Fire up the engine and you notice that the 1.4L turbo-diesel settles down to a refined idle with minimal clatter. The rocking motion, typical of some diesel engines when cranked, is well controlled. There is some diesel clatter initially, but once the engine warms up, it is really quiet on the outside. Step inside, shut the doors and you would be hard pressed to tell if you are in the petrol or diesel. There is no vibration from the steering, clutch or gear lever. Sound insulation has obviously been beefed up and it shows when you’re pottering around town. On the flip side, give the engine some stick and you know you’re in a diesel, and a fairly audible one at that. NVH levels above 2,000 rpm can get intrusive in the cabin, and at 3,000 rpm they are downright irritable. Diesel clatter is high pitched and really forces you to upshift early, or get off the gas.
Here are 2 videos of how the diesel engine sounds at idle with the hood open, and once it has been closed:
Where the Etios scores is in driveability. The clutch is extremely light, and just a gentle release with no accelerator input gets the Etios off from a standstill. There is hardly any turbo lag, and you can upshift early without getting bogged down. Power delivery is extremely linear. You do feel a small push at 1,800 rpm when the turbo kicks in. No need to downshift to 1st for Bangalore’s infamous speed breakers either; you can comfortably accelerate out in 2nd itself, unlike the Dzire (that requires a downshift). The car pulls comfortably and you can potter around the city in 2nd or 3rd gears comfortably. The gearing is just perfect, not very short nor too tall. Toyota has tuned this engine / gearbox combo very nicely, unlike the Altis Diesel that suffered from massive turbo lag. Closing gaps in traffic does not require down-shifting, and a push on the accelerator is all that is needed. Performance is not shattering and is very close to the Figo / Fiesta classic 1.4 TDCi. In fact, the driveability is actually better than the Ford engine. That's saying a lot! It must be noted though that the Mahindra Logan / Verito is still the benchmark when it comes to driveability.
While performance at lower / mid rpm ranges is very good, the same can’t be said when out on the open road. The simple 8V SOHC engine does not like to be revved. Beyond 3,500 rpm, it struggles and anything above is simply pointless. Power delivery tapers off very quickly after 3,500 rpm, diesel clatter becomes intrusive and the engine starts feeling strained. I tried pushing till the 5,000 rpm red line, but it was a real struggle, with the engine crying out loud. High revving this engine (when overtaking, for example) is absolutely pointless. The only way to drive this car is to be smooth, shift up early (below 3,000 rpm) and enjoy the torque. You can comfortably cruise at 100-110 kph on the highway where the engine is at its happiest. Highway overtaking does require a downshift, albeit progress will be slow.
The gearshifts are slick and smooth, supported by a light clutch. I actually found the gearshifts to be better than in the petrol Etios. The petrol did not like quick gear changes and used to baulk at times. The diesel handles quick changes far better, while shift quality is precise too. The gearbox is supposedly similar to the diesel Altis, with one ratio less of course. The reverse gear is engaged by lifting the collar on the knob and slotting the gear to the left of 1st position.
Toyota has beefed up the suspension to cope with the extra weight of the diesel engine. Usually, diesel variants end up having a stiffer suspension than their petrol counterparts. In the case of the Etios, it is quite the opposite. The diesel actually feels more pliant than the petrol. Where the petrol used to be skittish over bumps, the diesel is more composed thanks to the additional weight. This has resulted in slightly better ride comfort too. The handling retains the same neutral behaviour. The car has good composure, but it isn't exactly a Ford Fiesta! Body roll is present, yet not excessive, and there isn't much vertical movement either. With more weight at the front now, the car actually feels a bit tail happy which I experienced when I had to hit the brakes mid-corner for a speed breaker. It was well under control, though the rear stepped out a wee bit. Also, the added weight upfront means the light EPS steering feels heavier compared to the petrol, and is more fun to use. One area that I particularly liked in the Etios was the braking. Braking is sharp and confidence inspiring.