The subcompact section just like, the mini and the micro, is facing a major crunch over the past few years. Not so long ago these were the go to cars for the Indian audience but overtime as investments were made into the SUV models, ideal vehicle for Indian joint families, they ate into the smaller car market share. However, this doesn’t mean that the segment is one which any company can ignore. It commands a significant amount of market share and is still relevant. Toyota Glanza, the first joint venture between Maruti and Toyota, hopes to make it in the segment which is currently dominated by the likes of Maruti Swift, Maruti Alto and Hyundai i20. The car is revived from the 1973 model of Toyota, The Toyota Starlet and its major design comes in from the Maruti Baleno. The car launched back in June of 2019 has managed to generate a lot of buzz. Let us take a closer. Toyota has seen major growth in the Indian market in the past few years with 2018 being a particularly great one as they registering a 9% jump with sales of 151,000 passenger vehicles, compared with the industry average of 5.5%. Let us take a closer look at the car as to how will the combination of Toyota and Maruti works out.
EXTERIOR
The car has looks a lot like the Maruti Baleno. The car has almost similar exteriors and it would take great observational abilities to differentiate between the two. In fact it would not be an exaggeration to say that the only difference between the two might be the name tag. Baleno was, by some critiques, described as one of the best designed Maruti car. So it really is not surprising that the same model was carried forward. Even the assemble line for the two was the same. At 3995mm long and 1745mm wide, just like the Baleno, Glanza is a large car. However, it is not the only thing that will get your attention. The rest of the elements are almost same. The headlights, similar in shape to the ones on the Swift, but smaller and with a lot more detailing inside with top-spec test car having projector elements and daytime-running lights. The same wing-mirrors, mounted on the door rather than the pillar to cut the wind noise. And also the rich-looking, chrome-finished door handles and the large glass area which is quite distinctive with the neat quarter window. However, what is different is the grille used. It is a bit smarter and instead of the Maruti Logo has the Toyota Batch. But the changes are very minute so one might easily miss them.
Interior
This again is heavily picked from the Maruti Baleno. Everything, starting from the dashboard layout, materials and design are taken as is from the Baleno. On the center of the dashboard is Toyota's version of the Smart Play, called the Smart Playcast, which again. It is an infotainment system which has both Apple and Android connectivity. It looks as if the makers were seriously not interested in making any changes as the car carries the same no in-car navigation. Adding it would have made a real difference. The seats at the front are broad and well supported The back utilizes its size and hence has a very free legroom and width. Just like the Baleno, storage boot is a bit weak. The loading lip of the boot is high and the light build of the doors make it look as if it won’t stand heavy weight. It is something that the makers should have paid attention to but just like in car navigation this was ignored. Overall, just like Baleno, the inside is great. The space is a USP for the vehicle in this segment.
Driving
Driving in this segment matter because the driver usually is the purchaser. The target audience includes office workers who use cars as a regular mode of transport. It also needs to make sure the comfort of people sitting behind as middle class families usually have someone sitting behind. Making comfort important. The car at the same time is huge. It expects a certain amount of skill set from the driver but to make sure the travelling is smooth across city co-operation is expected from the machine. The ride, just like the Baleno, is mature and calm. It manages to fulfill all the checkmarks more or less. Complimenting the energy led set-up is the info screen in the instrument panel telling you when the battery is charging or discharging. It is mid-range where the drag begins. There are several performance enhancements in the Glanza when compared to the Baleno. Which is amazing as driving was one factor where Baleno hadn’t scored full marks. The steering seems to have been improved marginally, and the ride on the 195/55 R16 tyres is as good as ever. The car's bump absorption characteristics have also seen an improvement, hence taking up the ride quality for passengers up by several notches.
Should I buy One
The most difficult question arguably today is what should one buy: Baleno or the Glanza. The two are almost same and offer everything that a buyer might look for in this segment. Both are spacious, offer comfortable driving, have great features and overall provide a pleasant experience. However, Glanza is prized at a more competitive range when it comes to the mid-hybrid version, which offers every major feature. It also is more fuel efficient. Giving it a slight edge. Overall both the cars are great and going with either would not be wrong. One thing to take note of is that there were several places where the car could have improved. Slight change in some points could have made Glanza an amazing, almost perfect car. It is a bit unfortunate that the makers decided to not try a bit of creativity, despite the fact that there was a lot of space for it. This lack of innovation is a bit off-putting. Overall a great car though.