Toyota Etios hatchback ups its street-cred with new Sport model

By Ané Theron

Toyota's Etios hatch is a much-loved garage staple of many a South African. But does he or she buy the Etios because of its suave looks and its ability to impress the opposite sex? Not exactly. The real reason behind its successful sales figures is because it's a Toyota, containing all the right ingredients such as reliability, safety, good resale value, and an extensive dealer network. But what if the Etios could be dolled up to look a little more desirable?

A hot new look

With the latest Etios Sport, Toyota did just that. This new limited-edition model gains a striking dual-tone paintjob, with the subtly-rippled roof in black, and the hatchback's body in either 'Glacier' White or a spicy 'Retro Red'. Along with various matching black trimmings such as the front grille, side mirror caps, cute spoiler in the rear, and silver 'Sport' badging on the boot-lid, the Etios Sport looks a fair bit funkier than before. A striking alloy wheel design (carried over from the Etios Cross) adds some more visual flair. The end result? A Toyota Etios hatch with a brand new attitude!

Standard spec

The Etios Sport is equipped with front fog lamps, dual airbags, ABS and EBD. On the entertainment side, a four-speaker radio/sound system with CD player, bluetooth connectivity and a USB port will keep you and your passengers rocking. The new 'Optitron' instrument cluster with orange backlighting adds more zest to the centre dash. Overall, the Etios's interior is not going to knock your socks off, with the same budget-looking hard, black plastic that covers the upper section of the dash. The lower section is a smoother-looking grey plastic that feels better underneath your fingertips. But in the end there are other things that are more important to consumers, like plenty of space on the rear bench (with a proper, three-point seatbelt for the middle passenger) and ample room in the 251-litre boot. The Etios scored the highest rating for adult passenger safety of all SA's entry-level cars with four stars - even higher than the previous-generation Polo Vivo.

Zipping around town

The Etios's biggest strength still lies in its peppy and rev-happy 1.5-litre engine, with a very decent 66 kW and 132 Nm. Even though the Sport-moniker doesn't refer to anything but the Etios's glossy cosmetic parts, it remains a vivacious and fun-to-drive entry-level city runabout, which is just as confident on the open road.

Being naturally aspirated, its longevity is guaranteed - in other words, treat your Etios with respect, and its powertrain will last you a lifetime.

Etios pricing

Toyota Etios 1,5 Xi hatch: R171 000

Toyota Etios 1,5 Sprint hatch: R176 300

Toyota Etios 1,5 Sport hatch: R178 800


Toyota Etios 1,5 Xi sedan: R179 500

Toyota Etios 1,5 Sprint sedan: R184 400

Toyota Etios Cross 1,5 Xs hatch: R198 400

The Etios Sport is covered by a three-year/100 000 km warranty and a two-year/30 000 km service plan (with 10 000 km intervals).