[vinay_tw]

I completely agree with Nitrous Power. All the complaints about Etios vehicles come from people who either do a TD with no intention to buy or from those who have a single point agenda to demolish all credibility about Etios. Etios is a vehicle 'built-to-cost'. So what? It has all its basics right and provides unlimited additional features that make your ownership and driving a pleasure. I experienced the same kind of negativity before I bought the vehicle. After buying, I am delighted to have made a decision in favor of Etios. I hope aspirants decide on buying by looking at ownership reports and not by what some 'feel' about this vehicle. Await my detailed ownership report on my Etios VD by the end of this month to know my first hand experience with this vehicle.

[amalji]

Originally Posted by vinay_tw

I completely agree with Nitrous Power. All the complaints about Etios vehicles come from people who either do a TD with no intention to buy or from those who have a single point agenda to demolish all credibility about Etios. Etios is a vehicle 'built-to-cost'. So what? It has all its basics right and provides unlimited additional features that make your ownership and driving a pleasure. I experienced the same kind of negativity before I bought the vehicle. After buying, I am delighted to have made a decision in favor of Etios. I hope aspirants decide on buying by looking at ownership reports and not by what some 'feel' about this vehicle. Await my detailed ownership report on my Etios VD by the end of this month to know my first hand experience with this vehicle.

Almost everyone around me gave negativity with regards to etios. When I dug further, I could find that almost all comments originate from one point - the interior looks of the etios. Ignore that one silly point and you have a winner on your hands. But, for people who want to show off the interiors of a car, etios is not the car. As gto rightly pointed out, etios is Mr. Practicality.

[SamuraiJack]

I test drove a lot of cars to decide on my new purchase, this car took me by suprise, it moves.. it really does, 3 average built passengers at the back and not so average build at the front & everyone was enjoying the pull this car has, effortless is the word. This car is effortless to drive, moves effortlessly & seats 3 people at the back.. effortlessly.

There market stratergy is spot on, you get a basic + safety package (ABS+Airbags) at an extra amount, you dont really need to buy the top end car to have ABS or Airbags- really good.

Here are the things that went against it-

* This car has so much space available it ends up feeling hollow
* The shade of grey inside is... not good or pleasing
* The speedo, dont even mention it.
* Park bench seating at the back, when I turnded back from the driver's view, the people sitting at the back looked like they were sitting on a bench & not exactly a car seat- are we too used to getting cramped? not sure, but the sight was sure not pretty!
* Ugly backside

I know this does not sound much, but for me it just did not give you a focused to driver feeling barring the engine, like most of us said, this car is practical more like point A-B car with no hassels, its so easy on you that you tend to forget you are driving, this does not work well for me.. somehow.

I test drove the car twice to make sure I'm not making a wrong decision, but the second time around I just did not like the interiors, somehow not the place I want to spend say an 8-10 hour journey. It was very difficult to let & go fida instead

[vinay_tw]

Hi Vid,

I have completed ~7000 kms on my Etios VD. Off late, I have been experiencing tightness in opening the doors when opened after a long gap. And when the doors are opened with some pressure, it makes a rubbery noise (like the noise produced when glued parts are torn apart) and opens. This problem will not recur on immediate subsequent use.

Is this due to the dust that is getting accumulated in the gaskets? I have never had seepage issues so far. Also, the power windows while opening and closing make squeaky noises. Is this again due to dust accumulation. Is there a good way to remove this dirt, apart from regular water washing?

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by vinay_tw

Hi Vid,

I have completed ~7000 kms on my Etios VD. Off late, I have been experiencing tightness in opening the doors when opened after a long gap. And when the doors are opened with some pressure, it makes a rubbery noise (like the noise produced when glued parts are torn apart) and opens. This problem will not recur on immediate subsequent use.

Is this due to the dust that is getting accumulated in the gaskets? I have never had seepage issues so far. Also, the power windows while opening and closing make squeaky noises. Is this again due to dust accumulation. Is there a good way to remove this dirt, apart from regular water washing?

The rubbery sound when opening/closing doors after a long while is perfectly normal. It will occur in any car. The rubber gaskets over time stick to the body panels causing the sound. When you open they feel stuck and like like your tearing it out but it basically means the rubber beading was doing it's job.

The power window squeaks, however are not normal. Please have them clean out the channel and possible spray some lubricant. Power window operation should be smooth.

[k_nitin_r]

Originally Posted by vinay_tw

Surprisingly, no noise and vibrations, despite being a diesel vehicle. Also, no vibrations at all at the gear stalk or the steering wheel.

The pickup suffers when the vehicle in full AC slows down in 5th gear. I don't know if this is a diesel thing, but this is definitely different from my petrol hatchback.

When judging an economy vehicle, I treat the Esteem diesel as the standard because that's what I drive. When I see vibration at the gear or the steering, I immediately decide against buying the vehicle because when an Indian brand (let's put the Japanese tech aspect aside for a minute) can manage it, I shouldn't accept anything less.

BTW, when I turn on the AC in an Esteem diesel, there's a slow-down no matter what gear I'm on. In the Maruti Swift, I don't notice any slow-down. It isn't common to all diesel vehicles - some have it and some dont. You may notice it on a Maruti 800 with an AC, but I don't really know because I haven't driven a Maruti 800 with an AC yet (I did drive a Maruti 800 running on LPG at the driving institute and I must add that I didn't feel the need for a power steering).

Originally Posted by amalji

I too got similar mileage on my etios diesel. I like this gear ratio because it makes the fun last for more time once you start cruising above 100 kmph. If you are someone who drives at 100kmph steady on highways, it makes the engine very relaxed @ just 2000 rpms.

I get about 14 kmpl in the Esteem diesel on the highways because the gear ratios aren't right for the highway - I'm at 3000 rpm when at 100 km/hr and reaching 160 km/hr is when I'm red-lining on the 5th gear.

[amalji]

Originally Posted by k_nitin_r

BTW, when I turn on the AC in an Esteem diesel, there's a slow-down no matter what gear I'm on. In the Maruti Swift, I don't notice any slow-down. It isn't common to all diesel vehicles - some have it and some dont. You may notice it on a Maruti 800 with an AC, but I don't really know because I haven't driven a Maruti 800 with an AC yet (I did drive a Maruti 800 running on LPG at the driving institute and I must add that I didn't feel the need for a power steering).

Here, it's only because @vinay is used to shorter gear ratios. I've explained it to him. On the etios diesel, to get punch out of 5th gear, you need to be on 80 kmph plus due to its tall gear ratio.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by k_nitin_r

When judging an economy vehicle, I treat the Esteem diesel as the standard because that's what I drive. When I see vibration at the gear or the steering, I immediately decide against buying the vehicle because when an Indian brand (let's put the Japanese tech aspect aside for a minute) can manage it, I shouldn't accept anything less.

BTW, when I turn on the AC in an Esteem diesel, there's a slow-down no matter what gear I'm on. In the Maruti Swift, I don't notice any slow-down. It isn't common to all diesel vehicles - some have it and some dont. You may notice it on a Maruti 800 with an AC, but I don't really know because I haven't driven a Maruti 800 with an AC yet (I did drive a Maruti 800 running on LPG at the driving institute and I must add that I didn't feel the need for a power steering).

I get about 14 kmpl in the Esteem diesel on the highways because the gear ratios aren't right for the highway - I'm at 3000 rpm when at 100 km/hr and reaching 160 km/hr is when I'm red-lining on the 5th gear.

The Esteem diesel was powered by the Peugeot TUD5 lump which was seriously under-powered. The moment there are 4 occupants and light luggage, you can sense the car struggle, especially over gradients. The AC saps some of the power, and that's why it would feel even more sluggish.

The Swift DDiS' multi-jet mill on the other hand, is turbocharged and a far more modern motor. It makes loads of torque, and 75 horses is ample for city driving.

The Etios' diesel engine may not look like much on paper. 68 horses seems to be on the lower side. But you need to factor in the other aspects of this car. It doesn't weigh much, owing to lighter material that's been used to build this car. The torque isn't much lower either. In fact, the power-to-weight ratio is the same as the Swift's. And it's even said that it delivers better mileage than the Swift DDiS.

On the whole, I believe the Etios is a great package. Sound mechanicals and engineering. Neutral handling, Amazing cabin-space. Proven reliability. If you can live with the uninspiring interior, it's arguably the best diesel hatch out there today.

[GenuineOptimist]

Originally Posted by vinay_tw

In the meanwhile, one of my office colleagues took delivery of Chevrolet Optra Magnum a couple of days back and told me how good the car is and the competitive pricing Trident offered him (Rs. 9.86 lakhs + accessories like reverse sensor, sun films, mats, etc.). What blew me away was the engine specifications (2l diesel with 120 bhp power) and the near top end features of the LS version at the price mentioned. As Toyota gives me nothing with the 8.9 lakh VD, I have to spend an additional 20-25k for accessories. If I could add another 70 k, I can get a bigger car, with better power and proven capabilities. With so many negative reviews on Etios' NVH levels and poor interiors I am now getting tempted to look at Optra Magnum. I have paid Rs. 50k as advance booking for Etios and have done my bank loan formalities.

So, my question to the TBHP folks. Is it a sane option to look at Chevy Optra now at the last minute? I haven't read too many negative reviews about Optra, apart from its poor resale value. What do you think are the problems with Optra vis-a-vis Etios? Mileage is very important for me. What is Optra's realistic mileage figures? I am keen to know your feedback.

Well - my situation exactly. And after reading your post that you've finally bought an Etios, hopefully would resolve my confusion as well and help me book an Etios tomorrow.

The GM guys are really giving crazy discounts on Optra.. I got nearly 1.1 lakh rupees off on the ex-showroom of Optra Magnum 2.0 LT diesel for a car manufactured in 26-12-2011. This is really tempting considering the plush interiors and the higher segment presence of Optra.

However - at the end of the day - we have to look at our personal needs and buy what we need I suppose. In my case, I do 80% city and never cross 100-110 kmph on occasional highway trips. So what do I do with the 130bhp and 300Nm of Optra?

Compared to this, what fits my need more is the bigger 595 litres boot space and higher mileage of Etios.

[vinay_tw]

Originally Posted by GenuineOptimist

Well - my situation exactly. And after reading your post that you've finally bought an Etios, hopefully would resolve my confusion as well and help me book an Etios tomorrow.

Excellent choice! Go ahead, you will not repent this decision. I have had an excellent run so far (>8000 kms) and have been getting an average of 17.7 kmpl in city driving (50% AC). In highway driving you get in excess of 19 kmpl. Not only that, the vehicle is an absolute beauty at high speeds (140-150 kmph) and the stability and handling of the vehicle is to be driven to be believed.

It has its own quirks, though. Vehicle becomes dirty at the door ridges and the wiper, though effective, leaves streaks of dirty water on your windshield. I have also experienced issues with the fuel indicator LCD at times. But for all the great positives that Etios offers, these are small issues that you need to put up with.

Have a great buying experience!

[automachine]

Originally Posted by GenuineOptimist

Well - my situation exactly. And after reading your post that you've finally bought an Etios, hopefully would resolve my confusion as well and help me book an Etios tomorrow.

In my opinion the Optra is a well built powerful sedan and definitely value for money given the discounts. However if mileage and space are your top priorities then Etios scores if you can live with the interior cheap looking plastics, thin metal built quality and a slightly stiff suspension with harsh ride (which on the other hand gives stable ride and handling). In my case I am satisfied with my decision to go for Etios from the current options but surely Toyota needs to improve the interiors and NVH. For some of the issues like NVH, I think you can look for an aftermarket solution.

[GenuineOptimist]

Originally Posted by automachine

. For some of the issues like NVH, I think you can look for an aftermarket solution.

What kind of aftermarket solutions are available to reduce NVH levels?

[swiftnfurious]

Has anybody got the 2012 versions of the Etios or Liva? I want to see how the interiors look with the new darker shade! From the pics of the SA export version posted in IAB, the interiors look much better and doesn't have that "cheap" feel visually.

[amalji]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Has anybody got the 2012 versions of the Etios or Liva? I want to see how the interiors look with the new darker shade! From the pics of the SA export version posted in IAB, the interiors look much better and doesn't have that "cheap" feel visually.

I've seen it in toyota show room. The improvement is only marginal. I'm told that the 2013 etios will get a completely new interior look.

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by amalji

I've seen it in toyota show room. The improvement is only marginal. I'm told that the 2013 etios will get a completely new interior look.

The major model change project is being started in July. So expect the updated version to be out on sale by Dec or Jan