Toyota has put the Etios under the
microscope and improved upon its weaknesses.
What’s new?
Practicality, comfort and ease of use –
that’s the brief for the two cars you see here. Both have been around for a
while and both come from totally different backgrounds. The Etios is Toyota’s
economical family car (EFC) for developing markets and the company has shown
clinical efficiency in paring down costs. This line of thinking has worked
against the company - customers, even those looking for a basic Toyota, have
certain expectations and the original Etios fell short by some margin,
especially on the interiors and refinement fronts. It’s why Toyota has gone
back to the drawing board and come up with this version of the Etios, which is
the car it should have launched in the first place. It may not look new but
there are a whole host of changes under the skin that help it raise its game.
Toyota
Etios VD SP vs Tata Manza EXL
The Manza, on the other hand, is a Tata
through and through, and that means it’s been unbeatable on size-for-price.
However, it wasn’t particularly plush or exciting and that’s where this Manza
EXL comes in. Tata has loaded It with features and smothered the interiors with
upmarket materials, and this has worked wonders for the car.
So, given that these are budget saloons, we
are looking for the car that gives you the most bang for your buck, the car that
feels more premium.
What are they like to drive?
Toyota Etios: 3/5
Tata Manza EXL: 4/5
The Etios is powered by a 1.4-liter
common-rail turbo-diesel engine that makes a modest 68bhp. It weighs just
1020kg, and hence that modest power output is more than enough to propel it to
100k phin a respectable 15.9sec.Moreimportantly though, the Etios’ diesel
engine is responsive with very little throttle lag, so it’s easy to drive in
the city. Little taps on the accelerator result in measured increments in the
rate of acceleration. And, the Aclutch is light, so changing gears is a relaxed
experience, also helped by the light, positive gearshift action.
Tata
Manza EXL
That said, it does feel out of breath on
the highway and this is exacerbated if you’re travelling with a full load on
board. Also, A Toyota has worked on cutting down the engine’s noise and
vibrations by replacing the Etios’ rubber engine mounts with more flexible
hydraulic mounts. While this has improved things over the old car, the engine
still gets quite raucous when it is revved.
The Manza has a more refined engine. The
89bhp, 1.3-liter, engine is a lot quieter than the Etios all the way from idle
to its rev limit. That said, the Manza isn’t as easy to drive as the Etios
because there is considerable throttle lag. Where the Toyota responds well from
low engine speeds, the Tata waits till the engine is spinning at around 2800rpm
before you can feel the full effect of the 89bhp. The Manza feels more
effortless once you get to speed, so it is the better highway car. It is also quicker
to 100kph than the Etios. Its time of 14.5sec is over a second quicker than the
Toyota’s. This is impressive considering the Manza weighs close to 200kg more
than the Etios.
Ride & handling
Toyota Etios: 3/5
Tata Manza EXL: 4/5
The Manza’s ride is really good. It’s very
competent at absorbing the jagged edges and sharp bumps that Mumbai’s roads
throw up, and the suspension is very refined, adding to that feeling of
composure. At higher speeds, the ride is flat and the long-travel suspension
absorbs bumps without throwing the car off line. As for the Etios, Toyota
recently tweaked the dampers and this has improved the ride considerably. Sharp
edges are rounded off well but it still makes small, sharp vertical movements
over uneven surfaces. Like the Manza, the Etios is quite composed at speed and
the suspension is much quieter than before as well. Still, it’s the Manza’s
ride quality, that’s easily the better of the two.
Tata
Manza EXL
Around town, the Etios’ light steering and
smaller dimensions make it easier to drive. Visibility is good and the car
feels a touch narrower than the Manza – a boon when you’re in tight traffic.
The Manza, on the other hand, has a heavier steering and a high dashboard that
makes it a tad more difficult to judge where the car’s extremities lie.
Neither car is particularly exciting to
drive, but if we had to choose with a gun to our heads, it would be the Manza.
It’s the one with the better body control and better steering feel at speed.
