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Preview: Toyota's funky Etios Cross in SA

JOHANNESBURG - Toyota launched a rugged(ish) Etios Cross in South Africa on Tuesday (July 15). Wheels24 editor LES STEPHENSON attended the launch in Newtown, Johannesburg and gave us an early peek at the new model.
Let's get it straight right away: this is no bundu-basher or desert-crosser - it's merely a normal Etios 1.5 Xs, complete with the minor upgrades given to the range earlier in 2013.

The difference comes with the add-ons in the form of side-cladding, bigger rims and tyres, a mucho-macho grille and nose reinforcement bar.

RENAULT STEPWAY COMPETITOR

The car has also adopted refreshed front and rear light clusters and added a piano-black finish to the compact centre console.

IMAGE GALLERY: Toyota Etios Cross

As I said, no attempt at off- or even bad-gravel-road travel but there is a marginal ride-height increase thanks to its bigger rims and the factory installed, slightly raised, suspension included on all Etios models exported from India to, well, Third World countries.

And the price? R159 800, one model only, in a choice of six colours, two of them exclusive to the Etios Cross, and including Cross-specific embroidered seats.

Toyota SA is hoping for sales of 120 a month and, frankly, I see no reason why they shouldn't achieve that. The 1.5 DOHC engine has plenty of power delivered through only a five-speed manual gearbox.

'Cross' seems to be the in-name for small, allegedly rugged, hatches. Fiat will in September 2014 release its Fiat Panda Cross. Read all about it here.

More details and image gallery on Wheels24.co.za soonest.
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