[veyron_head]

Exemplary review GTO. Going to rate this a well deserved 5 stars.

Originally Posted by GTO

A sneak peek inside the Toyota Factory:

In a first for a Team-BHP review, here's a report on how the reviewed car is manufactured.

Apart from the unflinching standards that TBHP maintains, It is this innovation in content delivery that keeps TBHP far ahead of anything comparable, be it print, TV or web. The factory walk thru is a brilliant addition to the Liva review.

I haven't been to any car factory, but the very sight of this makes me think there cannot be anything else that is as clean and pristine. It not for nothing that Toyota has such a name in the Management circles.

Originally Posted by GTO

Center-mounted instrument console is a negative differentiator. Majority vote against it:

Cheesy fonts & blue highlighting of the meter console. Speedometer is easy to read, RPM counter not so (from driving position):

Is it for export reasons to left hand drive countries that they have center mounted console. Whatever is the reason, its really an eyesore to look at it.

Originally Posted by zalaps

Fantastic review! Btw here few questions which are answered by Toyota Management at launch ceremony.

What about Automatic variants in ETIOS series?
No Automatic as volumes of such cars are low.

How do you expect people to buy, when there aren't many choices available my dear Toyota. Its a demand Vs supply issue, not about customer's taste and preferences.

Originally Posted by wildon

Totally disappointed with the prices. on that price you can buy a Diesel Ford Figo Top End.

Totally agree! 5.99 lacs ex showroom works out to atleast 7 lacs in bangalore. And if and when the Diesel Liva is launched, how would the top end be priced? 9 lacs? Toyota is doing a Honda here (jazz).

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

Excellent review of the car, rated 5*. Although i am not looking at this car as my next ride, but if i was the looks are a disappointment. Doesn't look at as cool as the i20.

Absolutely! But on the other hand, is there a toyota that looks good in India (except Fortuner may be). Toyota makes reliable cars that wont let you down and they back it up with superb A.S.S. But in the looks department,to me, Toyota are too far behind.

[vb-saan]

Thanks GTO for the excellent review, and that too served piping hot!

Personally, I really liked the way Toyota has done up the exteriors of Liva – A classic hatchback styling, and much better looking than the Etios sedan.

But that’s the only positive I can see. An essential Toyota – uninspiring, but safe design.

[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by adimicra

Just now checked the prices.
The Liva VX is costlier than the I20 Asta (the one without sunroof and 6 airbags) and almost same as Polo Highline.
My God! What was Toyota thinking?

The Liva can't be compared with I20 and Polo in any way.

A glaring mistake. It should have been at least 50K cheaper across all variants (as pointed out by other t-bhpians in this very thread), and that would have at least ensured its competitiveness with the other hatches in the target segment. I think Toyota has charged 50K extra just for the Toyota badge, if not for anything else.

3.49L for the J, and 5.49L for the VX would have been perfect pricing.

The car would have been a good VFM package at that price range, and there would have been ample scope to fit the diesel variants across this range too, if and when they are launched.

Even so, 6L OTR seems a bit too much for the Liva, specially now that there are much better VFM packages available in this segment.

[Speed.Demon]

Excellent review GTO!!

I personally dont like the Liva. The looks are fine, but overall its too boring. That, and the fully loaded Liva is overpriced. But make no doubt, that Toyota badge will make it sell, tough not in enough numbers to dethrone the Maruti/Hyundai duo..

[narendra.vw]

Thanks for the detailed review. As always, it great to go through your reviews. Very detailed note. Giving details about assembly line was real educating . I have stopped buying auto magazine. All my question were cleared in this review. Thanks once again .

[Equus]

Imagine a hatch from Toyota with airbags and ABS with EBD at 5L ex-showroom. Agreed its not as feature-rich as the i20 or as classy as the Polo/Fabia or as sporty as the Swift, but it has what most folks need!!

Just need to spend a few monies on a good music player and alloys, and you are all set!!!

Liva G SP sounds like ultimate VFM, aint it?

[rrs5]

A quick question - I've seen that in all the hatch comparison tables, the Grande Punto is missing. Why is that ? Is it because Punto does not sell as much as the others.

But then we're comparing tech spec and price so it should not matter

[RavenAvi]

Toyota is targeting big, really BIG numbers for the Etios and Liva -

Toyota targets volumes with Etios Liva

The hatchback developed on the Etios platform is the cheapest offering from the Toyota stable and is expected to drive volumes in India and, eventually, other emerging markets. The Etios sedan, which made its global debut in the country in December 2010, has sold over 20,000 units till date. This gives Toyota the hope that the new small car will catapult it among the top manufacturers in the second fastest growing automobile market globally.
“In saturated markets of the United States and Japan we have less room to grow,” says Hiroshi Nakagawa, managing director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM). “We are, therefore, focusing on countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China. The Etios was designed keeping the Indian customer in mind and will help boost volumes in the country.”
TKM is expecting to double sales volumes to 140,000 units in 2011 on the back of the Etios and the Liva.
Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director, TKM, says, “The duo would help us gain critical mass in India. This year we are expecting to sell 140,000 units; in 2012, this would go up to 210,000 units. We expect both the sedan and the hatchback to follow the same growth trajectory.”
Toyota has a market share of 3.3 per cent at present. By 2015, it hopes to enhance capacity further to sell 350,000 units in India — which is what the country’s second largest car maker Hyundai Motor India sold in the domestic market in 2010-11.

They sound pretty optimistic. If Swift 2011 and Brio don't blow the Liva out of the water, it just might click with the masses.


2011 might go down in history as "the year when the war of the hatchbacks broke out in India."

[chennai-indian]

I agree with all the guys who pointed out that for the price of Liva top end variant, one can get the top end FIGO diesel variant. What a let down by Toyota !! The car looks cheap inside.

[blackasta]

Allround perfect review from GTO - 5 stars!
But I really cannot make myself like this car - the design is somewhat mellow, there are dollops of chrome everywhere (personal dislike), the interior design dated and equipment level spartan - but without a very competitive price.
Toyota badge can carry this car to some extent - but not far. And why the nano-esque 1 wiper ? (tata had a to make a sub 1 lakh car, but I don't think Toyota had any such intentions!)

Question - whats the square outline thing on the spoiler? (pic: http://www.team-bhp.com/carpics/Toyo...ta-liva-20.jpg)

[petroguzzler]

How about the safety ratings? when compared to say an i20 or even i10?

[Equus]

Originally Posted by petroguzzler

How about the safety ratings? when compared to say an i20 or even i10?

i20 is the only 5* NCAP rated hatch (spare the beetle or 500). Though I am not sure of the Punto sold in India (its length is shortened to fit within 4m to avail the excise benefits).

i10 isnt rated IMO.

I can bet Toyota hasnt bothered to test the Liva/Etios.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by Equus

i20 is the only 5* NCAP rated hatch (spare the beetle or 500). Though I am not sure of the Punto sold in India (its length is shortened to fit within 4m to avail the excise benefits).

i10 isnt rated IMO.

I can bet Toyota hasnt bothered to test the Liva/Etios.

i10 is rated - but I guess its only for the export/top end versions.

Hyundai i10 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (please look in the safety section)

[0-100]

Originally Posted by safari_lover

Is it only me or anybody else feels that the Liva looks like a bigger Alto!

Yes. Sometimes it looks like an Alto on Steroids to me also

[PPS]

Hi GTO. Excellent Review of an Average car !
How is the space/comfort/ride of the Liva compared to the Vista ? Atleast from the pics it seems that the interiors of the Vista are better to look at! Though Vista is a segment lower from the pricing point of view, if given a choice which car would you choose between the Vista & the Liva ?