Toyota's customer unfriendly initiatives

Toyota have always looked at their profitability even at the cost of the Customers convienience and even compromising security of the vehicle.

As far as the inconvenience bit ,you have the option of power steering on the base model E but no air conditioning option even after paying close to Rs9 lakhs but the worst bit is the G1 model does not come with an intermittent wiper,something which cars much cheaper come with.

And this is not the case with Toyota India itself,I was going through this review about the american corolla and the first thing the reviewer was very critical was Toyota's attempt at cutting corners which was emphasized most in the fact that Toyota is only giving power windows as a standard feature on the top end corolla model compare this to Honda who have long made power windows standard across their entire civic range.

But these are things one can live with, what is not acceptable is the security bit.Toyota knew that its earlier MUV the Toyota qualis was one of the favorite amongst car thieves and this is precisely why they came up with immobilisers for the innova range but they kept this out from the base model innova[E].And what do we have now apart from the Tavera and the Indica,the Toyota innova is the favourite amongst car thieves according to a newspaper report.

Toyota have only to look at Maruti as an example,Maruti has given the immobiliser feature[icats] across its range even to the cheapest Maruti 800.This just costs the customer an added Rs.3000 surely somebody buying an innova could easily afford.

Hopefully these stolen cars were the ones which did not have immobilisers because believe me just yesterday came across a stolen Toyota innova top end model[v].Why I am so sure the number reads as MH-03 XXX .Now when was it when that series existed.

Toyota may introduce more than a single model in small car space

The TOI has an article where Toyota is supposedly setting up a Technopark[The Technopark would consist a consortia — formed from a number of Toyota group firms that manufacture components, transmissions, seats and other parts] and according to sources of TOI ,Toyota plan to introduce more than a single model as far as the small car segment is concerned.

Logically speaking this may very much be a possibility and is the right way forward considering that Toyota is way behind in the Indian market right now and has only a 3.6% marketshare.In case of other manufacturers customers have so many options in different segments even right now so by 2010 Toyota will struggle if only a single small car rolls out from its manufacturing plant by 2010.

Toyota have only to look at the Skoda Fabia.How many units is Skoda able to garner with the Fabia.It would be almost impossible for Toyota to cater to a large segment of customers with only a single model and the 10% market share it plans to grab by 2010 would only have remained a dream.

So the next question is what can be expected.Well for starters a B+ segment hatchback and a C segment sedan.Yes I expect Toyota to be working on a C segment sedan[remember all the talk about bosch and toyota working on a vehicle in India].Right from the start there was also a plan to target the B segment but the challenge has been pricing and if Toyota is able to meet this challenge then we could expect a B segment hatch too but I am confident of the first two.Then ofcourse there is this strong demand for a Qualis replacement which too may just be looked at.The new corolla of course would be here this year and possibly a facelifted innova as well.Fortuner plans remain unclear.

But finally we are going to get some vehicles from Toyota.I wish to warn the other manufacturers,Watch out the giant has just woken up.Wish you all the best Toyota.

[image source:automotive.com]

Also read:
Toyota to launch a new model every year

Chevrolet Tavera -The difference between GM and Toyota

You want to know why the Japanese manufacturer is such a dominant force in the automobile world and why GM is having such a hard time,look no further than the Chevrolet Tavera.

Toyota India initially identified the MUV space which could get them sales in the Indian market somewhere where they would have no competition but knew prices had to be kept on the lower side since this segment was totally new in India and people had not yet accepted the Toyota brand in India.So they bring the more than a decade old Toyota Qualis into the market and since they have no real competitor establish themselves well and are able to generate a good degree of sales.GM was fortunate enough to have a similar vehicle in its global stables and brought in the Tavera,which was good enough to take on the Qualis.

So what did Toyota do they upped the game brought the latest generation MUV the Toyota Innova into India inspite of very good sales of the qualis and repeated requests not to discontinue the qualis.Toyota realised that they could get into the luxury car segment as well and not only depend on the tourist/commercial segment if they do so.What it also meant that Toyota could make more profits from this luxury oriented and consequently higher priced MUV.

GM has alway had to play the catch up game with Toyota.Today sales of the Tavera have stagnated.The outdated nature of the Tavera has kept it out of the Private buyers radar.This really creates a bad image of the vehicle and the company.It is the Taxi/commercial segment who are the main segment of consumers of the Tavera today.The end result is Toyota is able to sell many more Innova's as compared to the Tavera but at the same time Toyota is making more money from each vehicle it sells.Its not only about fancy management concepts like Just in Time,its things like these what makes Toyota the company it is today.

Its high time GM stops the Tavera in India and brings in something that would be completely out of the box.

Also read:
Chevrolet Captivates The Indian Buyer

Toyota to possibly launch new vehicle in India soon-Update Confirmation from Toyota executive.

After the Qualis was discontinued in the Indian market by Toyota there was a lot of Hue and Cry for its reintroduction especially since the Innova attracts a significant premium compared to the Qualis.Well those requests seem to have been heard by Toyota.

According to a Toyota dealer with dealerships in more than a couple of cities Toyota India is looking at possibly introducing a vehicle soon to step into the vacant space left by the qualis and would be priced between between the Qualis-Innova range.No amount of persuading could get me further details of the vehicle.Surprisingly the present innova could even be discontinued is what I was told.Now dealer level talk must always be taken with a pinch of salt and not trusted in its entirety but with the present ad spree by Toyota there have been rumors regards this or even a facelifted innova.

Whether Toyota discontinue the innova or not,I just wish we get a new vehicle or even a cheaper alternative because its high time since Toyota starts becoming a serious player in the Indian markets.
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Update:
Official confirmation from Toyota: The TMC Executive Vice-President for production, Mr Takeshi Uchiyamada,said the company’s joint venture partner in India is working on a few models which could come out of the International Multipurpose Vehicle (IMV) platform. “We are trying to finetune the product for the Indian market,” he said.

The new product could come out soon. The IMV platform is being currently used to produce the Innova car. It can also be used to build a mini van.

[Source: The Hindu Business Line]

What remains to be seen is whether the Innova is discontinued for Indian markets to make way for the new product as was told to me by my source.

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