Toyota Taisor

At its heart, the Taisor G we drove has a 1.0L K-Series turbo-petrol engine, a three-cylinder unit that displaces just under 1,000cc mated to a 6 speed Torque Converter . The same engine is found in its sibling, the Fronx. It delivers 99 BHP at 5,500 rpm and 148 Nm of torque between 2,000 and 4,500 rpm, mated to a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. 

You can also get a much more refined 1.2 L 4 cylinder NA engine with 89hp/113nm in all but top two variants. The base "E"variant also comes with a CNG option. The Torque Converter is only available with the top two, the rest of Taisor gets 5 Speed AMT or manual.

Toyota has done a commendable job in terms of NVH, ensuring that the Torque Converter and engine work harmoniously. At low speeds, there is slight turbo lag, but it's not bothersome, and power builds steadily up to its 6,200 rpm redline.

The Torque Converter is tuned for smoothness and takes about half a second to respond to paddle-shifter commands in M mode. Comically, we accidentally engaged M mode instead of D mode several times, as both are placed so close together that it takes a while for muscle memory to adapt.

In automatic mode, upshifts are quiet and smooth, devoid of any jerks or thuds typical of an AMT. In heavy traffic, it’s a blessing—just like the well-placed dead pedal. The K-Series turbo engine does 100 km/h at around 2,000 rpm, and we managed a combined mileage of 18.6 km/l. During (very) spirited driving, it dropped to around 11 km/l, which is still an excellent result. The braking is equally good, despite the cost-cutting rear drum setup.

One of the biggest benefits of buying a Maruti-engineered car is its drivability—it's beginner-friendliness both in the city and on highways. Since the Taisor is nearly identical mechanically to the Fronx, it inherits the same easy-going DNA.

The suspension handles bumps well, aided by a 190mm ground clearance. It drives comfortably over low-speed bumps and maintains good stability at around 120 km/h—the maximum we pushed since it was our team’s HR car. She was kind enough to let us test it for 5–6 hours, under the condition that we wouldn’t drive like maniacs. (Wink, wink.)

The cabin of the Taisor G is spacious and functional, borrowing heavily from the Maruti Fronx but featuring Toyota branding, such as the logo on the steering wheel. The all-fabric upholstery was expected and delivered, though rivals like the Kia Sonet offer leatherette as standard.

The interior consists mainly of plastic on the dashboard and surrounding areas, but the door cards and armrests feature soft-touch materials. Chrome accents are noticeably less prevalent than in the flashier Fronx.

The 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, complete with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, offers intuitive controls, crisp visuals, and surprisingly smooth, glitch-free performance. A Type-C port, keyless entry, and rear AC vents are welcome addition

A 6-speaker sound system provides crisp sound output with decent bass. Since this was the second-from-top "V" variant, it lacked a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 360-degree camera, head-up display, and auto-folding ORVMs. The owner admitted she wasn’t keen on buying the pricey G variant but took it since it was the only one available at her local Kolkata dealership and she needed the car in like 2 days flat.

The front seats provide adequate cushioning and thigh support for individuals up to 5'10". Anyone over 6 feet will need to make conscious adjustments to fit comfortably on long drives. Due to the Taisor's sloping profile, headroom is a luxury for taller passengers. However, I found it comfortable with good all-around visibility.

The rear seats are best suited for two adults and a child—three healthy adults will struggle to fit comfortably. An annoying quirk is that the rear seatbelt chime continues indefinitely since it lacks a load sensor. We frequently had to remind rear passengers to buckle up even when getting in and funnily enough, out.

Practicality is decent for a stylish crossover. The 308-liter boot can accommodate two large suitcases and a few small bags. Thankfully, the 60:40 split seats add a lot of extra space when needed.

The Taisor G’s exterior sets it apart from the Fronx, thanks to Toyota’s more mature and professional styling. There are no excessive creases or sharp cuts; instead, you get a bold black grille with a couple of chrome strips. The Taisor we drove featured model specific triple-bulb LED lamps and twin line DRLs. The skid plates were useful as they actually protected the underbelly of its punchy 1.0L K-Series engine.

The side profile is simple and clean, while the rear is nearly identical to the Fronx—so much so that it feels like the designers forgot that the rear of the car is a thing (LOL.). The full width light bar and LED lamps looked cool, though.

The 16-inch painted alloy wheels, side cladding, shark-fin antenna, and contrast black roof further enhance the Taisor’s rugged and stylish appeal.

So far, the Taisor has not been tested by GNCAP or BNCAP. However, it comes with several safety features, including 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, and a 360-degree camera as standard.

The Taisor is another addition to Toyota's growing lineup of Maruti-engineered products. We found it to be highly capable in terms of efficiency, style, and versatility. However, there’s little incentive to choose the “Deja Vu” Taisor over the Fronx, with the only differentiators being its looks and Toyota’s premium dealership experience—especially now that Maruti has extended the Fronx’s warranty to 3 years/100,000 km.