Controversial in design and with a very simple finish, compact offers good mechanics and the reputation of the Japanese brand
They say that duck is that animal that doesn’t do anything right. It doesn’t fly well, it doesn’t swim well and it walks weird. The Toyota Etios was a duckling that could even be considered ugly weird, but that flew and swam in other aspects.
The low-cost compact displeased many fans and enthusiasts of the manufacturer. But Toyota improved the Etios and made it a car with commendable mechanics and good sales.
In this content we will focus on 10 facts about the Toyota Etios 2015.
SEE ALSO:
The Toyota Etios landed in Brazil in September 2012 with a proposal, let’s say, too pragmatic. The result of an Indian project mounted on the Entry Family Car (EFC) platform – a “low cost” version of the brand’s global architecture – the model here inaugurated the factory in Sorocaba (SP).
The Etios was launched in hatchback and sedan versions, with 1.3 16V and 1.5 16V engines, in a package that promised rationality above all else. Too simple design and finish, which did not match the brand’s products here.
Life went on with attempts to “perfume” the project. Then came the adventurous Cross variant (which divided even more opinions) and the Toyota Etios underwent improvements in the finish in the 2015 line.
It still enjoyed a mechanical breath in 2017, when the set received variable control and more power, in addition to automatic versions and a sixth gear in the manual gearbox.
In 2018, the first and only slap in the face, but the destination was already set for the Etios. In 2021, Toyota ended sales of the compact in Brazil.
The reason? The company’s pragmatism also in the industrial and market logic. It was necessary to make room for the Corolla Cross at the Sorocaba plant.
Between keeping the Etios or the Yaris (which delivered much “fatter” profit margins), the account closed quickly for the Yaris.
Let’s face it: the Etios didn’t have an easy life. Even before arriving at the dealerships, it was already taking “volleys” from specialized critics.
After the first tests in Japan, the verdict was almost unanimous. It was a very simple project that did not match the quality and image of value that the brand conveyed with models like the Corolla.
Despite the adjustments made by Toyota for the Brazilian market, the stigma of “low-cost car” stuck like bubblegum.
From the controversial design to the rear suspension, which didn’t always go well with our lunar asphalt, the Etios became the meme of the industry. Long before memes were what they are today.
Toyota, with the usual Japanese resilience, ignored the jokes and focused on what it knew how to do. After all, the Etios has always had robust mechanics and a functional vehicle proposal. Did it work?
For the rational consumer, yes. So much so that the car was a success among taxi drivers and fleet owners.
So much so that the Etios has always figured well in sales. In the first five years on the market, the hatch always sold close to 35 thousand cars/year, while the sedan was close to 30 thousand/year.
In 2015, the Toyota Etios totaled 62 thousand licenses in the two bodies. The best year was 2017: 73 thousand registrations.
With exports, the range practically sold everything that was initially produced in Sorocaba, which later had its capacity expanded.
The Etios left the scene with 620 thousand units produced and the feeling of accomplishment.
If the look was the weak point, the mechanical set was the highlight. The Etios is proof that less is more, especially when the weight of the car barely reaches 950 kg.
Even the 1.3 16V of the Etios 2015 delivers basic but sufficient performance. With 90 hp of power with ethanol and 84 hp with gasoline, it doesn’t make you embarrassed on climbs and is quite an ally in urban walking and stopping.
This is because, in addition to being light, it works well at low revs. The torque of 12,8/11,9 kgfm is already available at 3.100 rpm. Consumption is also pleasing, with urban averages of 8.5 km/l (e) and 12.5 km/l (g).
The Etios 1.5 16V offers a little more vigor in acceleration and a small extra dose of power in low revs.
There are 96.2 hp of power with ethanol and 92 hp with gasoline. The torque of 13,9 kgfm also appears at 3.100 rpm. The consumption is basically the same as in the 1.3 options.
What about versions with a four-speed automatic transmission? Well, the box is honest, but it’s inaccurate and affects performance a little in the name of comfort.
It is worth remembering that in the 2017 line the two sets received a variation in the camshafts (Dual VVTi) and the 1.5 jumped to 107 hp.
We have reached the “Achilles’ heel”. The interior finish of the Toyota Etios is very, very weak.
The first crop was a festival of simple materials, plastic of dubious quality and shades of gray that evoked a public office of the 1980s.
The central instrument panel is a chapter apart: looking at the center to see the speed has never been the most intuitive solution in the world. Even more so for the 2010s, where road safety was a global issue.
And what about the glove compartment lid with that strategic round cutout for the air conditioning outlet on the right? A “creative” solution that only highlighted the extreme economy aspect of the Toyota Etios.
Toyota even tried to give the 2015 Etios line a shop bath, with new coatings and steering wheel from the Corolla. In 2017, the car gained a digital instrument panel and in the 2018 restyling, again, new materials and interior linings.
The Toyota Etios hatchback is not a cramped car. And it even has more space for the driver and rear seat passengers than most compact rivals at the time.
However, the Toyota Etios Sedan wins in this regard and is a good one for those who have a large family or need to carry a lot of things in the car.
Starting with the wheelbase of 2.55 meters, 9 cm more than the hatch, which favors leg, foot and knee room for the rear occupants.
The trunk, then, is cowardice. There are 562 liters of capacity in the Toyota Etios Sedan, more than double the 270 liters of the hatchback body.
Let’s go with Toyota Etios 2015, already with that first store bath we talked about. At this turn, the compact gained a new fuel level indicator, digital clock, new steering wheel (from Corolla), fabric finish on the doors and door handles with chrome details.
Headlight alerts and a one-touch function for the driver’s electric window are also standard on the 2015 Etios. They join items such as dual airbags, ABS brakes and air conditioning.
We suggest the Toyota Etios 2015 in the top-of-the-line Platinum version with a 1.5 engine, which has an average dealer price at KBB Brasil of R$ 50.421.
This offers a multimedia center with navigator, reversing camera, with DVD player, digital TV signal receiver and USB socket, leather-covered steering wheel and seats and turn signals integrated into the exterior mirror covers.
In addition, the car has air conditioning, electric trio, driver’s seat and steering column height adjustments and alloy wheels.
The Etios has a reputation for hassle-free maintenance. In addition, the pieces are easy to find and charge reasonable prices.
Rainwater infiltration due to sealing failures and problems with the rear suspension bushings are among the most common complaints from Etios owners.
Also be aware of paint failures and cylinder leaks.
Check out the evaluation of the Etios 2017:
