Toyota is all pumped to launch the second generation Innova on May 3. The new-gen Innova Crysta enters in to the Indian market with huge expectations as the original model has been a massive hit in the country. Revered by individual owners and fleet operators, the Innova has been the benchmark product for the Japanese manufacturer for over a decade now. To meet all the requisites of its predecessor, the Innova Crysta will have to be something special apparently to uphold the dominance in the premium MPV segment.
In our exclusive interview with Mr. Naveen Soni, the VP at TKML, we have learned Toyota has looked up to no product but the first-gen Innova itself for inspirations. Moreover, he divulged that the existing customers have been kept in mind in developing this MPV. Toyota doesn’t consider anyone as its rival in this particular segment, not even the Mahindra XUV500 and that meeting demands of the current band of loyal Innova customers will be the key to achieve sustained sales growth.
When we asked: With the more premium Innova Crysta, Toyota is entering into new price segment, any particular rival kept in mind in SUV segment as well like the Mahindra XUV 500? He explained,
“We have designed, mainly this vehicle, with the existing customers in mind. We have a loyal customer base which is very happy with the car. This car has been designed with the biggest rival or biggest benchmark that we had kept, the old Innova, so how we could level up the existing Innova customers’ expectations to meet what they currently want and also in future? From that point of view, we designed and developed this product and Innova Crysta is two steps up from the outgoing Innova.
From that point of view, of-course the competition would be there but we are mainly giving better value to the existing customer, making him more loyal and then growing that path because if you are happy as a customer then you will be my biggest brand ambassador.
While considering the new MPV is two steps ahead of the outgoing Innova and that the customers are the driving entity towards hoisting ita flag up high in the MPV segment, Toyota is not ruling out the availability of petrol mill either.”
Questioned about when will the Petrol mill join the Innova Crysta engine line-up, he said:
“When the market is requiring that mill, we will definitely bring that but right now, we can’t say will it come this year or next year. However, the price difference between petrol & diesel is now around 11 rupees. While earlier it was 18-19 rupee, other than that, there is certain wave of anti-diesel in the country but having said that if that is the business environment we are operating under then, obviously, we must consider what are the other option the customer may want in this environment. So from that point view and at an appropriate time, decision on petrol will also been taken.”
The company will take the decision as months go by, whether to bring a petrol engine or not after closely absorbing the way in which the market moves and where the demands from the buyers stand for the new Innova.
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