The competition between car brands is incessant. While Hyundai has close competition with Maruti, these brands have other rivals that tend to capture the more expensive car segments, Toyota and Honda. While you may not find a Toyota car launched to compete with the Eon, you’ll certainly find it vying for space between mid- and upper-segment cars.
Every year there is a lot of anticipation as to what car brands are going to launch to tempt the Indian customer. Will the focus be on luxury features or fuel efficiency and power? How well will these factors balance? The game of suspense and anticipation continues. As a new year approaches, take a look at what Honda and Toyota have in store for the Indian market.
Upcoming Toyota Releases in 2013
The focus of this car brand will be on mid-segment cars. From MPVs to SUVs as well as midsize sedans. This brand will stick to its well-chosen segments and provide its competitors with some food for thought. With the Maruti Ertiga or Nissan Evalia creating the MPV segment in India, Toyota plans to capture some space in this segment with Toyota Avanza. Its appearance will be similar to that of the Innova but it will have less length and width. It will also be priced at around 7 lakes. Toyota Rush will be a new compact SUV for those who are bored with the Innova. The Vios will attempt to fill the gap in the midsize sedan segment between the Etios and Altis. For the super luxury segment, the Lexus will be refreshed and launched with international features and standards. This luxury segment car will be priced close to 20 lakes.
Honda Car Releases for 2013
Honda car launches for the coming year will reflect a change in the strategies implemented by the company specifically for the Indian market. While some want to compete head-on, others want to capture a declining market share. For Honda cars that rate high on power and low on fuel efficiency, the stress would be capturing the differential in gasoline and diesel prices. Therefore, Honda would launch the Brio diesel and the Honda City diesel to allow customers more options to have a powerful car that does not pinch the pocket so much. The Brio Sedan will also be launched, as will facelifts to the Accord and CRV.
Comparison of Honda and Toyota launches in 2013
No direct competition between the two brands is planned as their focus remains different for next year. While Toyota will focus primarily on the MPV and SUV segment, Honda will focus on increasing sales of its hatchbacks and making its cars cheaper to drive.