As a part of Suzuki and Toyota’s partnership, their Indian subsidiary will share the Baleno, Vitara Brezza and Corolla Altis. Of the three cross-badged models, the SUV is unlikely to go on sale anytime before 2020.
N Raja, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, has revealed the latest development. Speaking to Autocar India, Raja, said: “The Vitara Brezza is part of our future plans.” Being more specific, he said that the sub-4 metre SUV “is for next year or the year after.” The launch timeline “is yet to be decided.”
TKM’s decision to not launch its version of the Maruti Vitara Brezza before 2020 doesn’t seem like a good move. The sub-compact SUV will become quite dated by the time it decides to bring it to the market. Introduced it in early 2016, the Ford EcoSport slayer will become four years old at the start of 2020.
The Toyota-badged Vitara Brezza will have a few visual changes, including a differently designed grille, bumpers, and lights. Sheet metal changes would bump the costs beyond the level TKM would want to invest in the product, and so, expect minor cosmetic tweaks only.
By the time Toyota’s version is launched, the original SUV will have swapped the FCA-developed 1.3-litre DDiS 200 diesel engine with the all-new, in-house developed E15A 1.5-litre DDiS 225 diesel engine. The old engine is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission, while the all-new engine is likely to channel power to the wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission. No mechanical differences are expected between the versions.
Also Read: 2019 Maruti Baleno vs. 2016 Maruti Baleno - Old vs. New
The Toyota-badged Baleno is confirmed to go on sale in the second half of this year. Reports say that Maruti Suzuki’s version of the Corolla Altis is also scheduled to reach showrooms this year.
[Source: autocarindia.com]
