Toyota Glanza: Bookings of Maruti Baleno-based premium hatchback now open at Toyota dealers

Many Toyota dealerships across India are taking pre-bookings for the upcoming Glanza – a premium hatchback based on the Maruti Suzuki Baleno. Essentially a rebadged version of the Baleno, the Glanza will be available in two trims: G and V. The G variant of the Glanza will correspond to the mid, Delta trim of the Baleno while the V variant will correspond to the top-end, Alpha trim of the Maruti car. The Glanza will be launched in India on the 6th of June, 2019.

In terms of pricing, the Glanza is likely to command a higher price tag, considering the fact that the badge engineered car should not cannibalize sales of the Baleno. The Maruti Baleno sells around 3,000 copies each month but Toyota has modest expectations for the Glanza – considering its higher positioning and the lower number of variants on offer. Toyota hopes to sell 2,000 units of this car each month in India.

The Glanza will get two engine options: the 1.2 liter naturally aspirated K-Series motor with 82 Bhp-112 Nm, and the 1.2 liter K12C smart hybrid petrol with 90 Bhp-113 Nm. Both engines will get 5 speed manual gearboxes as standard, but the hybrid motor will be a lot more fuel efficient, with an ARAI certified mileage figure of 23.87 Kmpl. The non-hybrid petrol will deliver 21.01 Kmpl.

The non-hybrid petrol will also be offered with a CVT automatic gearbox as an option. With this gearbox, the Glanza will deliver a fuel efficiency figure of 19.56 Kmpl. Toyota is expected to offer a higher standard warranty on the Glanza: 3 years/100,000 Kms. Everything else about the Glanza, save for the badging and front grille, will be similar to that of the Maruti Baleno.

While the Maruti Baleno sold in India is offered with a turbo diesel engine option, this motor will be discontinued before April 2020, when the Bharat Stage 6 emission norms kick in. Toyota will not offer this engine with the Glanza, in line with its policy of selling small cars with only hybrid options. Toyota plans to move away from diesel engines on most of its cars except for bigger utility vehicles. Toyota is betting on petrol-hybrids for most of its cars around the world, and is also investing in electric vehicle technology. The automaker is likely to partner with Maruti Suzuki for an affordable electric car in the coming years.

Toyota also plans to launch multiple badge engineered cars in the coming years, all of them originally Maruti Suzukis. The Vitara Brezza compact SUV, Ertiga MPV and the Ciaz sedan are three such Maruti Suzuki cars that will soon get Toyota badging. Like the Glanza, these cars are likely to have minimal stylistic changes, save for Toyota badging.