The Toyota River Drive has begun and the very first day saw us making our way to the Statue of Unity before heading on towards Barwani in Madhya Pradesh. From the start point in Bharuch we were flagged off early in the morning and giving us company were some Toyota Yaris customers who had decided to drive along with us to the statue of unity. The drive to the Statue of Unity took us through a mix of road surfaces and traffic conditions for nearly three hours. But the Toyota Yaris sailed through everything without battering an eyelid. The pliant suspension soaked up all the bumps and the noise-isolating windows ensured that none of the noise could filter through. The occupants inside the cabin travelled in absolute comfort. No wonder then that the customers couldn’t stop showering the Yaris with praises every time we stopped for a cup of tea.
Read the first drive review of Toyota Yaris here
A leisurely three hours of driving, and a late lunch later, we arrived at the Sardar Sarovar Reservoir. A giant statue of the great Sardar Vallabhai Patel stands on a river island in the Narmada. With weeks to go before the inauguration of the statue, work on the project was being carried out on a war footing. The Statue of Unity, set to be the tallest statue in the world, will put the focus of the world on the region around the reservoir that has been neglected for a very long time.
Moving on along the reservoir on a newly laid stretch of tarmac, the Yaris could stretch its legs and even while going at a fair clip the cabin remained silent and very comfortable. The confidence inspiring braking and the stable ride through corners made it easy to drive at good pace for long distances. A few photo ops later we bid adieu to our guests for the day – the loyal Toyota Yaris customers. It was now time to head on towards Barwani in Madhya Pradesh. The roads leading to the religiously important town were small and went through several small towns and villages. Stray cattle would often drift on to our path but the assuredness of the Yaris’ handling ensured that there were no hair raising moments.
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Another three hours later, we reached the town of Barwani and retired for the day.Next up is our visit to Bawan Gaja and then onwards to Maheshwar and Omkareshwar on the Toyota River Drive to Amarkantak.