Manufacturers and dealers need to clear their BS4 inventory before April 1.
• In the BS6 era, the Glanza will be Toyota's entry-level model.

With April just around the corner, various carmakers are set to discontinue some of their models due to high costs for BS6 upgrades. One such carmaker is Toyota which is set to discontinue its entry-level Etios range that consists of cars like the Etios Premium, Etios Liva and the Etios Cross.

Toyota won't update any of the three engine options available on the Etios range to comply with BS6 emission norms. The Etios Platinum (sedan) and Etios Cross are available with a 1.4-litre diesel and a 1.5-litre petrol engine which make 68PS/170Nm and 90PS/132Nm, respectively. Both engines come mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The Etios Liva and Etios Cross are offered with a 1.2-litre petrol engine (80PS/104Nm) as well as the 1.4-litre diesel engine.

Toyota stopped production of its BS4 models in January. Like other BS4 cars, Toyota dealers need to clear their BS4 stocks by March 2020. BS6 norms are set to kick in from April 1.

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The introduction of BS6 norms is not the only reason behind Toyota's decision to discontinue the Etios Trio. None of these cars have performed well since their introduction in 2010 (Etios sedan), 2011 (Etios Liva) and 2014 (Etios Cross). These cars were criticised for their lacklustre design and spartan interiors.

The Etios sedan, however, was the most popular of the lot due to its popularity in the commercial (taxi) sector. Toyota has not yet officially announced any replacement for the Etios trio, so the Glanza will be Toyota's entry-level model for the foreseeable future followed by the Yaris.

Apart from the Etios trio, Toyota is expected to discontinue the Corolla Altis as well. The new-gen Corolla is already on sale in international markets and it remains to be seen whether Toyota will bring it to India.

The discontinuation of the above-mentioned models will create a big void in Toyota's product lineup. In order to fill this void, Toyota will launch rebadged versions of the Vitara Brezza, Ciaz and Ertiga in the near future as part of its joint venture with Maruti Suzuki.

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