Toyota sold just 595 units of Yaris in September 2018 and the sales dropped by almost 50 per cent compared to the previous month
Toyota officially launched the Yaris in May and the sedan was priced directly against established competitors. The initial three months was looking good for the Yaris as sales were around 2000 units but since then the sales began to fall. The company sold just 595 units of Yaris in September 2018 and the sales dropped by almost 50 per cent compared to the previous month.
Let’s analyse why Toyota couldn’t repeat the success story of Innova with Yaris. The problem started with the pricing strategy as the company positioned the sedan as a premium offering, which won’t work with price-conscious Indian customers. The Yaris was fighting against rivals like City, Verna and Ciaz, which was already popular among buyers.
The company was not expecting sales around 5000 units like its competitors as Yaris was only offered with a petrol engine only. Toyota had an ace up its sleeve, which is the automatic transmission and it was offered from base variants. Initially, this strategy worked well and more than 50 per cent customers preferred automatic over manual.
But the initial momentum didn’t last too long. One of another reason for low sales is its dull design when compared to sporty Verna or premium looking City or the refreshed Ciaz. Even though Yaris is loaded with lots of safety features, it misses out on certain premium features when compared to other models.
The City has LED headlamps while Verna has ventilated seats and the infotainment system on Yaris is way behind its rivals. The introductory price of Yaris is expected to go up soon and that will be the final nail in the coffin. Toyota needs to introduce a hybrid engine to spice up the package.
The Yaris is offered in four variant – J, G, V and VX. The top end model comes with 8-way power adjustable front seat, projector headlamp, cruise control, rear parking sensors and more. The 1.5 L Dual VVT-I engine produces 109 PS of power and 140 Nm of torque. This engine is mated to a 6-speed manual and a CVT automatic gearbox.