SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

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Staying real: 2017 Toyota Etios Sprint Hatch

Looks almost expensive

Posted: 12 July 2017

The numbers
Price: R174 300
Engine: 1496 cc, DOHC, 16-valve, four-cylinder
Power: 66 kW at 5600 rpm
Torque: 132 Nm at 3000 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 11.3 seconds
Maximum speed: 165 km/h
Car magazine fuel index (no computer): 7.2 l/100 km
Tank: 45 litres
Luggage: 251 litres behind seats
Warranty: 3 years/100 000 km
Service plan: 2 years/30 000 km; at 10 000 km intervals
 
When your dad was a lad, people could tell similar cars apart. There were bootlid badges to identify each model as, for example, entry-level “1200 L” or range-topping “1600 GXE.” People are shyer now, preferring anonymity, but Toyota’s latest Etios line-up flouts convention.

The entry-level twins remain much the same, receiving just colour-coded grilles with chrome accents while retaining their Xi badges. Nobody could confuse Etios Cross with anything else, so that stays unchanged. It was the mid-range Xs models that underwent major facelifts to make them look younger, sexier and, dare we suggest it, slightly more expensive. Their rebirth name, post-surgery, is Sprint.

Key change is a new front bumper with a big lower air dam as its main focal point. This stretches right across the front and features integrated fog lamps with sculpted bezels and subtle graining to reinforce the air of quality. The lower grille, fashioned in matching black, uses sharp horizontal slats and faux carbon fibre patterning to reinforce its muscular theme. A distinctive wing-like motif, with the Toyota ellipse at its centre and broad chrome ‘brow’ form the top border of the upper grille.

Rear styling tweaks bring the design together. The reworked back bumper extends overall length by 109 mm on hatches and 104 mm on sedans, while an elegant lower crease flows from its outer corners and blends into the number plate recess. Topping it off, a carbon fibre-look ‘Sprint’ badge brings macho flair to the rear panel. Subtle interior changes make trim details more touchable and appealing.

New twin-spoke 15” alloy wheels fitted with 185/60R15 rubber complete the makeover. The new range comprises three hatchbacks; Xi, Sprint and Cross and two sedans; Xi and Sprint. All were recently awarded four-star GlobalNCAP safety ratings thanks to two airbags, ABS with EBD, pre-tensioning and force limiters for the front seatbelts, and strong construction.

We confess that, on first hearing about the Sprint version, we hoped it would have the 79-kilowatt and 140-Nm version of Toyota’s 2NR-FE engine, the one with VVT-i. Reasonable thought, surely, because “Sprint” suggests more power, right? Sadly it was not to be, although the original budget motor does a very good job. Like its stablemates it trots up to 100 km/h in just over 11 seconds and tops out at 165, all one really needs in a simple city car.

Torque peaks at 3000 rpm but the engine pulls willingly from about 2000, making it flexible and easy to drive. It maintained the posted 100 km/h up the long hills between Howick and Nottingham Road easily, for example and did the 120 km/h emergency roll-on quite comfortably.

Continuing the simplicity theme, Etios Sprint offers a single-channel air conditioner; a four-speaker radio and CD player with Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary; intermittent wipers; fog lamps; a full-size steel spare; height adjustment for the driver’s chair; button operated central locking and electric windows. There are no lights for the vanity mirrors or any in the boot. Air and music controls are straightforward while the steering wheel adjusts for height only and has no satellite buttons.

Improvements since we drove an Etios Cross in 2014 are a third head restraint for the rear seat and more accessible release tabs for the single-piece seatback. These can be reached and lifted quite easily from behind, so there is no longer any need to walk around the car to unlatch it in two stages. Less friendly, unfortunately, are very big outer headrests that disturb an otherwise excellent view rearward.

At just over R174 000, the Sprint hatchback gives you everything one can reasonably expect of a budget car at today’s prices. It’s fun to drive, it steers and parks easily thanks to a tight turning circle (9.6 metres) and its boot is adequate if not huge. Handsomer and neatly assembled, it also looks, as we said earlier, almost expensive.

Test unit from Toyota SA press fleet


For more background and driving impressions click on these links:

2012 Toyota Etios Xs sedan

2014 Toyota Etios Cross

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What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you completely disagree with what I say? If you want advice or have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.

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