It’s been a year since the Toyota Yaris sedan in Pakistan was introduced as a replacement of entry-level Corolla variants. The vehicle was open for booking from the 20th of March 2020 while its launch ceremony which was supposed to take place on the 27th of March last year was washed out due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
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Despite observing zero sales in its initial months, the Yaris was quick to rise to eminence ever since the lockdowns were eased with thumping sales figures while continuing to maintain its dominance in domestic sales charts in the following months.
Currently it’s the second bestselling local assembled car in Pakistan behind Suzuki Alto with 18,403 units sold in the first 8 months of this fiscal year averaging 2,300+ units a month. Not only this, its cumulative sales stands 13% higher than the combined number of Honda Civic & City which is 16,213 units in the discussed period.
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Yaris has also made a strong start for 2021 with handsome sales in the first two months of this calendar year. So far 5,558 units of Toyota Yaris have been sold averaging 2,779 units a month, which is almost 30% higher than the 12,845 units (average 2,140 units) sold during the first 6 months of this fiscal year (July-December 2020).
In forthcoming period, the Yaris will face resistance from upcoming Proton Saga and newly launched Changan Alsvin which is yet to hit the roads. There are also reports regarding Honda Atlas working on to introduce a replacement of their aging 5th gen City which has been around since more than a dozen years. However, whether its going to be the retired 6th gen, or the latest 7th gen model is something we will have to wait to find out.
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The ultimate advantage which the Yaris has got over its rivals is the presence of Toyota badge, something that’s considered quite hard to beat at least as far as our market is concerned. With a strong nationwide network, good after sales support, reliability and easy availability of spare parts across the country & on top of everything else– the handsome resale factor, the road seems to be open for Toyota Yaris to sail.
What is your take on the success of Toyota Yaris in Pakistan? Let us know with your comments.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com