As someone in the market for a car, a day spent with the Toyota team in the all new Etios Cross gave me a glimpse into the kind of life I could live. The kind of adventurous life that I crave.
Intrigued by South Africa as a whole – mostly the inner city; its past, present, potential, growth and future, I could see myself exploring it all in an Etios Cross. As one of Toyota’s best-selling models, the Etios’s urban crossover revamp with SUV design elements might just steal the spotlight from its predecessor. Fuelled by a market need for affordability (while keeping the public transport user in mind) affordability was a key factor in developing this little number. Although, judging from the sporty and rugged image, Toyota clearly had the boys in mind. The same could be said for most of the six colours that the car comes in.
The inside sticks to the seemingly modern approach to dashboards and interior design. Toyota managed to pull that off while keeping it quite appealing. Even before the briefing, I noticed all the compartments that they had made available for drinks – seven to be exact. The Toyota team also decided to throw a cooling function into the glove compartment to keep those drinks cool.
What sold me however was the Bluetooth radio with USB connectivity and CD/MP3 capabilities as well as the fact that the car can comfortably seat 5 adults. Toyota have made provisions for how the modern road-user consumes music without them having to purchase any external add-ons for the vehicle.
But the facts remain;
– 1.5 litre petrol engine (but Toyota will not make a diesel option available – all for the sake of keeping it affordable for the consumer)
– Five-speed manual gear box
– From stationary to 100 Km/h in 11.3 seconds
– Top speed of 165 Km/h
– Consumes roughly 6 litres of petrol per 100 km’s
During what they deem their “most outrageous launch for one of their most outrageous models,” I saw an entirely new side of Johannesburg. From O.R Tambo, along the proverbial ‘scenic route’ – without a building in sight – to the chic, industrial side of Newtown, the misunderstood Hillbrow and back to O.R Tambo, we didn’t need to stop and refuel. There was still actually quite a bit left in the tank at the end of the day.
Perfect for the young urbanite that craves adventure without having to break the bank, the Etios Cross comes with ToyotaCare’s two-year/30 000km service plan and three-year/100 000km warranty.
Most importantly, you can get the Etios Cross 1.5 XS hatch from just R127 800.00. Check out the Toyota South Africa page for details on how to get your hands on this fresh ride.
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