Mystery Toyota Test Mule Could Be The Long-awaited C-Segment People-mover

• The C-segment MPV will have a badge-engineered Suzuki cousin.  

• Plans for the MPV were first revealed in 2019. 

• It’s expected to arrive on our shores in 2023. 

• Could be priced from Rs 12 lakh onwards. 

A new test mule has been spied that indicates that Toyota has a smaller MPV in the works. It’lll slot below the Innova in the carmaker’s lineup, and will rival people carriers such as the Kia Carens and Maruti Suzuki XL6. It’s expected to reach the market sometime in 2023, possibly priced from Rs 12 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards. 

Despite the heavy camouflage, it’s not hard to discern some exterior clues such as the alloy wheels with a 5-split spoke design. The split tail lamps have a swept-back design, and you can spot the wheel cladding over the front and rear wheel arches.

The carmaker first revealed plans for a C-segment MPV in 2019. The C-segment is a price-based niche occupied by sedans such as the Honda City and Skoda Slavia, alongside compact SUVs (Hyundai Creta and its rivals) and the MPVs already mentioned above.

Later in 2020, Toyota told us that its market research showed a shifting focus from sedans to MPVs in the C-segment. According to sources in the know, the MPV will be designed and developed by Toyota. It’ll be manufactured at the carmaker’s Bengaluru facility for both Maruti Suzuki and Toyota.

Also read: 

• Toyota Glanza Hatchback Set To Get CNG Variant Soon Alongside The Maruti Suzuki Baleno 

• This Could Be The Next-gen Toyota Innova MPV 

The upcoming C-segment MPV will be powered by a petrol engine, and it’s likely to be offered with a strong hybrid powertrain option. It’ll have a three-row seating layout and could be offered in 7-seater and 6-seater versions. 

It could be a while before we get a good look at the MPV since it’s expected to arrive sometime in 2023.

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