Toyota is offering discounts and benefits on its cars in India including the Yaris sedan for the month of June. With these offers, Toyota hopes to encourage customers to purchase cars in these unprecedented times.
Related: Toyota Pushing Hard the Not-So-Successful Yaris in India
The Yaris is being offered with discounts and benefits amounting to INR 72,500 (PKR 1.58 lac). Customers can get a cash discount of INR 20,000 (PKR 43,700) as well as INR 20,000 (PKR 43,700) exchange bonus. Toyota offers an additional INR 32,500 (PKR 71,000) discount on the Yaris for COVID-19 frontline workers.
The Yaris competes in the midsize sedan segment and rivals the likes of Skoda Rapid, Volkswagen Vento, Honda City, Hyundai Verna and the Suzuki Ciaz in Indian market. Available in 4 grades and 14 trims, the Yaris comes equipped with a 1.5-liter (1496cc) Dual VVT-i petrol engine which has recently been upgraded to meet the BS-6 emission standards. The engine is paired to a 6-speed manual transmission or a CVT.
Related: Missing Features of Toyota Yaris in Pakistan
Features include 7 airbags, 7-speed CVT transmission, roof-mounted air vents, rain-sensing wipers, 60:40 rear split seats, keyless smart entry, rear armrest with cup holder and 8-way adjustable powered driver seat, rear parking sensors, follow-me-home headlamps, speed alert function, front seatbelt reminder, HHA (Hill Hold Assist), TC (Traction Control), cruise control, VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) and TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) among others.
However despite being well equipped it sits at the bottom of the competition. Since its launch in May 2018 till February 2020, the Toyota Yaris has sold just 15,009 units in India, averaging 682 units a month. On the contrary, the bestsellers of the segment including Suzuki Ciaz, Honda City & Hyundai Verna has sales averaging more than 3,000 units a month. Toyota is pushing the Yaris hard in Indian market with a fleet version expected to be introduced soon that will help improve the sales of the sedan in a competitive market.
In Pakistan Indus Motor Company (IMC) introduced the Yaris sedan in March however the launch was washed away due to COVID-19 pandemic. Due to lockdowns enforced from the 23rd of March, all plant operations & well as sales went to a halt however IMC revised the prices of Yaris by up to Rs 150,000 even before the first unit hit the roads.
Related: Toyota Yaris- Here vs There
Due to lockdowns zero sales were recorded in April whereas in May IMC was able to sell just 167 units of Yaris while 389 units were produced according to the data released by Pakistan Automobile Manufacturers Association (PAMA). We will have to wait for the figures from June to get a better idea of how the new sedan is performing in the market however the COVID-19 situation is the biggest hindrance for local automakers to achieve better sales. Perhaps in order to get better results, IMC should try offering the sort of benefits which Yaris is offering in India. Your thoughts on this? Let us know with the 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
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