The Toyota Etios small sedan concept will be unveiled at the Delhi Auto Expo (World’s largest auto show) scheduled to begin next week. Toyota will also showcase the hatchback version of the Etios at the show and both the vehicles will go into production at the end of 2010.

The Etios series would be produced first in India and then across the world. Codenamed EFC (Economical Family Car) it has been in development for the last few years in Japan. Through Etios, Toyota is trying to establish a better footprint in emerging markets like China, India, Brazil and probably Russia.

Toyota’s management in India told us back in July during the refreshed Camry’s launch that the Etios would not sport a very contrasting design since the Indian market is flooded with hatchbacks of various designs. The vehicle’s strength would be high quality, superior ownership experience and high resale value, they added.

Etios, which means ‘the origin of’ unlike many other concept cars, is 90 percent the production model. It will come in both petrol and diesel engines – 1.4-liter diesel engine adopted from the Yaris hatchback and 1.2 or 1.3-liter petrol engine.