The histories of India and Pakistan are intertwined and span many centuries. The people of these countries may look similar, eat similarly, speak similarly, wear similarly, and share a lot in common when it comes to celebrations & festivities but at the same time, there are many other stark differences between the two countries, one of them being car prices.
We have written a lot in the past about the difference in car prices (both new & used) between India and Pakistan. And it’s not just about prices, it’s the overall auto industry on the other side of the border that is more advanced, more competitive, consists of vehicles with better fuel efficiency, newer technology, and better safety, and are exported to many parts of the world compared to our side of the border where there is a monopolized market with a handful of obsolete & feature-ripped cars with compromised built quality are sold against sky-high prices.
Related: Are Auto Consumers of Pakistan Being Given a Fair Deal? Part 1
And again, it’s not just about cars that are locally put together, aka locally assembled. In fact, those imported into the country are also outrageously expensive and fall way behind when it comes to safety features & equipment. When it comes to CBUs, the Toyota Camry hybrid and the new Land Cruiser J300 best represent the pronounced contrasts between India and Pakistan.
In Pakistan, the Toyota Camry hybrid which comes as a CBU import costs PKR 53,859,000 which in simple words is Rs 5 crore 38.59 lac. In India, unlike most domestically manufactured cars, the Camry is sold as a CKD-assembled model and is priced at INR 41.07 lac which converts into PKR 143.56 lac. Still, the price is almost 4 times higher in Pakistan compared to India which is obviously very hard to digest.
Related: Does “All New” in Pakistan Actually Mean “6+ Years Old”?
In fact, the Camry in India is better equipped as it comes with 9 airbags, a couple of additional parking assist sensors & 10-way adjustable seats compared to the Camry in Pakistan which has 6 airbags, 6-way adjustable seats & misses out on features & equipment.
Then comes the Toyota Land Cruiser J300 which comes as a CBU import both in India and Pakistan. In our country, the J300 costs a whopping PKR 156,829,000 which is Rs 15 crore 68.29 lac. On the other side of the border, the Land Cruiser J300 is priced at INR 21,000,000 (Rs 2.1 crore) which converts into PKR 7.34 crore. This also implies that when both are sold as CBU, the price of the J300 in Pakistan is actually more than twice as much as that in India.
Related: Are Auto Consumers of Pakistan Being Given a Fair Deal? Part 2
Customers are left with many questions due to the significant price differences between these CBU imported cars supplied in Pakistan by local assemblers. Given that the depreciation of the currency isn’t making that much of an effect, the question is, are taxes truly this high? You might want to read one of our recent articles where we attempted to address this question.
Are Auto Consumers of Pakistan Being Given a Fair Deal? Part 2
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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