[Samba]

Originally Posted by petrolhead_neel

Hello,
Quoting from GTO's review:


This is what made me say what I said.

About my driving, let's not tell much about it as I have not attained the legal age to drive. Let's just say that I know how much a Ford HPS has in offer when compared to a, say, Hyundai HPS.

Dear Neel,

What GTO has mentioned in his review is after he drove almost all the cars available in the Indian market and few more in the international market. He is a man with vast experience and knowledge.

I will request you when you share some mechanical feedback's like handling, steering feedback, braking, engine response, you should drive yourself before you come to a conclusion. Commenting on the exterior or the interior's without driving the car is absolutely fine. But as you are studying in class 8 and you cant drive a car now, let me clarify you few points regarding the Etios.

The lines you have quoted from GTO's post was from a review done in the year 2011. Have you checked out the 2014 updated Etios? It has got upgraded shock absorbers, now 185/60/R15 tyres are standard across all the variants. Specially with the upgraded shock absorbers i would say i have tested my Etios in many curvy roads and it can very well keep up with good handling cars like the Figo or the Linea. Regarding the steering i have noticed that the steering of the diesel Etios is heavier than its petrol counterpart. I have driven my Etios a lot on the highways, went to few hill stations and negotiated many bad roads too but the feed back i got was quite okay for me. Yes am saying this from my own experience after driving cars like Punto, Linea, Figo and few others. Plus i found the steering feedback of the new Etios to be better than mine. May be because the new car had better tyres.

Originally Posted by petrolhead_neel

But, you own a Figo. If you drive both of the cars back to back on some twisties, you will get it what I meant to say.

Do you really think AJ has not done that before writing this thread? To add to that he used to drive a Ford Ikon before the Etios and he has a Fiesta 1.6 in his extended family. Yes the original old Ford Fiesta am talking about not the Ford Classic 1.6.

Originally Posted by petrolhead_neel

Well, The Etios' steering isn't as bad as a Hyndai unit.

Again i will say please check out the Grand i10 or the Elite i20. They really do have much better/improved steering feedback compared to there earlier models.

Originally Posted by petrolhead_neel

The interiors, light steering with zero feedback and DULL interiors are the downsides for me. If Toyota had got these things right, a Ford 1.6 might not be sitting in our garage in this very day! *grins*

Again this line is from a review of the old Etios. Have you recently checked the interiors of the new Etios? Let me attach a pic of the updated Etios.



Do you really find it to be dull? Well opinions may vary but i liked it. The only sore point can be the center speedometer console which is not to every ones taste.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by Samba

Dear Neel,

What GTO has mentioned in his review is after he drove almost all the cars available in the Indian market and few more in the international market. He is a man with vast experience and knowledge.

I will request you when you share some mechanical feedback's like handling, steering feedback, braking, engine response, you should drive yourself before you come to a conclusion. Commenting on the exterior or the interior's without driving the car is absolutely fine. But as you are studying in class 8 and you cant drive a car now, let me clarify you few points regarding the Etios.

Hi Bro,

Yes, the ride and handling will totally surprise you once you drive the car, which coupled with the light steering make it very chuckable. Every drive in the car has been fun, even though I don't use it as much!
However, GTO's comments on both the steering being light and effortless, while lacking a little play still hold true in the updated etios as well. Saying this in relation to the 2011 Liva that we own.
The steering is not a patch on the Ford, but as you said - it is ok. Personally much better than that on some Audi's i've driven
Similarly, the etios interiors while much improved (I personally love the cross with its piano black finish), they again are no match for the Fiesta - which though dated, look a little more contemporary than the Etios).
Personally, if Neel's dad is a car enthusiast, the Ford Classic 1.6 is definitely leagues ahead - heck as an owner of the Fiesta 1.4 TDCi, I really wish we could have gotten the 1.6 instead. But as a family car, the Etios is definitely better rounded!

AJ: I meant rear armrest bro

[Samba]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Hi Bro,

Yes, the ride and handling will totally surprise you once you drive the car, which coupled with the light steering make it very chuckable. Every drive in the car has been fun, even though I don't use it as much!
However, GTO's comments on both the steering being light and effortless, while lacking a little play still hold true in the updated etios as well. Saying this in relation to the 2011 Liva that we own.
The steering is not a patch on the Ford, but as you said - it is ok. Personally much better than that on some Audi's i've driven
Similarly, the etios interiors while much improved (I personally love the cross with its piano black finish), they again are no match for the Fiesta - which though dated, look a little more contemporary than the Etios).
Personally, if Neel's dad is a car enthusiast, the Ford Classic 1.6 is definitely leagues ahead - heck as an owner of the Fiesta 1.4 TDCi, I really wish we could have gotten the 1.6 instead. But as a family car, the Etios is definitely better rounded!

Yes i agree with you too. Before buying the Etios i considered the Fiesta 1.6 but by that time it was Ford Classic. I checked that too. The interiors of the Classic looked similar to the Figo. The Etios felt more spacious and comfortable on bad roads. Regarding handling and steering feedback i will definitely say cars like Fiesta, Punto, Figo, Linea are the bench mark. I was on a look out for a petrol car and test drove both the Classic 1.6 and the Etios 1.5 petrol.

My observation's were-

Comfort wise Etios was superior.

Handling and Steering feed back- The ford was better.

Engine response and pick up- Both were more or less similar. With roughly 100 bhp power to weight ratio both the cars were fun to drive.

Fuel efficiency was better in the Etios.

Resale value and maintenance cost was in favor of the Etios.

Regarding exterior looks, i liked the Classic to be more appealing than the Etios.

So considering the over all factors we picked the Etios and is happy with our decision after 4 years.

Being a car enthusiast few cars are hard to ignore and the Fiesta is definitely one among them.

[predatorwheelz]

Originally Posted by petrolhead_neel

The interiors, light steering with zero feedback and DULL interiors are the downsides for me. If Toyota had got these things right, a Ford 1.6 might not be sitting in our garage in this very day! *grins*

Originally Posted by petrolhead_neel

About my driving, let's not tell much about it as I have not attained the legal age to drive. Let's just say that I know how much a Ford HPS has in offer when compared to a, say, Hyundai HPS. Well, The Etios' steering isn't as bad as a Hyndai unit. But, you own a Figo. If you drive both of the cars back to back on some twisties, you will get it what I meant to say.

Neel, you're a young enthusiast who knows his initial bit about cars, and is eager to research and learn. I was (and am) very much like you, grabbing all information that came my way. Sadly, I was 13 two decades ago, when (let alone tbhp) even the internet was in its teens. So most of the information grabbing came from scouring flea markets in Kolkata for used (imported) car books and magazines, and collecting Indian carmag issues. You have access to this wonderful forum. By all means, keep up the enthusiasm.

But a word of friendly advice. Desist from forming strong opinions basis other people's reviews. As Samba said, GTO is a professional who has tested thousands of cars over varied terrain. Most of the members who post here are veterans with thousands of city and highway miles under their belt. Plus most have driven and owned a variety of cars. If they give an opinion, it is based on strong and comparative prejudice, which needs to be understood, not blindly followed.

You are not of legal age to drive as yet. Use these 5 years (I presume you'll collect your driving license as soon as you turn 18!) to assimilate rather than preach. There are many ways to utilize this time. Accompany your father to every service, and insist on staying over and see the mechanics work. Ask them questions on what each part is and what purpose it serves in the whole equation (no one minds answering a cherubic teen's questions, I know). Scour the net for information on safe driving. Mug up travelogues. Be delighted by researching the working of an internal combustion engine. Read up on the history of automobile marques. It will give you new respect for those brands.

And when you are finally 18, get behind the wheel and let rip. And then, post comments about driving experiences to your heart's content. Trust me, everyone understands and respects an actual driving experience than bookish knowledge.

[GhostRider28]

What a brilliant and comprehensive review AJ! Congratulations!

[amalji]

The best car for you is based on what your priorities are. And from the review, it seems AJ definitely got the best car. :-)

For me, the meaning of a good car is
1. It should give me driving pleasure ( but not at the cost of safety or durability). There's no use in having 10% extra power but fitted with pathetic brakes or an unstable steering. I should have abs and airbag regardless of the variant I go for. And it should serve me atleast 2-3 lakhs kms without issues. Changing cars every few years is not my piece of cake.
2. The power delivery should be in practical rpms. And in diesel engines, I would any day prefer a smaller, but less laggy turbo on typical Indian driving conditions.
3. When I buy a 5 seater, I expect that the 5 people be seated comfortably. They should have enough room ( width, leg room and head room ) and enough space to hold the luggage of all for a long trip ). And the suspensions should give them a comfortable ride.
4. Utility matters more than how the dash looks. I might enjoy the looks of the dash for a few weeks. But Post that, what matters more are how ergonomic, the dash is. If it's going to prevent my legs from being comfortable, that hurts me more. And regarding interior looks, I travel in a car to enjoy the beauty outside, not to keep staring at the dash. So, a claustrophobic cabin with tiny windows and low seating position hurts more than how the dash looks.
5. Running costs should be low. I've covered 75000 kms on my Etios. For regular service, I would have saved atleast 35000 compared to brands like Maruti. And regarding unplanned replacements, all I've done till now is a fuse and a couple of bulbs inspite of blasting it on the potholed roads of Kerala. :-)

And hence if I buy a car again now, there's no better choice still.

[me_sid]

Arav, very crisp, compact and well articulated report. Congratulations on the purchase, and wishing you many satisfying miles. I haven't driven the Etios Diesel myself, but have been a back seat driver and frankly the car is extremely well behaved in bad roads. A well rounded, fuzz free cruiser. Enjoy!

Neel, a little "Uncle'ly" advice, though google based opinion is a rave nowadays, and trust me have seen worst than this from people thrice your age. I would suggest that to make things credible always make your hands dirty. One liner, please follow Aniket uncle's advice in totality

Ciao
Sid

[asit.kulkarni93]

Congratulations AJ. The Toyota Etios clearly fulfils all your requirements. I have driven both the Petrol and the Diesel Etios. Even though the petrol is fun to drive, my pick would be the diesel. It offers amazing drivability & ride quality, terrific fuel economy & is cheap to maintain. It basically offers everything you require from a family workhorse.
The only downside being the light build quality. I really don't think the centrally placed speedo is an issue. Toyota also used to offer a similar setup in the Echo & the Yaris. They really need to think about the build quality now. Interiors have been anyway improved in the last update.

Just a lil curios as to why you didn't consider the mahindra Verito? One my relatives has a Logan which is basically their family work horse. Apart from the hard clutch the Logan does everything the Etios can. The build quality is good too.

Drive safe and keep updating the thread.

Asit

[tacho9000]

Arav da a well written to the point crisp and compact initial ownership review I must say. I have rode as a passenger in the diesel etios and even I can relate to the fuss free ownership and comfort of the etios diesel. Wish you many miles of comfortable and affordable ownership with the new car in the family.

On another note neel brother you're just in class 8 and have become a bhpian which to me is quite an achievement. Hence a small request to you as a brother is to follow what Aniket da has told you. You'll only grow wiser and more knowledgeable following his path of advice.

Regards,
Subhra

[XetaGLGRocks]

Arav, possibly one of the best ownership reviews that I have come across on Team-Bhp. Congratulations on owning the car and wish you many happy miles on the car.

Neel, by this time I am sure you are getting bored about the comments you faced. Nevertheless, here's something more to add to that boredom.

Its very easy to criticize and really extremely difficult to appreciate. Criticism when constructive is good, it leads to healthy discussions and results in knowledge augmentation. I have been a member of this form for around 8 years now and still I stay away from commenting from a critics point of view, simply because I still feel I have a lot more to assimilate from the enormously knowledgeable members here.

Please try to understand the person who posted this review, also went through a rigorous process of test driving and analyzing suitable cars before taking a decision. So before just signing away certain attributes of the vehicle, that also based upon the demon called Internet, and based on the fact that you have not driven a car to a great extent, sounds a bit loud and over pedantic here.

See, I could have easily written you off by saying that the original Fiesta 1.6 blows away the 1.6 classic from all aspects, be it handling, be it steering response, be it driving pleasure etc. But I don't want to and I am not at all going in those lines.

Hence, buddy, as all others said, please add a few more tiers to your knowledge base, and moreover learn to appreciate.

[AJ-got-BHP]

Originally Posted by petrolhead_neel

Hello,
Quoting from GTO's review:

This is what made me say what I said.

About my driving, let's not tell much about it as I have not attained the legal age to drive. Let's just say that I know how much a Ford HPS has in offer when compared to a, say, Hyundai HPS. Well, The Etios' steering isn't as bad as a Hyndai unit. But, you own a Figo. If you drive both of the cars back to back on some twisties, you will get it what I meant to say.

Cheers,
Neel

Neel,

The dynamics of the both the cars are completely different. I have to compare an apple to an apple at the end of the day.

However, I find my Figo's steering wheel to be lighter than that of my Diesel Etios and definitely the Ford Handling is way superior. I can say this because I have previously owned a Ford Ikon 1.4 TDCi as well and I still do drive the Ford Ikon 1.6 Nxt (of my Father in Law) at times and love the handling of it.

What I want to say here is that you mentioning terms like "Zero Feedback of the light Steering" etc. based on your interpretation of someone else's opinion is not correct. GTO has had his hands on Cars of all Genres over the years and has a vast first hand experience; no questions asked. However, his review is now dated and does not upkeep to the updated/ refreshed Etios due to certain changes in the vehicle itself from the manufacturer in order to overcome the previous issues and drawbacks rectifying the same and making it a better car all together.

Suggest you not to be judgemental about such things at your age and rather grasp knowledge from the forum and when you attain the eligible age to be behind the wheel, put all this into force to become a distinguished BHPian and a respected person behind the wheel. Well that's what we all want to see you as because I personally love your spirit and enthusiasm. I wish we were exposed to such medium of knowledge when we were kids. You are blessed to have it alongwith a lovely family who support you.

Hope you would adhere to what I had to say in the positive way !!

Originally Posted by Samba

Do you really think AJ has not done that before writing this thread? To add to that he used to drive a Ford Ikon before the Etios and he has a Fiesta 1.6 in his extended family. Yes the original old Ford Fiesta am talking about not the Ford Classic 1.6.

Again i will say please check out the Grand i10 or the Elite i20. They really do have much better/improved steering feedback compared to there earlier models.

Yes Samba I have done that many a times on Sundays especially. Where the handling of the Figo gives me a high, the Crispness of the Toyota D4D Diesel Engine gives me a different high all together.

Cars have evolved over a period of time. There previous existence cannot be a benchmark of their current existence in the modern day as in order to keep up with the competition, manufacturers are doing R&D on a day to day basis to make their product better over the competitors.

Originally Posted by lamborghini

AJ: I meant rear armrest bro

Hey sorry I misinterpreted

Originally Posted by predatorwheelz

Neel, you're a young enthusiast who knows his initial bit about cars, and is eager to research and learn. I was (and am) very much like you, grabbing all information that came my way. Sadly, I was 13 two decades ago, when (let alone tbhp) even the internet was in its teens. So most of the information grabbing came from scouring flea markets in Kolkata for used (imported) car books and magazines, and collecting Indian carmag issues. You have access to this wonderful forum. By all means, keep up the enthusiasm.

But a word of friendly advice. Desist from forming strong opinions basis other people's reviews. As Samba said, GTO is a professional who has tested thousands of cars over varied terrain. Most of the members who post here are veterans with thousands of city and highway miles under their belt. Plus most have driven and owned a variety of cars. If they give an opinion, it is based on strong and comparative prejudice, which needs to be understood, not blindly followed.

You are not of legal age to drive as yet. Use these 5 years (I presume you'll collect your driving license as soon as you turn 18!) to assimilate rather than preach. There are many ways to utilize this time. Accompany your father to every service, and insist on staying over and see the mechanics work. Ask them questions on what each part is and what purpose it serves in the whole equation (no one minds answering a cherubic teen's questions, I know). Scour the net for information on safe driving. Mug up travelogues. Be delighted by researching the working of an internal combustion engine. Read up on the history of automobile marques. It will give you new respect for those brands.

And when you are finally 18, get behind the wheel and let rip. And then, post comments about driving experiences to your heart's content. Trust me, everyone understands and respects an actual driving experience than bookish knowledge.

A very good piece of advice indeed !!

Originally Posted by amalji

The best car for you is based on what your priorities are. And from the review, it seems AJ definitely got the best car. :-)

For me, the meaning of a good car is
1. It should give me driving pleasure ( but not at the cost of safety or durability). There's no use in having 10% extra power but fitted with pathetic brakes or an unstable steering. I should have abs and airbag regardless of the variant I go for. And it should serve me atleast 2-3 lakhs kms without issues. Changing cars every few years is not my piece of cake.
2. The power delivery should be in practical rpms. And in diesel engines, I would any day prefer a smaller, but less laggy turbo on typical Indian driving conditions.
3. When I buy a 5 seater, I expect that the 5 people be seated comfortably. They should have enough room ( width, leg room and head room ) and enough space to hold the luggage of all for a long trip ). And the suspensions should give them a comfortable ride.
4. Utility matters more than how the dash looks. I might enjoy the looks of the dash for a few weeks. But Post that, what matters more are how ergonomic, the dash is. If it's going to prevent my legs from being comfortable, that hurts me more. And regarding interior looks, I travel in a car to enjoy the beauty outside, not to keep staring at the dash. So, a claustrophobic cabin with tiny windows and low seating position hurts more than how the dash looks.
5. Running costs should be low. I've covered 75000 kms on my Etios. For regular service, I would have saved atleast 35000 compared to brands like Maruti. And regarding unplanned replacements, all I've done till now is a fuse and a couple of bulbs inspite of blasting it on the potholed roads of Kerala. :-)

And hence if I buy a car again now, there's no better choice still.

Amalji,

What you have just hit the nail on the head. Bang on considering the practical side of things. Yes every car has a pro and a con. The initial decision to buy the Etios is definitely a Head over Heart situation; but in the long run one does fall in love with the car with every passing day and with every drive !!

Originally Posted by me_sid

Arav, very crisp, compact and well articulated report. Congratulations on the purchase, and wishing you many satisfying miles. I haven't driven the Etios Diesel myself, but have been a back seat driver and frankly the car is extremely well behaved in bad roads. A well rounded, fuzz free cruiser. Enjoy!

Neel, a little "Uncle'ly" advice, though google based opinion is a rave nowadays, and trust me have seen worst than this from people thrice your age. I would suggest that to make things credible always make your hands dirty. One liner, please follow Aniket uncle's advice in totality

Ciao
Sid

Yes !! As mentioned by you - "a fuss free cruiser" was what I was looking for. It indeed behaves superbly on bad stretches of roads without the passenger feeling a thing which is remarkable and makes the ride more comfortable and enjoyable.

Originally Posted by asit.kulkarni93

Just a lil curios as to why you didn't consider the mahindra Verito? One my relatives has a Logan which is basically their family work horse. Apart from the hard clutch the Logan does everything the Etios can. The build quality is good too.

Asit

Yeah well suggested Asit !! Indeed it skipped my mind at the the time of making the choices. I fact, I had been in a Renault Logan (Cab) in Bangalore sometime back and really liked the Car to be a domestic workhorse. Assuming that the Mahindra Verito being the same could indeed have been a car to consider.

[avrendu]

Arav, an excellently detailed ownership review from your end. I must say I have not read such a detailed one of late. Its good to know that you have found the car of your liking.

When I was out to buy a family sedan, I did look at the ETIOS but did not test drive one simply because of the fact that the car had a central speedo console, a fact that I hated from the core. But today I find in one of the posts above, Amalji has written "I might enjoy the looks of the dash for a few weeks but post that what matters is how ergonomic it is". It suddenly dawned on me "Arrey it is actually so!!" If the car ticks all the other requirements which the ETIOS actually did, how does it matter where the speedo console is as long as it is readable.

Thanks Amalji.

Everytime I load the boot of the sub 4 metre Dzire for the road trip, I cry. I wish I was mature enough to have gone for the ETIOS. I feel sorry to have missed out the opportunity to own one. Also I have seen the ETIOS perform on the non existent roads of north sikkim and it was really good barring the fact that it has a long wheel base and even with a very careful and experienced driver like Samba, the ETIOS had to take a few underbelly hits where the Dzire did not. But then who goes to such roads regularly.

After the North Sikkim trip, I had even gone to the Park Street showroom of Topsel by which time they had launched the facelifted ETIOS. Both me and wife went crazy.The front grill is an item number and the boot space was to die for. But the resale value they were giving for a 10 month old Dzire was not to my liking. So rested the idea for the time being.

Anyway, thanks again for sharing all the details. I have my eyes open for further updates.

Regards
Avrendu

[Swapnil_Alto]

Brilliant review Arav Da. I know I'm late but Congratulations on the Etios. Lovely colour you've go there. I've not driven an Etios till date but have ridden the Etios few times. I will disagree with Neel in the case that the interior looks dull, I like the interiors pretty much in an Etios. Wish you happy miles with it.

Regards,
Swapnil

[amalji]

Originally Posted by asit.kulkarni93

Just a lil curios as to why you didn't consider the mahindra Verito? One my relatives has a Logan which is basically their family work horse. Apart from the hard clutch the Logan does everything the Etios can. The build quality is good too.

Verito comes close to what Etios is in terms of utility. I had reviewed this product before going for the Etios. These are the points that I considered before I took the decision in favour of the Etios

In favour of the Etios

• Better pickup from very low rpms due to 20% higher torque to weight ratio ( 170 Nm/ton @ 1800-2400 rpms vs 140 Nm/ton @ 2000 rpms )
• Better peak torque spread ( 1800 to 2400 rpms in Etios vs 2000 rpms on the Verito ) which leads to predictable acceleration.
• Better vibration control.
• Better braking
• Lower maintenance cost and less frequent replacement intervals
• Better mileage
• Better exterior and interior styling ( Not a high priority for me though )
• Better Support ( Except for the 24x7 roadside assistance coverage, Toyota is one of the best in support in India. I can tell this even after being a customer of Maruti for more than a decade. )
• Better safety Options ( Dual Airbag + ABS option on all variants )
• Better handling

In favour of the Verito

• Better Ride comfort ( just a bit more though )
• Heavy built. ( For me, it's a disadvantage though since many other factors gets affected like engine responsiveness, mileage, braking, durability )

Originally Posted by AJ-got-BHP

Yes Samba I have done that many a times on Sundays especially. Where the handling of the Figo gives me a high, the Crispness of the Toyota D4D Diesel Engine gives me a different high all together.

Yes, it's certainly a nice and crisp engine, and it has stayed the same after 75,000 kms on the odo.

Originally Posted by avrendu

Also I have seen the ETIOS perform on the non existent roads of north sikkim and it was really good barring the fact that it has a long wheel base and even with a very careful and experienced driver like Samba, the ETIOS had to take a few underbelly hits where the Dzire did not. But then who goes to such roads regularly.

After the North Sikkim trip, I had even gone to the Park Street showroom of Topsel by which time they had launched the facelifted ETIOS. Both me and wife went crazy.The front grill is an item number and the boot space was to die for. But the resale value they were giving for a 10 month old Dzire was not to my liking. So rested the idea for the time being.

Anyway, thanks again for sharing all the details. I have my eyes open for further updates.

Regards
Avrendu

One of the reasons for the excellent ride comfort at speeds as high as 140 kmph is due to that long wheel base. And moreover, on the newer model, the GC has been increased by 4mm ( 174 mm ). So, that takes care of the GC issue that comes along with that long wheel base as well.

Originally Posted by Swapnil_Alto

Brilliant review Arav Da. I know I'm late but Congratulations on the Etios. Lovely colour you've go there. I've not driven an Etios till date but have ridden the Etios few times. I will disagree with Neel in the case that the interior looks dull, I like the interiors pretty much in an Etios. Wish you happy miles with it.

Regards,
Swapnil

More than the dullness, or even the placement of the speedo, it seems to be the graphics used inside the speedo that seems to turn away the customers. Even though it's a useless thing, Toyota could have taken a little more care here.

[asit.kulkarni93]

Originally Posted by amalji

[*]Better peak torque spread ( 1800 to 2400 rpms in Etios vs 2000 rpms on the Verito ) which leads to predictable acceleration.

I agree to every other point that you have mentioned. But i am doubtful about this. Infact the Logan/Verito and Sunny/Duster85 remain my favorite cars with the 1.5 dci as they offer amazing drivabiity with the FGT. Driving the Logan is just like driving a car with a NA engine. No turbo kick is felt, But plenty of torque is available at all the engine speeds. The build quality is big positive over the Etios. But at the end of the day as a package the Etios is better. So you and AJ have made the sensible choice.