Toyota Etios: Competition Check

It's light, it's torquey and it's fuel efficient, but the Toyota Etios has a bunch of very good rivals to beat before it establishes itself as a serious player in the Indian sedan market. Here's what the baby Corolla is up against.

Maruti Suzuki Swift D’Zire:

The Dzire had a lot going for it from the day of its launch, even if it looked like a quirky stick-on job. Most of it was thanks to the phenomenal success of the Swift hatchback, and the rock solid Maruti brand name. With the new 1.2-litre K-series engine, the Dzire has grown into an even more powerful product, with great fuel efficiency and performance. It will be interesting to see if the equally trusted but higher-end Toyota brand can ruffle the Swift Dzire’s feathers.

Tata Indigo Manza:

One of the best value-for-money vehicles currently on sale, the Manza proves its maker’s understanding of the Indian market. The Fiat borrowed 1.4-litre petrol engine may not be very refined, but is a functional powerplant, with good gearing to help the car’s driveability. Comfortable, cavernous and inexpensive, the Indigo Manza might be around the same price as the Etios, but offers more space on the inside and in the boot than the Japanese sedan.

Mahindra Logan:

We have said it before, and we say it again – the Logan is one of the most underrated cars in the Indian market. Mahindra’s ambitious project did not quite take off as well as expected owing to the contradictory points of view between the Indian carmaker and the Logan’s French creators, Renault. Mahindra has recently obtained complete ownership and responsibility for the Logan in India though, and slashed prices massively for this spacious and comfortable sedan. This certainly is the dark horse of the race.