All Toyotas in India to get airbags

Toyota is going to offer airbags as standard across its entire line-up in India. For starters, the company has already added airbags as standard to the Etios sedan and the Etios Liva hatchback, and will now offer the same on the base G trim of the Innova MPV as well. However, the base trim models may get just a driver airbag as standard instead of dual front airbags.  

Barring the Innova, the rest of the line-up recently received facelifts and now the company will be updating the MPV too. The list of upgrades also includes rear AC vents besides cosmetic changes and addition of dual front airbags.

In India, Toyota cars are produced by the Kirloskar Group in a joint venture with the parent company. Sanjay Kirloskar, chairman and managing director, Kirloskar Group, had said that they will be taking steps to ensure that the cars are safer by offering airbags across all their models as standard.

Not only is Toyota making its cars safer but they will also have an edge over the immediate competition. For example, the Liva’s direct rivals such as the Hyundai i10, Maruti Swift and the Honda Brio don’t offer airbags as standard.

While there is no official word on the pricing of these cars, expect the price of all Toyotas to be bumped up by about Rs 40,000. The Innova will get airbags in first few months of 2015.