Toyota India is reportedly developing a new SUV for the Indian market and planning to set up a third manufacturing plant amid growing SUV demand.
The Mini Land Cruiser!
Who would have thought that cars like Jimny and Thar would push manufacturers like Toyota to develop lifestyle SUVs for the Asian market? In the past couple of years, the range of vehicles in India has grown unprecidentally, be it the launch of full EVs or strong hybrids. Now reports suggest that Toyota is developing a new SUV based on the Compact Cruiser EV Concept showcased earlier. It is expected to arrive in India in 2025. The concept car was a full-electric vehicle, but the report suggests that the upcoming SUV will have an ICE powertrain and will benefit from Toyota's hybrid technology later on.
It may feature similar boxy looks as the newly revealed 2024 Land Cruiser Prado, albeit in a mini avatar. Surprisingly, it could get a body-on-frame structure as opposed to a unibody TNGA structure, which translates into some serious off-roading capabilities. Dimensionally, it will be similar to the Corolla Cross, with a length well above 4 meters.
It is speculated that the upcoming SUV will be very similar to the Cruiser Concept, taking inspiration from the larger Prado. A tall boy design with circular LED headlamps and a large Toyota grill. At the rear, it may feature a tailgate-mounted spare wheel. In terms of engine, it may get a 2.0-liter petrol engine from the Corolla Cross and an all-wheel drive system as well. Toyota may showcase the SUV at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show next month.
Toyota's India future plans
Recent media reports suggest that Toyota is planning to expand its production capacity by 80,000 to 1,20,000 units. For this purpose, a new manufacturing plant is under consideration that will be Toyota's third in India. With a plan for a new SUV and growing sales of Suzuki and Toyota's shared products, the manufacturing facilities are working at full capacity. Currently, two-thirds of the cars manufactured by Toyota are sold by Suzuki. The new plant is aimed at increasing the current capacity by at least 30%, which stands at around 4 lakh cars for now.
Current Scenario
The global partnership between Toyota and Maruti Suzuki has helped both manufacturers boost their sales, but in India, Toyota has gained a lot since 40% of its sales currently come from cars originally built by Maruti Suzuki, like the Glanza and Hyryder SUV. Recently, Toyota had to stop bookings for the Ertiga-based Rumion MPV due to high demand. On the other hand, the models that are originally from Toyota are also selling well through Maruti's network.
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