What are they to live with?
From the driver?s seat
Mahindra Logan 3/5
Comfortable but controls take getting used to
Toyota Etios 4/5
Unique dash is easy to use, mediocre plastics
SLIDE INTO THE Etios? driver?s seat through the large door and you see a flat-bottomed steering wheel. The leather-wrapped wheel (on the VX) feels good to hold. The instrument binnacle placed in the centre of the dashboard is sure to split opinion. While some will find it odd, others might feel it is funky. Nonetheless, it is a unique design, unlike anything you?ve seen before. You get a big speedometer with the revcounter next to it. However, the fonts are not too friendly to read on the go. The AC vents are placed unconventionally as well. However, in its bid to cut costs, Toyota has used thin and flat seats with fixed headrests. The front seats offer good underthigh and lower back support even for long journeys. The tall headrests though block the view of the passengers behind.
The dashboard controls on the Etios are easy to use. In terms of equipment you get the basics; there is no auto AC or electrically operated mirrors. The red upholstery is a bit of a shocker, especially considering the family buyer the Etios is aimed at. What?s more, the red gearknob looks quite garish and the overall quality of plastics and other materials is poor.
Like its exterior, the Logan?s cabin is boxy, which makes it less attractive than the Etios? interior. The front seats are comfortable, but there is no steering wheel adjust. The instrumentation on the Toyota midsizer is clear and easy to read but looks a bit dull and outdated. The rotary AC vents, which can be fully shut, give great control over air flow.
The Logan?s quality isn?t great but is a clear step ahead of the Etios. Everything feels better put together than the Toyota and you feel this car will hold up better over the years.
The beige colour in the Logan?s cabin makes it feel airy as well. But ergonomics are an issue. In a bid to keep costs low, the manufacturer has failed to adapt the controls for a right-hand-drive car. The indicator stalks, AC controls and even bonnet release are all configured for a left- hand-drive car. Also, the front power window switches are inconveniently placed on the dashboard and the rear ones are oddly placed behind the handbrake.
SPACE AND PRACTICALITY
Mahindra Logan 4/5
Good room for five but dull interiors
Toyota Etios 4/5
Comfortable, plenty of cubbyholes, massive boot
TOYOTA HAS MANAGED to give substantial cabin space inside the Etios. Legroom and headroom are in abundance and even tall passengers will love this midsizer. Its generous 1695mm width along with the low central tunnel at the rear makes it a good five-seater. Middle seat passengers at the rear will be comfortable on long journeys too. What adds to the comfort is the perfect angle of the seatback, which ensures a perfect sitting posture. As a result, you won?t feel tired even after many hours in the rear seat.
The Etios cabin is very high on practicality with plenty of cubbyholes. The huge glovebox is deep and wide and can hold a small bag. The door pockets are large enough to hold plenty of items, including full-sized water bottles. There is even space in front of the instrument cluster to keep work files and flat objects there ? a brilliant touch. And the 595-litre boot is massive by any standards as well.
The Logan, at 1740mm, is wider than the Etios but doesn?t feel as roomy as the Toyota. Still, there is a good amount of space inside the cabin. Like the Etios, the Logan too offers generous amounts of headroom and legroom. The rear seat is wide and comfortable though it is a bit flat. The three headrests at the rear are an indication that the Logan can seat three abreast at the rear as well, but the backseat doesn?t feel as comfortable as the Etios.
While the Logan is practical in its own right, it is not brilliant. You get a big scoop above the glovebox for storage and two cupholders below the centre console. The door pockets aren?t as voluminous as the Etios and can best hold papers or magazines. The Logan?s 510-litre boot is good enough for most needs.
What are they like to drive?
Performance & Refinement
Mahindra Logan 4/5
Adequate power, good refinement too
Toyota Etios 5/5
Peppy engine and crisp gearbox
The Etios? 1.5-litre motor comes with four valves per cylinder and produces a respectable 90bhp of power. This figure may seem modest but when you factor in the fact that the Etios weighs only 930kg, this 90bhp actually feels like it?s up there with some 100bhp saloons in terms of performance. That?s simply because power is available from low engine speeds and goes all the way to the engine?s redline.
This linear nature of the Etios engine ensures that you are never left wanting for more power. Progress is rapid too, with zero to 100kph coming up in a brisk 11.38 seconds, while 20-80kph takes 11.77sec. The relatively short gearing is also a big contributor to this performance. The slick and precise gearbox is a delight to operate. However, you won?t need to shift gears constantly because the Etios? engine, which is impressively flexible, pulls very well even from low engine revs.
If there is one department where the Etios fails to impress, it is in engine noise levels. As the revs rise, the 1.5-litre motor becomes very vocal, which can get disconcerting on long drives. The buzzy engine is not helped by the fact that there is little high quality damping, which simply allows a lot of engine noise to enter the cabin. Clearly, it?s a cost-cutting measure by Toyota which wanted to ensure that the Etios is as cost-competitive as possible.
The Logan, which has been around for a few years, now comes with a 1.4-litre petrol engine. This unit produces 75bhp, which is 15bhp less than the Etios. But the Logan, with its 1040kg kerb weight, weighs well over 100kg more than the Etios. Power is just about right for city driving but with a full payload of passengers and their luggage, you will wish that it had a few more horses up its sleeve. The Logan impresses with its smooth and effortless power delivery but it isn?t in the league of the Etios? crisp, lively engine. The Logan?s engine is easy to drive around town and the light and easy to operate gearbox makes town driving an easy affair. What blunts its performance is the fact that the gear ratios aren?t as close as the Etios?. This relatively long gearing means that acceleration is moderate and the Logan?s progress is visibly slower than the brisk Etios.
Also, the engine needs to be revved a bit to get it going. The Logan feels a touch lazy below the 1500rpm mark. But the light clutch is easy to operate.
Where the Logan impresses hugely over the Etios is in the refinement department. The engine is fairly quiet at city speeds and even on the highway, with the motor turning at around 2500rpm, things remain calm inside the cabin.
Ride & Handling
Mahindra Logan 4/5
Supple ride makes it ideal for Indian conditions
Toyota Etios 4/5
Harsh low speed ride, handling not sharp either
The LOGAN IS a car with very good road manners but it is in the ride and handling department where this car truly excels. And the stiff chassis ensures that body control is very good. Low speed ride is a bit harsh but not uncomfortably so. The suspension travel is generous and this, coupled with the good ground clearance, ensures that even tall speedbreakers won?t really trouble the Logan. You will be able to drive over them without fear of grounding the car and damaging the body. The Logan?s steering may not be sharp enough to be called involving or sporty but it more than makes up with consistent feedback. Grip levels are good and the Logan will follow your line gamely through corners. The Logan?s straightline stability is good too, which means that high speed driving inspires confidence. Though some road noise does enter the cabin, it never gets irritatingly obtrusive.
The Etios has been set up to breeze through town rather than carve up twisty roads. The light steering requires little effort but it?s not quick and doesn?t offer enough feel. It also feels dead around the straight-ahead position. But the light steering combined with the car?s low weight ensures that the Etios is nimble to drive around town, making city driving a breeze. The Toyota saloon?s tight turning circle and light weight give the Etios an agility about town that no other midsizer in its segment has.
Despite its low kerb weight, the Etios feels pretty stable on the highway, ensuring that long journeys with the family will be a comfortable affair in this car. The vice-free handling and reassuring braking also give you a feeling of confidence when driving on the highway.
The Etios? stiff suspension though lets some bumps enter the cabin when the car is driven in the city at slow speeds. Another irritant is the fact that some tyre and wind noise make their presence felt as speeds build up.
Will they break the bank?
Buying & owning
Mahindra Logan 4/5
Cheaper to buy but resale value poor
Toyota Etios 5/5
Good value for a Toyota
SINCE BOTH THESE cars are aimed at the value end of the midsize market, it is understandable that they are equipped with just the basic features. The Etios? higher versions though are better specced than the Logan?s top-end GLX. The Etios G is priced at R6.09 lakh (on-road, Delhi), which is only R40,000 more than the similarly specced Logan GLX. The Etios gets features like automatic conditioner, four power windows and a rev counter. The V version comes with a stereo, steering-mounted controls, ABS and airbags.
The Logan GLX tested here costs R5.69 lakh (on-road, Delhi) and comes with the basic equipment like power windows, power steering and air-conditioning. But there?s not much in safety equipment. Mahindra will offer you a warranty of two years/50,000km which can be extended by two years. You will have to pay around R6,500 for the first year/75,000km and R12,000 for two years/1,00,000km. Toyota offers a warranty package of three years/1,00,000km, which comes as standard. There is no extended warranty beyond this.
Mahindra Logan GLX
List price: R5.01 lakh
3/5
For: Solid build, comfortable ride
Against: Boxy looks, poor resale values
Verdict: Spacious and comfortable but looks dated now
The range round-up
The Mahindra Logan is available with two engine options ? a 1.4-litre four-cylinder unit with 75bhp and a 1.5-litre diesel with 65bhp. There are two variants with the petrol engine and three on the diesel. The 1.4 GLE petrol and 1.5 DLE diesel are priced at R4.76 lakh and R5.67 lakh, respectively, and equipped with AC, power steering, tachometer, halogen headlamps and child safety locks.
The next in line is the 1.4 GLX/ 1.5 DLX (petrol/diesel). The GLX is priced at R5.01 lakh while the
DLX costs R5.97 lakh. The GLX/
DLX gets all the features of the previous version along with internally adjustable ORVM, power windows, central locking, boot spoiler and Driver Information
System.
The diesel gets an additional version called 1.5 DLSX which gets ABS (with EBD), driver airbag, keyless entry, front fog lamps, remote locking, rear defogger, driver seat height adjuster, single CD MP3 player, theatre dimming interior lights and lumbar support for the driver.
Unfortunately, the petrol does not get this version and hence does not get any safety features which come standard on the diesel DLSX.
Toyota Etios G
List price: R5.46 lakh 4/5
For: Peppy engine, comfortable cabin, big boot
Against: Some cheap plastics Verdict: Ticks all the boxes for entry midsize car owners
The range round-up
The Etios receives four specification levels, all with the same four-cylinder, manual 1.5-litre petrol engine.
The range rises from J, through G, V and up to the top-of-the-line VX model. The base J variant includes good options as standard such as a digital tripmeter, body-coloured bumpers, full-wheel caps, cooled glovebox, AC and internally adjustable outer-rearview mirrors for under R5 lakh, The G gets power windows, power steering, central locking and tilt steering, along with airbags, ABS with EBD as optional extras. The price of the Etios G variant is R5.46 lakh.
Both the V and VX versions are similar, with dual-tone interior, alloy wheels, rear defogger, tachometer, 1-CD/MP3 player along with airbags and ABS with EBD as standard.
The sportier options are reserved for the VX which features styling upgrades such as side skirts, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a chrome gear knob. The steering wheel also gets audio controls.
The V retails at R6.41 lakh and the VX is priced at R6.86 lakh.
All models, including the base J, get safety features as standard, comprising an immobiliser and door-ajar warning.
The Verdict
BOTH THESE CARS come from the same school of thought. They try to provide maximum value for money. Both have been cleverly engineered as well to keep costs low. The Logan, which has been around for almost five years now, has its strengths. It feels (marginally) more solid than the Etios. The ride quality is comfortable and the cabin, though nothing terrific in design, is made from better plastics. The 1.4-litre engine might not pack a punch like the Etios but it is more refined. What?s more, it?s cheaper too. But the Logan clearly is the outdated car here and also lacks the ?feel good? factor. What lets it down is the fact that it feels like a compromise rather than a car you would buy willingly.
The Etios has strengths where you want them. It looks and feels modern. The engine is nice and peppy to drive and the light controls and tight turning radius make it a nimble handler around town. Yes, the cabin plastics and thin seat padding make it feel built to a price but once you realise how roomy and comfortable the cabin is, you will be willing to overlook the low-rent bits. The huge 595-litre boot aids practicality immensely.
The Etios is priced well too and Toyota includes the basic safety kit as well. Being a Toyota almost automatically ensures bullet-proof reliability and strong resale values. Most importantly, the Etios has a feel-good factor which the dated Logan lacks. In this comparison, it?s clearly the winner. In fact, it is one of the best value-for-money deals you can find across any class.