Is Toyota Glanza the Best Premium Hatchback Under Rs 10 Lakh in India?

Hatchbacks have been the lifeline of India for over two decades now. From the humble beginnings of the Maruti 800, this segment has come a long way. And the latest entrants in this highly competitive segment are the ‘Premium Hatchbacks’.

As of May 2023, premium hatchbacks have taken over the best-selling spot in the Indian car market with average sales of 15,000-20,000 units every month.

After failing in the market with the Etios Liva, Toyota Kirloskar Motors made a comeback in this segment with the Glanza. One of the latest additions to the premium hatchback segment, this four-wheeler is built as part of a code-share JV between Maruti Suzuki and Toyota Kirloskar Motors.

Currently, in its second generation, the All-New Toyota Glanza has managed to sell over 1,00,000 units.

In this story, we are going to take a look at all things that make the 2023 Glanza unique and better than the competition. We will take into consideration some of its shortcomings before arriving at a conclusion.

Toyota Glanza: Pros

Talking about the Toyota Glanza, one can describe the goods of the car in 4 broad sections. They are exterior design, feature list, warranty and engine options.

Exterior Design:

Built on Suzuki’s HEARTECT platform, the 2023 Toyota Glanza shares its overall silhouette with its Maruti sibling but features slight rework to the front design and the alloy wheels.

The new Toyota front end is in sync with the company’s larger models like the Corolla and the Camry. The sleek grille with its long chrome bar extending from headlight to headlight makes the car look wider, while the new bumper, faux carbon fibre air dam surrounds and swept-back LED headlamps complete the look of the hatchback.

Towards the sides and the rear, the Glanza is identical to the Baleno which itself is a good-looking car featuring Maruti’s Nexa design philosophy. Overall, the Toyota Glanza features a premium design that helps its stand apart from the crowd.

Read Also: Why Maruti Suzuki Swift is India's Favorite Hatchback

Feature List:

Compared to the competition, the Toyota Glanza was among the least equipped cars in the market in its previous iteration. The lack of essential features like cruise control, ventilated seats and a better reverse camera always pushed people away from selecting this four-wheeler.

But when the new Glanza was launched in 2022, Toyota answered all its critics by equipping the model to the brim with new technologies. The additions to the cabin include a larger 9.0-inch Touchscreen with 45+ connected car features, a 360-degree camera, head-up-display, and cruise control among others. All these additions have now made the Toyota hatchback one of the most technologically advanced hatchbacks in its segment.

Warranty and Service:

One department where the Toyota Glanza trumps the competition is with its attractive warranty and service packages. From its express 60 minutes service to the Extra Smiles service package, customers can save a minimum of 20 percent every year over industry standard maintenance plans.

In addition, for peace of mind ownership experience, the company also offers a 3 years/1,00,000 km standard warranty that can be extended to 5 years/ 2,20,000 km (whichever is earlier). When compared, the competition offers 2 years/ 40,000 km or up to 3 years/ 1,00,000 km.

Engine and Mileage:

Finally, the last thing that makes the Toyota Glanza a worthy buy in the Indian market is its reliable and frugal engines. The 1.2-litre K-Series engine has been around for over a decade now and is well known for offering half-decent performance while also maintaining fuel economy, a factor that is most important for the budget buyer.

Read Also: Top Reasons to Buy Maruti Suzuki S-Presso as your New Car

Toyota Glanza: Cons

Now that we have seen the highs about the Toyota Glanza, let us look at a few shortcomings that can hamper your new car buying decision.

Safety:

The first issue with the 2023 Toyota Glanza is its safety rating. TKM products are known for their long-lasting reliability.

But with the Glanza, the company’s safety credibility has been questioned as cars based on the HEARTECT platform have returned with dreadful numbers. The last-gen Maruti Baleno was rated at 3-star while the latest Gen-Swift was given only a 1-star.

In addition, the car has also been plagued with build quality issues where customers have reported uneven panel gaps and rattling sounds over prolonged usage.

Read Also: New Cars and SUVs Launching in Next 6 Months

Price:

Finally, the last issue with the Glanza is its premium price point. Compared to the competition, the new model is priced at a premium of Rs 4,000 to Rs 20,000 depending on the variant selected. And we feel this can be a decisive factor, as Glanza operates in a highly price-sensitive segment.

Verdict

Based on the above-mentioned criterion, we can confidentially say that the pros out weight the cons pulling the case in favour of the Toyota Glanza. While the new model is more expensive than the competition, it does offer you the Toyota Quality Assurance along with a peace of mind ownership experience. So, if spending extra over the competition doesn’t hurt your pocket, then you can consider the 2023 Toyota Glanza as your next new car purchase.

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