Coming back? Report alleges Toyota Etios could return in 2025

Discontinued four years ago to make way for the Starlet, based on the Suzuki Baleno, a contrived report from India has alleged that Toyota could be re-introducing the Etios nameplate in 2025 as the 10th model from its partnership with Maruti Suzuki.

Expanding partnership

Signed back in 2019, the joint venture has so far spawned the Vitz based on the Celerio, the Starlet – known as the Glanza in India – derived from the Baleno, the Rumion from the Ertiga and most recently, the Urban Cruiser Taisor, known as the Starlet Cross in South Africa, that uses the Fronx as a base.

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Additionally, the Belta sedan shares its foundation with the Ciaz, while the flip side of the coin involves Toyota assembling the Urban Cruiser Hyryder as its Bidadi Plant based off of Suzuki’s C-platform that subsequently underpins the badge-engineered Grand Vitara.

In Europe, the Corolla Touring Sports estate and RAV4 are marketed as the Suzuki Swace and Across respectively, while the India-only Invicto MPV uses the TNGA-C platform and hybrid hardware from the Toyota Innova Hycross.

Sedan-only

In making its latest claim without any definite confirmation from either Maruti Suzuki or Kirloskar Motor that takes care of Toyota’s operations in India, cardekho.com alleges the supposed new Etios will be based on the new Suzuki DZire and therefore exclusively offered as a sedan.

A deliberate move so as not to clash or overlap with sales of the hatchback-only Starlet/Glanza, the publication states that subtle exterior remodelling will differentiate the Etios from the DZire externally, with the same likely to apply inside.

Introduced last month, the fourth generation DZire rides on the same updated Heartect platform as the new Swift, with motivation coming from a choice of two engines; the new normally aspirated three-cylinder 1.2-litre Z12E petrol producing of 60kW/112Nm, or a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) adapted version of the same engine developing 51kW/102Nm.

By comparison, the Etios, which carried the Liva suffix on hatchback models in India, had the option of a normally aspirated 1.2-litre petrol, a 1.4-litre D-4D turbodiesel and outside of India, a normally aspirated 1.3-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre petrol – the latter having been the sole option for South Africa where it made 66kW/132Nm.

Yes, no? More likely to come

For the moment, the publication’s claims should be taken with a pinch of salt based not only on the lack of clarity by Toyota and Suzuki, but on an absence of spy images or any postings on social media showing the supposed new Etios undergoing testing.

If accurate, though, expect possible details, and sightings, to emerge early next year.

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