Toyota Frontlander will be manufactured in partnership with China’s GAC and it will use a 1.5-litre petrol engine with hybrid technology
Toyota has released a teaser image of its upcoming crossover known as the Frontlander based on the Corolla Cross. The crossover was first revealed in Thailand midway through last year before reaching other Southeast Asian and international markets and is positioned between the C-HR and RAV4. Just as the Corolla Cross, the Frontlander is built on the same TNGA-C architecture.
The Toyota Frontlander is expected to be introduced in the Chinese market before reaching other countries. It is slotted below the RAV4 and will be produced in association with Chinese company GAC under a joint venture that already makes models such as Crown Klugger and Wildlander based on the globally sold Highlander and RAV4.
The teaser image of the side profile shows the presence of a large greenhouse, raked front windshield, black finished pillars, chromed window line, shark fin antenna, spoiler mounted on the top of the large bootlid, bold character lines, integrated LED Daytime Running Lights in the sharp headlamp cluster, slightly slanting roofline and so on.
In short, the side profile of the Toyota Frontlander is identical to that of the Corolla Cross but other styling elements have been modified. With no powertrain changes, the Toyota Frontlander is powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with hybrid technology for improved fuel efficiency and an all-wheel-drive configuration will also be provided.
As for India, the Japanese manufacturer is planning to bring in new models next year and only yesterday announced the discontinuation of the Yaris midsize sedan. The rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz could be dubbed the Toyota Belta and it will more likely go on sale in the coming months and the brand already sells the badge-engineered Urban Cruiser and Glanza in India.
The Toyota Belta is expected to be powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder K15B petrol engine with mild-hybrid technology producing around 105 PS maximum power and 138 Nm of peak torque. The powertrain is linked with a five-speed manual or a four-speed torque converter automatic transmission in the Ciaz.