Toyota-badged Ertiga, Ciaz In The Making For India

• Ertiga and Ciaz to join Baleno and Vitara Brezza in Toyota’s India lineup soon.
• Current-gen Ertiga could be the first Toyota-badged model from Suzuki. 
• Toyota’s version of the Ciaz is likely to be based on the next-gen sedan.

After signing a deal in 2017 to collaborate on sharing platforms and developing EVs, Japanese giants Toyota and Suzuki have now revealed that apart from the Baleno and the Vitara Brezza, Toyota will also sell rebadged versions of the Ertiga MPV and the Ciaz sedan in India.

Disclosing its detailed plans today, Toyota’s president Akio Toyoda said, “We believe that the expansion of our business partnership with Suzuki--from the mutual supply of vehicles and powertrains to the domains of development and production--will help give us the competitive edge we will need to survive this once-in-a-century period of profound transformation.”

While the carmaker hasn’t hinted at the timeline for the launch of the rebadged versions of the two cars, we expect the Ertiga to be the first Suzuki to be sold under the Toyota brand as it is the latest car from Maruti Suzuki to go through a generation change. The first gen Ciaz, on the other hand, was launched in 2014, and thus Toyota might look at using the next gen model, which could be launched in 2020.

Toyota already has a C-segment sedan in India in the form of the Yaris. Thus, it would be interesting to see how the two coexist in India. Just like the Baleno and the Vitara Brezza, which will undergo changes such as a redesigned grille and revamped interiors, expect the Ciaz and the Ertiga to follow suit as well.

While the Baleno will help Toyota improve its footing in the premium hatchback segment in India, the Ertiga will slot below the Innova Crysta as a more affordable MPV in Toyota’s lineup. Similarly, the rebadged Vitara Brezza will also be the first sub-4 metre SUV from Toyota in the country.

On the flipside, Suzuki will launch a rebadged version of the Toyota Corolla in India, making it the carmaker’s first premium D-segment sedan since the departure of the short-lived Kizashi.

Apart from rebadging their vehicles, Toyota and Suzuki will also co-develop hybrid and battery electric vehicles to be sold in India, with local manufacturing of HEV systems, engines, and batteries in the country.

Also Read: Electric Cars Under Rs 15 Lakh to Benefit From Govt’s FAME-II Scheme