Toyota has launched the facelifted Glanza in India. It has an ex-showroom starting price of Rs 6.99 lakh here. Like its predecessor, the new Glanza is also a badge-engineered version of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno which got a corresponding facelift in September this year. In the Indian market, it competes with premium hatchbacks like the Tata Altroz, Hyundai i20 and of course, the new Baleno. Here are four features that the updated Glanza offers, but the Altroz and i20 miss out on. In this comparison, we are deliberately not considering the Baleno as it has exactly the same set of features as the new Glanza.
UV Cut Glass
This is probably the most underrated feature. Tata Altroz doesn’t offer this. Neither does the i20. UV absorbing glass has several benefits, the most obvious one being that it protects the occupants from the harmful effects of Ultraviolet radiation. It can block up to 99% of UV rays (both UVA and UVB) and can protect skin health. The Glanza gets UV Cut glass although we lack clarity on the extent to which it blocks UV rays- the percentage to be precise.
Another important benefit of having UV cut glass is that the cabin looks fresh even after years of usage. UV rays can potentially break down chemical bonds in plastics, leather, and fabrics used in various areas of the car’s interior. Over the years, it can cause the seats and dashboard to discolourise, fade or develop cracks.
And finally, UV absorbing glass can help in enhancing the efficiency of cabin air conditioning. Since most UV rays are filtered out, the interior stays cooler. This makes the job easier for the vehicle’s AC/ climate control system. This can in turn, improve real world fuel efficiency.
Level 2 ADAS
The updated Glanza is the second product in its segment to offer level 2 ADAS features. The first is obviously the Maruti Baleno facelift. Forget level 2, the Altroz and i20 do not even get level 1 ADAS features. The Maruti-Toyota duo has a clear edge over these hatchbacks. The Glanza’s ADAS suite has features like Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Automatic Emergency Braking and Automatic High Beam Assist.
Offering level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems on a car of this class itself is a big deal. However, features like automatic emergency braking can be tough to live with in certain Indian driving/ road conditions. Toyota has given physical switches to turn some of the ADAS functions on or off, in such case. Quite a meaningful inclusion. The ADAS suite will help the Glanza score better in the upcoming Bharat NCAP 2.0 crash tests.
Ventilated Seats
The Glanza comes with ventilated front seats. This is indeed a useful feature in India’s hot, humid climatic conditions. Cold air circulates through the seats, keeping occupants comfortable. You will particularly appreciate this feature during the summer season. The Altroz and the i20 lack this feature, even in their latest avatars.
Head Up Display (HUD)
Head Up Display or HUD is not a new inclusion on the Glanza. Even the pre-facelift model used to come with this feature. The HUD projects essential information like vehicle speed and turn-by-turn navigation instructions onto a sleek see-through glass screen kept in the driver’s line of sight. The goal is to minimize driver distraction. The screen is so positioned that the driver doesn’t have to take eyes off the road to get those information. The i20 lacks this feature. The Altroz doesn’t get it even on the latest update.
Wireless Charger With Active Cooling
Wireless charger is a common find in this segment. The i20, Altroz and the Glanza have it. What makes the Toyota’s unit special is that it comes with active cooling technology. This makes sure that the smartphone doesn’t heat up when it is being charged.