Vicky.in Blog

Two hot sedans for India: 

The big majors are eyeing mid size segment though rolling out small cars is their core aim. Maruti has rolled out its SX4 sedan and Mahindra – Renault has rolled out Logan to grab their share in this segment. Soon this segment will welcome two new sedans – from Fiat and Toyota. Both Toyota and Fiat are hoping niche market share in Indian automotive industry by 2010 and this will be their first foray into voluminous sedan segment (2^nd fastest growing). Toyota has exhibited its 3^rd generation ‘Vios’ in recently held Bangkok motor show and Fiat has launched its ‘Linea’ sedan in Turkey.  Let’s see what Vios and Linea has? 

Engine and Powertrain: 

Toyota’s Vios: 

Toyota Vios is almost same as the Toyota’s much popular yaris sedan and Belta. These cars are much popular in Australia and Japan. The 2^nd generation Vios is the segment leader in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Toyota Vios is Thai Car of the Year 2003.  The Vios will head India via CKD (Completely Knocked Down unit) route. 

Toyota Vios is powered by a Toyota’s proven NZ series engine. The 1.5L, 1NZ-FE engine which powers the vios develops 80KW (109hp) and a maximum torque of 142Nm at 4200rpm.  The same engine is used for the 2^nd generation Vios. The 2^nd generation Vios is well known for its frugal and clean nature and will lure Indian customers if it delivers the same in India. The Vios is complained for its underpowered nature and the Vios turbo is available only in Thailand. The turbocharged 1.5 liter engine with an air-to-air intercooler produces 143 PS with light boost. If Toyota brings this vios to India it will surely rock but the chances are less. 

Fiat’s Linea

For the turnaround of Renault – Nissan its Carlos Ghoshn, while for the Fiat Its Marchionne’s – the man who mastered the new generation Fiat. Linea is one of the products of new generation Fiat and it’s derived from the Fiat’s much popular hatchback Grande Punto

Two engines are available at present: the 1.4 petrol delivering 77 bhp and the 1.3 Multijet diesel with a power output of 90 bhp. Linea may also be powered by a1.4L Turbo T-jet, petrol engin delivering 120 bhp and a much powerful 1.9L JTD engine (uniJet Turbo Diesel is Fiat Group’s term for its current common rail turbodiesel engine). Fiat may consider other engine options too but an engine from FIRE (Fully Integrated Robotised Engine) family and Swift’s, Punto’s 1.3L Multijet diesel is for sure. Manual as well automatic gearboxes will be offered.

Styling and Engineering:

Fiat Linea

For making a sedan take a popular hatchback give it a boot and doors that is what clever engineering in modern automotive industry. Fiat follows the same for its Linea but its not just a extended version of popular Punto hatchback.

Fiat Linea clearly has an international vocation; it was designed by the Fiat Style Centre, and its exterior styling is elegant, dynamic and typically ‘Italian’. The aim was to appeal to the public with uncluttered, smooth lines which confirm the new Fiat family feeling (from the Grande Punto to the new Bravo), while they offer a new reading of the stylistic elements of the great Italian motoring tradition in the saloon segment. This extraordinary stylistic heritage has now produced the Fiat Linea, a 4-door saloon that is sleek and elegant, but with generous dimensions that put it at the top of its class: it is 4.56 metres long, 1.73 metres wide, 1.5 metres tall and has a wheelbase of 2.6 metres, as well as a 500 litre luggage compartment.

The same attention went into the styling of the interiors of Linea, where the lines are harmonious and balance well with the exterior, creating a friendly, light-filled environment that provides an amazing amount of room and superior comfort, where ergonomics and space for the driver and passengers are concerned. And it is in terms of the quality, comfort, practicality and enjoyment of the interior that the Fiat Linea aims to make the difference, backed up by the refinement of the materials and by the colour combinations, as well as the attention paid to every detail and to the assembly. Designed for an elegant, refined clientele with plenty of personality, the Linea is agile and enjoyable to drive in all situations.

Toyota Vios

Unlike the Fiat Linea, Toyota Vios is not an eye catcher. Vios derives most of its design cues from its big brother Camry. After the Hyundai verna, this kind of sedans with short overhang is familiar in India. Vios looks bulky from the front with large grille and large headlamps. The hood lines flows through the grille to large front bumper. The body coloured wing mirrors integrates indicator lamps. Curvaceous but not so large tail lamps just touches voluminuous boot.  

The 3^rd generation Vios which is to be launched has almost identical dimensions (4300mm*1700mm*1460mm) to Honda City. Similar to the corolla, you can expect decent space for rear passengers and not for the Driver and the front passenger from the vios. Accessibility to instruments and storage space are only for those with pixie hands also the Thai auto journals criticized vios for its noisy passenger cabin. Though in JD power initial quality study (IQS) vios finds a position, it is ranked below Honda city. But don’t forget Vios is much powerful and frugal than city. 

Similar to the recently launched Chevrolet spark Toyota Vios’s instrument binnacle is set in the centre of the dash. This arrangement not only leaves most of the dash clean and uncluttered, it also allows the instruments and warning lights to be at a distance and an angle that allows the driver to read them with minimal eye movement. But some dislike and prefer a conventional location. 

Safety and Special Features: 

Fiat Linea: 

The Fiat Linea is equipped with a reliable suspension layout which guarantees very easy, precise steering, excellent roadholding and the best possible comfort for passengers: an independent MacPherson system at the front, and semi-independent wheels connected by a torsion axle at the rear. Regarding the safety – Stable, effective braking, good acceleration guaranteed by the engines and predictable handling, get the Fiat Linea out of even the most critical situations. Linea is also very well equipped where passive safety is concerned, a fact borne out by the presence of airbags; it also adopts a number of innovative technical elements that ensure the driver always has total control of the car (active safety): latest generation ABS, complete with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) and, optionally, the sophisticated ESP (Electronic Stability Program). ESP is supplemented by the ASR/MSR, a system that prevents front wheel skidding in acceleration and deceleration, enabling the Fiat Linea to move effortlessly on low grip road surfaces. The ESP includes the Hill-Holder, a device that lets you stop and start on uphill roads without having to pull the handbrake. 

The range also proposes equipment worthy of a higher segment, such as certain sophisticated climate and infotainment devices that improve the comfort and quality of the time spent on board: from automatic climate control, the Blue&MeTH system with USB port, a radio with CD-player (including MP3 files) and Cruise Control, down to rain, dusk and parking sensors. In other words, there are endless possible combinations which may convert Fiat’s Linea an excellent value for money (if correctly priced) and the best price-content ratio. 

Toyota Vios: 

The safety features and equipments in Vios are on par with sedans of its class available in India. The rigid (40% High tension steel) and light body vios chassis assures agility and stability. ABS with EBD used to control this 1tonne vehicle. Mc pherson strut is used at the front and torsion beam suspension at the rear. Rear seats are provided with ‘S’ shaped springs to minimize fatigue over long distance traveling. Audio controls are embedded in the steering wheel. 

A revolution ahead: 

Fiat aims to slot in top 10 car manufacturers by 2010 and Toyota to sustain the No 1 mark both has to tap one of the fastest growing market India and they seems to have ambitious plans for India. Fiat expects to sell 50,000-60,000 units on an annual basis by 2012. The current C-segment in India is around 2,00,000 units, which is expected to double in 5 years and Toyota eyes 10% market share 2010 and 15% market share by 2015. Both Toyota and Fiat has immense potential in manufacturing great cars, all they have to do in India is to launch their popular products here, if they want to be a volume player. Through Linea and Vios – Fiat and Toyota I’m sure that they can reach their target.

Toyota Vios will take on Maruti Suzuki’s SX4, Chevrolet Aveo and segment leader Honda city and vios is expected to hit our shores by the end of this year or early 2008. For the Linea, Fiat has launched the saloon in Turkey in the price range of 15,000 – 21000 liras (Rs 4,61,981 – Rs6,46,774) and if it is priced in India in the same range, Linea will take on SX4, Aveo, Fiesta and City. A wide variety of engines is available for the Fiat India to power Linea hence the possibility of Fiat’s positioning Linea against Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Skoda Octavia cannot be ignored; Linea can be positioned between the upper C-segment and the entry D-segment sedans. With Linea’s design cues heavily derived from Audi, it has the potential to match them.

 

Toyota’s Indian line-up..

Everyone is talking about the success of Honda Civic, but they failed to notice Toyota Corolla is regaining its some of the lost ground. Toyota sells 1083 units of Corolla in March which is almost twice than its usual sales. But for the world’s NO 1 car maker which eyes 10% market share in one of the world’s largest growing market – India by 2010, this won’t be enough. Toyota plans to launch a C segment car ‘Vios’ which will take on Honda city and Maruti SX4. Toyota’s small car is also on the line. Toyota will also launch a new corolla to completely regain the lost glory. The only short come with the existing corolla is it has a generation ahead car – Honda Civic in its category. To make the Toyota lovers happy, it will launch the 10^th generation/2007 corolla in India soon. Let’s see what can we expect from the new corolla?

Engine and Powertrain:

The new corolla will get much torqueier 165Nm at 4200 rpm 1.8L engine and the new corolla will have a 1.6L dual VVTi (Variable Valve Timing Intelligence) and a new 2.0L CRDi engine. The 1.6L corolla will be positioned between Maruti’s SX4 and Honda Civic. The 1.6L engine pumps out a maximum power output is 124 hp at 6,000 rpm while the dual VVT-i technology ensures a remarkably constant torque output for a petrol engine, peaking at 157 Nm at 5,200 rpm. The new CRDi engine which develops 125bhp might be used to position the new corolla between soon to be launched Ford’s new Fiesta and Hyundai’s new Elantra diesel. If diesel corolla is launched this will be Toyota’s Diesel foray in India. Derived from the Toyota’s much successful 2.2L diesel engine, the new 2.0L diesel engine delivers 126 hp with a constant torque output of 300 Nm from 2,000 to 2,800 rpm. This means outstanding mid-range in-gear performance for maximum driving pleasure. For better emission control self- cleaning particulate filter is also available with this diesel engine. A conventional five-speed manual gearbox will be available with both petrol engines and for the 1.4-litre diesel a six-speed manual may be offered.

Styling and Design:

Exteriors:

The all-new Corolla is distinctive and different and it will be good even when viewed from a distance. Its low and wide stance (because of increased front and rear track) creates a sporty and dynamic look that is enhanced by the clear character lines and complex surface structures. While offering customers the traditional benefits of a classic three-box configuration, the new Corolla achieves more of a one-form style by moving the base of the A-pillar forward and integrating the trunk space within the slope of the rear pillars.

photos:new corolla front/rear/existing corolla rear

In side profile it is clear that the new corolla is not a hatchback with a trunk added as an afterthought – indeed the sleek, dynamic look is further enhanced by the increased overall length, low roof profile and slim pillars.

From the rear the new corolla looks almost the same as the existing corolla except for rear spoiler and aerodynamic panel beneath the rear bumper. The tail gate now gets the body colour.

Interiors:

In comparison with the current model, the overall height of the new Corolla (1,470 mm) remains unchanged while interior space and headroom increased through clever packaging. The result is the new corolla has more shoulder, hip room and very comfortable seat height. The upper surface of the dashboard has been lowered to create a sense of roominess and the panel is fully integrated into the relaxed curve of the high quality door trim to create an almost seamless surround. But American journals criticize Toyota for not giving enough space for tall drivers – pedals are too close, front passenger leg room also is not appreciable.

photos:LHD corolla passenger/Driver/instrument panel

In the rear, the new corolla is as good as existing one, the space for the rear passengers are very good and is enhanced by minimizing the backseat floor hump(by making the front muffler and catalytic converter into one unit) to create flat-surfaced legroom, enabling three adults to sit in the rear comfortably.

Safety and Engineering:

Safety is embedded form the design rather than incorporating active and passive features. One of the design targets of the new Corolla was to reduce both accident repair times and costs. To help achieve this, the radiator core and air-conditioning condenser have been designed to move backwards in a collision rather than absorb the impact. The radiator support along with the front and rear bumper reinforcements are bolted on rather than welded and headlights have breakable and replaceable brackets so the headlight can be reused. Safety features including front air bags air bags, electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, which operate in conjunction with the anti-lock braking system, may be offered as standard.

Independent Macpherson’s front suspension and non independent suspension at the rear is offered for the new corolla. Disc brakes for all wheels and Engine speed sensible power assisted steering to control the new corolla. Even in western markets, there are voices criticizing the price of the new corolla and hence we shall wait and watch how and to what extent the trims are made for the Indian corolla.

What can we expect?

The new corolla is expected to be launched by the end of this year or in early 2008. The corolla one of the world’s successful car is upgraded in a nice manner. Its superb design and nice engineering makes it truly the next generation car. But 2007 new corolla has added more points only on its strength, the weakness more or less remains the same the poor driver’s space and ride and handling characteristics is also been not welcomed in western markets. But if Toyota makes some of this right while raising the suspension for the Indian model, Don’t miss the most reliable car you can pick anywhere in the world.