Toyota Corolla is the undisputed global sales champion with over 50 million units sold since it was first introduced in the 1960s. It is also one of the longest running nameplates with each of its 12 generations witnessing remarkable success in almost every part of the world.
Like everywhere else, Toyota Corolla is regarded as the most successful sedan in our country, loved primarily for its reliability and efficiency. Corolla is currently in its 12th generation which debuted more than 3 years ago back in November 2018, however in Pakistan which was supposed to be Corolla’s largest market in Asia Pacific region is yet to introduce the latest generation.
Indus Motor Company (IMC) the assemblers of Toyota cars in Pakistan is still continuing on with the 11th generation model which arrived here in mid 2014 and is about to complete 8 years of production in our country. Despite this, the sales of Toyota Corolla are soaring as its currently the unparalleled bestselling sedan in Pakistan with its sales standing 64% higher than that of Yaris.
Related: Toyota Corolla was the Highest Selling Sedan in Pakistan for 4th Consecutive Month
One of they key reasons behind Corolla’s towering sales is the fact that there is literally no competition in its class. Yaris which enjoyed 16 successful months in being the highest selling sedan is now facing stiff competition from the likes of 6th gen Honda City and Changan Alsvin, hence the diminishing sales. Whereas Corolla which is priced between PKR 33.8 lac and PKR 41.99 lac has literally no competition in the price range. Hyundai Elantra is priced at PKR 43.99 lac whereas the Civic which is about to welcome the 11th gen model has gone past PKR 50 to 60 lac range. So the road is open for Toyota Corolla to sail.
This raises the question whether IMC will skip the 12th gen Corolla in Pakistan, as from the business point of view, with such impressive sales there is absolutely no need for the company to invest in the new model. The waiting time for Corolla is already beyond 8 months so the demand for the aging model is already quite high. The company is happy with the cosmetic iterations it introduced to the Corolla variants last year.
Related: IMC Stops Disclosing Individual Sales of Toyota Cars
Secondly this isn’t the first time IMC will skip a generation model, as during the 90s the company had skipped the 8th gen Corolla in Pakistan and introduced the 9th gen directly after a stretchy 9-years production run of 7th gen Corolla model. The current 12th gen model will complete its global production cycle in 2024 when the 13th gen model is expected to break covers which will likely go on sale from 2025.
Looking at the sales trends, IMC can easily drag the 11th gen Corolla in Pakistan for a couple of more years and might skip the 12th gen model to introduce the 13th gen likely in 2025. But who knows, just like in case of Honda City, we might get the 12th gen Corolla once discontinued from the rest of the world.
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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