Rainy weather makes for a perfect excuse to drive up to the hills to bask in the scenic, natural beauty and breathe in the crisp, bracing air. The Toyota Yaris was our vehicle for this quick getaway.
Story: Harket Suchde
Photography: Saurabh Botre
Mystic monsoon magic. Rolling greens, fresh, petrichor-infused scents wafting through the air, and a clean, twisting blacktop devoid of traffic. Monsoon drives are an event unto themselves and an absolute fun day out. Of course, the fun factor is highly dependent on the car you choose to take on this journey and I think I made a wise choice with the new Toyota Yaris.
As I left the congested city streets of Pune behind, my destination was the famous Lavasa Township in the hills, about 55 kilometres away. But with the whole day and a full tank at my disposal, I was always likely to stray off the path to follow something that caught the eye.
The first of these excursions took me to the gorgeous Manas Lake. Reaching the lakeside meant driving through a rutted, mud-filled track. The Yaris comes with a versatile suspension set-up, though; one that soaks in all these surface undulations without transmitting the jars through the car’s body and on to you. The dual-tone paint job you get on the latest Yaris really shone in contrast with the grey, rippling surface of the lake. You can spot birds you don’t see in the city here at the lakeside and savour the serenity without blaring horns and revving engines to shatter the peace. I continued enjoying the peace when I was back on the road, too, with the smooth and silent 1.5-litre in-line four engine causing no auditory intrusions and the well-insulated cabin keeping outside noises at bay.
Once I got onto the twisting roads driving uphill, that engine came alive, providing enough grunt to glide up the roads with ease. Since I was driving the automatic variant equipped with a CVT, life was good. No arduous shifting required; I just let the gearbox do its thing. The hills were draped in a curtain of green and I just had to pull over to take it all in. The vistas on offer were mesmerising and I was having a ball. I soon entered Lavasa itself and made a beeline for the famous bridge over the reservoir there. Since it had been pouring mere seconds before I got there, the reservoir was full to the brim.
Watching the clouds swirl over the hilltops in the backdrop, in sharp contrast with and signature many-hued buildings of Lavasa glimmering in the distance and, of course, the chic Yaris standing smart in the foreground made for a delightful frame.
Having driven about the township and taken my fill, it was time to head back. The Yaris was such a comfortable car to execute the drive in. Its luxurious interior, now with a single black stripe running through the seat-backs, offers a perfect perch. The clean, sharp dash and wide windscreen allowed me an unrestricted view of the scenery outside.
A word for the infotainment as well. The touchscreen is intuitive and so easy to use. Bluetooth connectivity, in-built navigation, Weblink and Miracast are just some of the many features this smart system offers. And, lastly, knowing that the Yaris comes with the safety of seven airbags was a crucial factor in allowing me to maintain my peace of mind and really focus on nothing else but enjoying the drive.
