Toyota Belta is a rebadged version of Maruti Ciaz sedan – Exports of the same have started
At start of the festive season in India, several automakers have plans to launch new cars. Mahindra will launch the XUV700 while MG Motor will bring in the new Astor. VW Taigun got launched recently, Tata Punch and Toyota Belta poised for launch in the coming weeks.
Toyota Belta Exports
Maruti Suzuki and Toyota re-badging exercise has, to date, seen the Glanza (re-badged Baleno) and Urban Cruiser (re-badged Vitara Brezza). It will now include the new Belta which is a re-badged Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. Production has commenced at the company’s Manesar plant where the Belta was spied undisguised.
Now more undisguised photos of the Toyota Belta have surfaced. This time from outside the plant. Toyota Belta spy images are credit to Leoshashi / Teambhp. These were clicked at a dock, where the Belta is getting ready for export. These are Left Hand Drive versions of Toyota Belta and can be seen in Blue, White and Red colour schemes.
Toyota Belta is likely to be launched first in export markets of select African nations. Toyota already sells Glanza and Urban Cruiser in these export markets. Maruti makes them, rebadges with Toyota logo, which are then exported as Toyota cars to export markets.
Toyota Belta – Features
New Toyota Belta will be identical to the Ciaz. It will be based on the same lightweight Heartect platform and have similar underpinnings. There are hardly any changes. This includes new front grille, new badging of Toyota and Belta, new alloys.
Toyota Belta gets LED headlamps, wrap-around tail lamps, and LED DRLs. Just like Ciaz, it will also sport a sloping roofline, sculpted bonnet. Belta will ride on a 2,650mm wheelbase and get ground clearance at 170mm.
The 5 seater Belta will sport a power steering wheel, cruise control, a 4.2 inch colour MID unit and 7 inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Safety will be via twin airbags, high speed alert system, engine immobilizer and a rear view camera along with ABS and EBD as are also a part of the safety equipment seen on the Ciaz.
Engine Specs
Engine specifications see no change and the new Belta will be powered by the same 1.5 liter, 4 cylinder, mild hybrid petrol engine that currently powers the Ciaz. This engine makes 103 hp power at 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm torque at 4,500 rpm and gets mated to a 5 speed manual setup or 4 speed automatic gearbox.
Though Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is currently being offered in variants of Sigma, Delta, Zeta and Alpha, the re-badged Toyota model could do away with the base Sigma variant in India. Hence pricing could start off from Rs 9.30 lakh as against Ciaz which is priced from Rs 8.20-11.50 lakh. The Belta will take the place of Yaris in the company lineup and will rival Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid and Volkswagen Vento in terms of competition in the mid-sized sedan segment.
