5 Global Toyota Cars We Would Love to See in India

Toyota Motor Corporation’s collaboration with Suzuki Motor Corporation is a prospect that both the auto giants are banking on to yield tremendous gains in the future. Currently, the venture has helped Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd(TKMPL) in India take a piece of Maruti’s success.  Part of the deal includes Suzuki to share cars with Toyota, to sell them as rebadged versions. So far TKMPL has enjoyed some great revenues from the Glanza (rebadged Baleno) as the sales cross more than 25,000 units. Now Toyota looks to grab a bigger piece of the cake with the Urban Cruiser (rebadged Vitara Brezza) and rebadged Ciaz and Ertiga. 

However, while scrolling through Toyota’s global website recently, we realised that they’ve got some spectacular cars in their global lineup, capable of running circles around the top cars in India. While Toyota is busy sticking the Toyota emblem on Maruti cars, we would love to see Toyota bring some cars from their global lineup to India. Here are 5 global Toyota cars we wish to see in India. 

1. Toyota Yaris Hatchback

   

   Toyota recently discontinued its Etios series which included the Etios Liva Hatchback. This means that they don’t have an in-house developed hatchback anymore. They just have the Toyota Glanza. However, they have a global product which is perfect to fill the shoes of Etios Liva. The Toyota Yaris is a moniker on sale on multiple countries around the world. We too have the Yaris sedan in India. But internationally they have the Yaris hatchback as well.

   The Yaris hatchback comes with a 1.5-Litre petrol engine making 105 bhp and 140Nm of torque. In some markets, the car also comes with a 1.0-Litre engine with super CVT-i transmission and a hybrid powertrain as well.

   While the rest of markets get the 2020 Yaris, the Indonesian market gets the hatchback version of the Yaris Sedan we have on sale in India. Even though we would prefer Toyota bringing 2020 Yaris, still the Indonesian-spec would be easier for TKMPL to accommodate in their production line.

   Did you know? The American and UK markets are soon to get the GR Yaris. It is the hot hatch version of the standard 2020 Yaris inspired from the WRC-spec Toyota Yaris.

2. 2021 Toyota Corolla | Bring back the Corolla to India

   

   The Indian car market is gnarly. Customers want nothing short of a car that can give them the best of everything. Maybe that’s why even the world’s best-selling car had to be phased from the Indian market eventually. When Toyota Kirloskar Motor discontinued the Etios series in India, they discontinued the Corolla Altis as well in early 2020. The eleventh-gen Corolla which was on sale in India was speculated to be sold by Maruti as a Rebadged model as part of the Toyota-Suzuki alliance. Instead, Toyota in India axed the car altogether in India and with it, the rebadged Corolla project also got cancelled.

   With electric mobility taking a greater pedestal with each passing day in India, there is one way by which Toyota in India can make the Corolla look like a strong proposition. The Toyota Corolla in the international market comes with a hybrid version. With electric mobility being all the hype, a hybrid Corolla can turn out to be a wise move for Toyota in India.

   The Indonesian-spec Corolla Altis will be best suited for the Indian market. The twelfth generation Corolla Altis Hybrid in Indonesia comes with a 1.8-Litre hybrid-petrol motor with 95 bhp and 141Nm torque. With ICE only variant comes with a 1.8-litre petrol motor making 140 bhp and 171Nm of torque.

3. Toyota Harrier/Venza

   

   A Jeep Compass rival from Toyota in India? Who would like to see some of that action? Toyota’s American lineup has a mid-size crossover SUV named Toyota Venza (also known as the Toyota Harrier in other markets). Another aspect which makes the Venza future-proof is that it is a hybrid SUV. The Venza comes with a 2.5-Litre hybrid powertrain that makes a combined power of 219 bhp with a 650 V electric motor.

   If priced correctly and with the hybrid technology, the Venza can sure stir up the Mid-Size SUV segment in India. It will probably be placed right below the Fortuner in India and this will be great for people who find the Fortuner a bit too hefty.

4. Toyota Hilux
   

   

   The Lifestyle pick-up truck segment in India which is ruled by the lone ranger, Isuzu D-max V-cross. Honestly, the Isuzu could use some healthy contest and one of the world’s most successful pick-up truck is completely right for the job.

   It was recently alleged that Toyota is considering bringing the Hilux to India. Toyota’s 2.4-litre and the 2.8-litre diesel engine are being considered for the Hilux. The Hilux is based on the same IMV platform which underpins the Innova and the Fortuner. Hence, it won’t be too cumbersome for TKMPL to bring it down to India.

   Currently, the Isuzu D-max V-cross is priced between Rs.16.54 Lakh – Rs.19.99 Lakh ex-showroom. If Toyota is able to accommodate the Hilux close to this price range, then they’ve got a winner, hands down.

5. Toyota CH-R
   

   

   The rest of the cars on this list have fair chances of being a ‘hit or miss’. But if Toyota wants a guaranteed win in India, they’ve got to set food in the Mid-size SUV segment competing with the likes of the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta. For that, Toyota has the CH-R.

   Toyota CH-R is known as a subcompact SUV in the International markets, but here in India, it will fit perfectly in the Hyundai Creta league. The CH-R is actually longer than both the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos. Under the hood, the international-spec CH-R comes with a 2.0-litre motor making a 144 bhp.

   It has been speculated multiple times that Honda Cars India will bring their SUV HR-V to India. The HR-V has similar proportions and stance as Toyota’s CH-R. Hence, if both Japanese manufacturers decide to launch these two cars around the same time in India, it will be one hell of a battle.

Is there any other global Toyota car you want to see in India that is not on the list? Let us know in the comments section below.