Toyota Yaris Ativ (Vios) sedan SPIED in India; To challenge Honda City & Maruti Ciaz

Toyota will launch the Yaris Ativ (Vios sedan) in India later this year, and will also show the car at the 2018 Indian Auto Expo. For the first time ever, the Japanese car maker has been spied testing the Yaris Ativ sedan on Indian roads. The Ativ is the latest version of the Vios and gets fresh styling.

The car is already on sale in Thailand. It features a 1.2 liter petrol engine with 5 speed manual and CVT automatic gearbox options in the Thai market. For the Indian market, Toyota is expected to use a larger, 1.5 liter petrol engine with 105 Bhp and 140 Nm on tap.

The automaker could also add the 1.4 liter D-4D turbo diesel engine borrowed from the Etios-Liva. However, the diesel motor for the Vios/Yaris Ativ is likely to borrow the Toyota Corolla Altis’ state of tune. This means power and torque outputs of 89 Bhp-205 Nm, and a variable geometry turbocharger instead of a fixed geometry turbocharger to produce the higher outputs. The diesel engine isn’t expected to get an automatic gearbox, instead using a 6 speed manual. The sedan will set five but is slightly smaller than the Honda City and Maruti Ciaz in terms of dimensions.

It is 4,425 mm long, 1,730, wide and 1,475 mm tall. The wheelbase is an ample 2,550 mm wheelbase while ground clearace is 133 mm. The ground clearance is expected to be bumped up keeping Indian road conditions in mind. The Yaris Ativ is dimensionally smaller than the Maruti Ciaz and closer to the Hyundai Verna.

However, Toyota may price it lower than the Honda City, in Ciaz territory. This is to make sure that the car – a late entrant in India’s C-Segment sedan market – gets off to a good start in terms of sales. The Yaris Ativ name is being used in India for the sedan instead of the Vios badge as toyota also has plans to bring the Yaris hatchback eventually to India. The sedan will be launched sometime in the second half of 2018.

Via Team-BHP