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Toyota Etios: complete analysis of the Japanese compact focusing on design, mechanics and the car's strengths and weaknesses (2013–2021).
O toyota etios was a compact car that was present in Brazil between 2013 and 2021. It was available in both hatch and sedan versions and was Toyota's entry model into the national market until it was replaced by the Yaris, a more modern design. In this article, we analyze the main features of Etios, exploring its strengths and weaknesses.
Discover the Toyota Etios
Originally launched in India in 2010, the Toyota Etios was designed as a vehicle low cost for emerging markets.
Its lines were anticipated through functional concepts, revealed before the official launch.
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The sedan arrived on the market first, followed by the hatch. The production versions maintained the design of the concepts, with rectangular headlights, a front grille with the Toyota emblem and bumpers painted in body color.
In 2016, the Etios underwent a restyling that included headlights with a black mask, a central grille with a black finish and new bumpers, bringing a sportier look.
Overall, the design was simple, with some sporty touches, but without many bold elements, reflecting the aim of being an affordable car.
The Etios was built on the EFC platform, the same one used in the Toyota Yaris. The model had two four-cylinder flex engine options, both aspirated.
The first, the 1.3 engine, generated up to 88 horsepower and 13,1 kgfm of torque. This engine was only available for the hatch, with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.
After the 2016 restyling, the manual version now has six gears.
The 1.5 engine from the 2020 version produced up to 107 horsepower and 14,7 kgfm of torque.
Like the 1.3, the 1.5 also came with manual or automatic transmission options. Both engines provided comfortable and efficient driving, typical Toyota characteristics.
In terms of safety, the Etios followed the category standard, with disc brakes on the front wheels and torsion beam rear suspension.
Simple and robust mechanics have earned the Etios a reputation as a reliable car.
Car internal parts
The interior of the Toyota Etios was designed to be functional and economical. One of the most unusual features was the location of the instrument panel, which was in the center of the main panel, and not behind the steering wheel.
This choice was made to facilitate the adaptation of the car for right-hand drive countries, but was not well received by Brazilian consumers.
Furthermore, rigid plastic predominated in the interior, reflecting the aim of keeping costs low.
The 2016 restyling brought some improvements, such as the adoption of a digital instrument panel, similar to that of the Toyota Prius hybrid, and the inclusion of better quality materials in some areas of the interior.
Still, the finish remained basic and far from sophisticated.
What you need to know before buying the car
More advanced features, such as traction and stability controls, only began to be offered at the end of the model's life cycle, which made the Etios less competitive in terms of technology, especially when compared to rivals that already offered these systems as standard.
The Toyota Etios has several strengths that have made it popular among consumers. Its maintenance cost is one of its biggest attractions, with Toyota offering a good reputation for durability and low maintenance costs.
The Etios is known for its mechanical robustness, fuel economy and reasonable preventative care costs.
In terms of performance, the Etios, especially in the 1.5 engine versions, offers a comfortable and solid drive, suitable for everyday use.
The internal space is also a positive point, with the sedan offering a 562-liter trunk, larger than many medium sedans, and satisfactory accommodation for the occupants.
However, the Etios has its weaknesses. The interior finish was often criticized for its simplicity, with the predominant use of hard plastic and the unusual location of the instrument panel in the center of the vehicle. car.
The cheapest versions of the model lacked basic comfort items, and even the most complete versions did not offer many advanced technological features.
Additionally, the Etios' design was considered characterless and unattractive, reflecting its aim to be a low-cost car but not fully meeting consumers' styling expectations.
After all, is the Toyota Etios worth buying?
The Toyota Etios faced strong competition in the Brazilian market. Among its main rivals were the Volkswagen Gol, Fiat Palio, Chevrolet Onix, Hyundai HB20, Ford Ka, Fiat Argo and Volkswagen Polo.
These models, especially in the most recent versions, offered more technology and superior finishes, which made the competition fierce.
The Toyota Etios was a car which marked its space in the Brazilian market, especially due to its mechanical reliability and low maintenance cost.
However, its limitations in terms of design, technology and interior finishing meant that it lost space to more modern models.
Even so, the Etios is still remembered as a robust and economical car, characteristics that have always been associated with the Toyota brand.
I have a 2014 Etios sedan, I would like to know if it is possible to increase the tires from 13 to 15. They are very low, which is why they drag a lot on speed bumps. We have to damage the bottom of the car. If not, it will interfere with something else if I decide to increase them a little more to raise the car a little.
Mine is a 14 wheel, from the factory.
Just changing the tire with the highest measurement 185/70 14 will solve 80% of the problems
I have a 2019, not selling for any money, economical, good performance, no workshop, very good.
I have a 19 20 Etios and I won't sell it for less than 65 thousand.
My good old Etios never asked me for anything other than two front tires and the maintenance that I never forget to do.
Yes, mine is a 15" rim from the factory.
I do not recommend it, to increase the rim you would have to compensate by changing the profile, otherwise the speedometer will show incorrectly, with a smaller profile the car will be less resistant to potholes etc. and harder.
Good morning. If you put the 15 you will lose some fuel economy because it increases the weight. The ideal is for you to put the 14 rim which is the original and also shim the rear spring; it will be great.
If your car has thirteen-inch wheels, you're wrong. From the factory, the Etios came with fourteen-inch and fifteen-inch wheels.
I have a 2013 Etios 1.5 sedan, just think about it, ****!..
Yes, you can change it, it won't cause any problems, and it will even be a little more economical.
I have a 2017/18 sedan. I'm satisfied.
In fact, the tank only has 96 horses and stopped in 2016.
And this issue of the panel being in the middle to make it easier to reverse the steering wheel has nothing to do with it, because in the Indian version they use a different panel, the rev counter is always on the passenger side.