2014 Toyota Etios Cross Test Drive Score Sheet

The Etios Cross has worked surprisingly well for Toyota so far, but can it retain these initial levels of interest?

The Etios Cross is a confused mix of things. It certainly has polarising looks. On the other hand, it has a Toyota badge and it drives quite well – and so it could be attracting customers just because it stands out. Plus, it’s priced well. But to call this machine a crossover is heresy.

The Etios Cross is just an Etios Liva hatchback that’s been given a few uninteresting design enhancements – by way of a plastic body kit and roof rails – in an attempt to make it look bulkier. What it actually does, though, is make it look more like a Tonka toy than a real car. And the interiors don’t really help take this car up the charts either.

And that’s quite unfortunate, because inherently this is actually quite a good machine. Dynamically, it’s quite well sorted – it darts into corners, and it’s extremely stable under braking. We drove the 1.4-litre diesel with 68bhp and 170Nm, and while the power isn’t exactly electric it wasn’t asthmatic either. The ride is quite good, and the chassis is stiff. Sure, it doesn’t exactly stir your soul or get you out of bed in the morning, but the Etios is a good, functional machine – and so is the Etios Cross by association.

The trouble with the Etios Cross is the fact that it’s simply trying too hard to be something it’s not. Having said that, it comes with Toyota levels of reliability and it’s economical as well. So, if you’re on a budget but want to be different – the Etios Cross could be worth a look. If you can get past the overdone plastic cladding that is…

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