Toyota Etios Liva: Driving Impressions

[basis]

Dear Friends,

For last six months I was (am) looking for a hatchback. A petrol preferably!

My requirement :

I was looking for a 5 door car within 6 L (+50K max. extra) as a family car. I stay in Bangalore with family and alone!

For any emergency situation (as I felt the need for a car), and for weekend drive (within city / long drive) . So my planned uses will be not more then 5K-6K KM / year.


My wanted the following :

1> safety
2> low running cost
3> space (I am a 6ft guy)
4> ride quality
5> Good En]gine
5> Non MSL and Hundai Cars

Now as the petrol cost is high so I desided to go for Punto 1.3 as Ifound bestall diesel 5 door.

Few day ago the scenario changed. now govt saying for pvt use both fuel will cost same, if so then why should I shell out 100k extra for diesel?

So,again start searching for a petrol car.

Till whatever I told feel most of the common car buyer have same need.

yesterday i tested Liva. i thought it is a900 kg car,so will be unstable like i20.

but I was wrong. following points are my findings.


Pro.

1> Liva amongst the most spacious hatchbacks in the market, and the back seat is a giant leap ahead of even sedans. in terms of legroom & shoulder room.

2> most powerful ac.

3> Single wiper has a large sweep. Excellent for driver

4> rear bench will be comfortable for 3

5> The meaty steering wheel is just fabulous to hold

6> silent engine

7> gear ultra smooth

8> Huge boot space

9> nice breaking

10> very smooth ride

Con.

1> many cost cutting
2> body is not solid as punto/fabia/polo

IMO for common family purpose this is the best petrol 5 door

Not a driving enthusiast

It seems to be a very practical car with low on features but high on sense.
I am not an enthusiast and it seemed to be a very reliable and practical car. I loved the looks and color, though interiors are not as good as I had expected.

 

[Akash]

Re: Liva TD

Thanks for sharing the driving impressions. Although the specs are not impressive i am sure the low kerb weight has done wonders. What about the engine noise? Does it growl just like the elder Etios at high revvs?

 

[Akash]

Thread Moved.

 

[350Z]

No doubt, Liva certainly is a very spacious hatchback but looks appear to be an odd one out. Anyways, precise review, basis. Can you elaborate more on the driving part too? Also after having this test drive, would you consider the Liva for purchase?

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[TSIVipul]

I too have TD'ed a Etios Liva once as I took mu Inno baby to the service center,the following are what I felt:-
As you open the front door,the two thing you notice are:-
1):A lot of space.
2):Really very easy access,I mean you really don't need to squeeze at all to enter the driver's seat.

The flimsy built of the car is felt even by shutting the door,the tinny voice really can be felt even by a first timer.

Okay,now let's start the car,turned the ignition on and oh-no,this cannot be a Toyota,still some NVH issues are persisting,or maybe the engine could be a bit more silent.Just press the gas and you will find the noise increasing insanely,I think this measure of cost cutting cannot be caught by everybody but since I play music at very low volume(mostly 9-10 max.)so its an issue for me.Just have a look at i20 1.4 or Swift or Ritz,you will understand what I wanna say.

Steering wheel is great to hold and i too lost my heart on it,thought of replacing it with my Innova's.

Now let's put it on move:
Whoa!!,Liva is really surprising,the gear box my be a bit notchy but but that powerful A/C had blown away all the heat,it can cool the cabin even faster than my Innova's one or far faster than my i10.We started moving,20,30-second gear 50,60-third gear 80,90,95-fourth gear 120,140,150,155 fifth gear 155 kph...after this I hasn't pushed the car further also it was taking years to move above 120 itself rest there were atill some revvs which were still to be harnessed but the Toyota guy sitting next to me said "Sir,I think now its getting dangerous",I simply asked him to tie his seat belts,firstly he asked me why?I suddenly applied the brakes and released so that he does not get hurted and then said him "Tie it soon,no its brake testing time" and he did it.
I looked into my ORVMs that no one was behind us,turned the steering a little,took the left lane and pressed the brake pedal as tight as I could by deciding a point to stop before it(the point was looking like unstoppable at a speed of 125)but to my surprise,the Liva stopped like a pro,now following are my observations of this drive:-
Handling:Is really great,not enthusiastic,but steering places the car where you want.
Ride:Is good and planted too till 130 kph,after that the car goes somewhat rebel-ish.
Suspension:Is simply great and works perfectly,but NVH levels are real convict,at elevated speeds you find that there is a lot of tyres,road and suspension noise in the cabin.
Comfort:Whatever it seems,but car is really comfy for the price.

 

[basis]

No doubt, Liva certainly is a very spacious hatchback but looks appear to be an odd one out. Anyways, precise review, basis. Can you elaborate more on the driving part too? Also after having this test drive, would you consider the Liva for purchase?

Drive Safe,
350Z

My laptop keyboard not not funtioning.. so I am replying in short for now.


well, I LOVE punto 1.3. So if I buy a diesel OFFcourse will buy punto.

In petrol I checked figo,fab,polo,i2o,liva.

fab has best interior and build quality. but highest TCO. so rejected. polo : overpriced,high TCO, cramp rare, 3 pot motor .... rejected, figo : vfm but hits the bumper,poor light,weak motor : rejected, i20 : poor ride, unstable,poor ac, rejected : being 920 kg car I thought will be same as ii20, but I was wrong.

1. very silent engine, cabin noise,
2. riding on humps on 3rd gear, smooth, in 10 km speed on 4th gear, no jerk,no engine issue. I am amazed.
4. gear change in 1 finger, driving in one hand,
5. break nice
6. ac too strong ,quick
7. driving all total too good

Yes, if I buy a petrol then Liva.

My intention to write these is to make the search easier for future car buyers.

 

[dodge_v1per]

great short review! can you also add pics??

 

[Vivian]

An accurate review by basis and TSIVipul
As an owner of a Liva the great things attracted to me are
1) Excellent braking
2) Silky smooth steering
3) Spacious interiors and boot
4) Quick acceleration from 2nd gear onwards
5) Quick chill A/C

 

[cooldhaya]

That was a pretty nice and precise review TSIVipul and Basis. Yes Liva scores high on practicality.


@ Basis I think the weak build quality of Liva can be ignored as well because none of the Japanese cars are known for their build quality.

 

[willismith]

Here is good information on Toyota Etios Liva. This information will helpful to all peopel who want to buy new car.

 

[atulvhale]

1) Excellent braking
2) Silky smooth steering
3) Spacious interiors and boot
4) Quick acceleration from 2nd gear onwards
5) Quick chill A/C

Impressive, What do you say about new Swift regardless of liva?

 

[basis]

Thanks to all for your reply.

No, I donot even consider Maruti as a good car maker. So Swift (the most ugly looking car ,IMO) is out of the consideration.

But after the new pricing for Jazz .....I must say It is better then Liva.

So, If Petrol then Honda Jazz (basic version)

and if diesel

then FIAT Punto 1.3 Emotion.

 

[Vivian]

Impressive, What do you say about new Swift regardless of liva?

New Swift is said to be a car with newly developed diesel platform while the older one were with a petrol platform with diesel engine. It may perform better on handling and the vibrations may not lead to maintenance.

But i don't buy a swift as it is too common on our roads. Instead i may go for the expensive Micra,Fabia,Polo or the upcoming Liva Diesel. In my point of view the New Vista is more VFM than Swift as swift increased it's price. The more pricey new swift is a bad move from maruti while the current swift has six month waiting periods.