The Urban Cruiser compact crossover played an instrument role in Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s strong October performance
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has been witnessing a promising growth month-on-month ever since India came out of lockdown and resumed business activities. In October 2020, the automaker registered sales of 12,373 units, indicating that the demand for larger vehicles is also growing in the country.
Toyota October sales
TKM’s October sales performance last month is an impressive 52% higher than what it achieved during the month of September 2020. The huge jump is partially due to the introduction of Toyota Urban Cruiser, the rebadged Maruti Vitara Brezza which was off to a promising start.
The company did not reveal the individual sales figures of its product in its monthly report but it sounded confident about the newly launched crossover’s prospects in the coming months.
Toyota stated that the Innova Crysta MPV and Fortuner SUV have been witnessing steady rise in demand while the Glanza hatchback (rebadged Maruti Baleno) has been clocking consistent monthly sales as well.
Toyota’s October 2020 sales volume represents a YoY sales growth of 4% which is below the industry average. So, despite a strong monthly sales in the domestic market, the Japanese automaker witnesses its market share slip from 4.2% in October 2019 to 3.7% last month.
The company is expected to continue its strong growth in the coming months as it maximizes the potential of Urban Cruiser. Moreover, the updated Fortuner and Innova Crysta are also due for launch in the coming months and they are sure to offer a spurt in growth.
TKM is currently placed sixth in the sales chart, sandwiched between Mahindra and Renault. With Renault gearing up to launch the volume-oriented Kiger SUV in the near future, the pecking order may change but Toyota’s focus has always been on profitability rather than outright volumes.
Refreshed Toyota Innova Crysta and Fortuner
Both Innova Crysta and Fortuner received facelifts in other Asian markets recently. The MPV gets a revised grille with additional chrome, new bumper and an updated infotainment system with wider functionalities. For India, the premium people carrier’s engine lineup would be retained. Launch is expected once the inventory of current version is depleted.
The Toyota Fortuner facelift receives a significantly revised front fascia complete with new LED headlights, new bumper, 20-inch alloy wheels, powered driver and front passenger seats, and a larger 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and 360-degree camera. The updated Fortuner is expected to be introduced in India towards the end of this year. It will rival the newly launched MG Gloster in addition competing with its arch rival Ford Endeavour.
