Toyota Vios
Toyota ViosToyota Thailand

Japanese car maker Toyota has launched new Vios sedan with cosmetic upgrades in Thailand on January 23. The C-Segment sedan is one of the popular car models of the company in the emerging markets yet it has never shown interest in launching the model in India. However, emerging reports indicate that the new version is India-bound.

Also read: 2017 Toyota Vios sedan unveiled

Toyota is planning to launch the new Vios sedan in India by the end of 2017, reports The Nikkei Japan. Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), the Indian subsidiary of the Toyota Motor Corporation, has not made any announcements so far. However, Toyota started testing Vios in Indian roads and was caught in the act many times last year. Hence, the India arrival of the new Vios is quite possible this year.

In its latest avatar, the Toyota sedan gets a refreshed face now as it features a protruding nose akin to the recently unveiled Camry sedan. The front bumper is more sportier, thanks to the tweaks with more black section. New Vios also dons restyled LED head lights, front grille and 16-inch alloy wheel.

The interior is spruced up with climate control, steering-mounted audio controls, and a touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity. Higher spec variants are expected to get a dual-tone finish on the dashboard and door pads.

The Vios for India is expected to be powered by a 1.6-litre petrol and a 1.6-litre diesel engine. It will be imported from Thailand as completely knocked down unit (CKD) and will be assembled at Toyota India's manufacturing facility in Bangalore in the initial stage.

TKM has been planning to launch a new sedan between the entry-level sedan Toyota Etios and Corolla Altis segments for a while. If the company goes ahead with Vios, it will go up against the likes of Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and Hyundai Verna in India.

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