The Toyota Yaris is a very popular supermini in Europe with its fourth generation being among the best sellers. The situation is quite different in India though, where Toyota decided to phase out the Yaris due to slow sales. As a reminder, the U.S. got a different kind of Yaris based on the Mazda2 that was also phased out last year.
Toyota launched the Yaris in India in 2018 exclusively in sedan form. The three-box model was a third-generation Yaris XP150, known as the Yaris Ativ or the Vios in most Asian markets, which was launched in 2013 and facelifted in 2016. The car was fitted with a 1.5-liter petrol engine sending power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox or a CVT, and it offered plenty of safety equipment for the segment.
See Also: Toyota Yaris Sedan And Hatch Get Axed From The U.S. Market
In three years’ time, Toyota managed to sell only 19,784 units of the Yaris in India, including fleet sales. This number is not enough to justify the model’s presence in a segment that’s dominated by the likes of the Honda City, Hyundai Verna, and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and is also shrinking as customers flee to SUVs.
According to The Economic Times, a Toyota spokesperson said: “Toyota Kirloskar Motor announces the discontinuation of Yaris in India with effect from 27th Sep 2021. This move is a part of Toyota’s product strategy to continue to cater to the ever-evolving needs of the customer through enhanced technologies and product offerings”. Toyota assured owners that spare parts for the discontinued Yaris will be available for at least 10 years.
Autocar India reports that Toyota will most likely launch a rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz as a Yaris replacement sometime in the coming months. It is not clear if this model will bear the Yaris nameplate or get a new name. Toyota also offers the similarly-sized Glanza hatchback, which is a rebadged Maruti Suzuki Baleno, and the Urban Cruiser SUV that’s based on the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. On a similar note, Suzuki is selling rebadged Toyota models in Europe, including the the Swace and the Suzuki Across that are based on the Toyota Corolla Sport Tourer and RAV4 respectively.
