Maruti Suzuki cars sold by Toyota India account for more than 61 percent of Nov 2020 sales volume
Toyota’s association with Suzuki is paying rich dividends. What this means for the future of Toyota made cars isn’t yet spelled out, but this could be the start to a seismic change for TKMs car manufacturing longterm plans in India.
Years earlier the brand had highlighted the predicament auto manufacturers face when policy isn’t clearly outlined, and taxes are on the rise. And tax upon tax on the range of cars that Toyota India is known for means their rather capable cars are costly. A price tag that’s enough to make customers look away.
In recent years, Toyota hasn’t launched a new car they have built but gotten on with selling rebadged cars made by Maruti Suzuki. It’s a great formula thats’ working wonders for Toyota. Once recognised for the capability of Innova and Fortuner, Toyota now sells more rebadged cars than from their own stable.
Toyota Urban Cruiser
November 2020 wholesales are reported at a lead for Urban Cruiser, essentially a Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza with cosmetic changes that are in line with Toyota’s design language. Only just launched, Urban Cruiser sales is reported at 2,832. It accounts for 33.29 percent of total TKM domestic sales last month.
Glanza sits second on the ladder at 2,428 units sold, up 4.97 percent from 2,313 units sold a year earlier. The rebadged Baleno accounts for 28.54 percent company sales in November 2020. Innova, a bestseller and one the company’s workhorse in terms of building brand reputation and boosting sales found 2,192 takers. Sales decline is reported at 35.79 percent from 3,414 units. Fortuner sales too fell by more than third. Sales decline is reported at 38.29 percent down to 656 units from 1,063 units.
Toyota Etios and Liva
Toyota Yaris sales grew to 345 units from 107 units at triple digit gain. The sedan was launched in 2018. Camry sells fell to 32 units from 99 units. Vellfire sales is at 23 units. Liva and Etios sales have already stopped. This year marks 10 years of the launch of Etios. Designed as a car that was meant to help Toyota grow in rank and improve its market share, a year later little has changed.
The flagship cars are no longer sold and Toyota’s market share still hovers around the same mark. And the market share it now commands is because of its association with Suzuki, without which TKMs sales would have been starkly low. In fact, last month Maruti Suzuki’s cars in the Toyota portfolio accounted for more than 60 percent of sales. Innova remains the brand’s in-house bestseller but volumes have dwindled drastically. In October 2020, Suzuki cars took the lead at just under 50 percent of total TKM sales.
While the festive season bodes well for the auto industry, Toyota’s peak curve has buckled and sales declined by almost a third on a MoM basis. October 2020 sales is reported at 12,373 units. Sales for all cars in the TKM portfolio fell in November 2020. As part of the agreement, Toyota will play a leading role taking a leaf from its global experience when India is more prepared to embrace affordable electric and hybrid vehicles here.
