Toyota has launched the Taisor in India, its version of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, with prices starting from Rs 7.74 lakh. The Taisor marks Toyota's re-entry into the sub-4m SUV segment in India and is offered in five variants. Despite the Fronx's turbo variant accounting for only 7 percent of sales, Toyota is optimistic about the Taisor's turbo version, expecting it to be the top seller.
Turbo Variant Expectations
While Maruti Suzuki has observed relatively modest sales figures for the turbo variant of the Fronx, Toyota holds a challenging viewpoint regarding its own customer base. Offering the Taisor with a range of engine options including CNG, regular, and turbo direct injection petrol engines, Toyota is confident that the turbo variant will emerge as the preferred choice among its customers.
Toyota's Perspective
Manohar Sabri, Group Head of Customer Service at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, expressed this optimism, stating that they expect the 1-liter turbo will dominate sales. The difference from the sales trend of the Fronx implies that Toyota's customer is drawn to vehicles with powerful engines and performance, similar to their appreciation for the Fortuner. Sabri stressed that although consumers prioritize fuel efficiency particularly in the entry-level market, performance is still important to them.
Impact on Maruti Suzuki
If Toyota's prediction holds true it could provide a much-needed boost to Maruti Suzuki. Maruti has heavily invested in localizing and producing the turbo engine in India, initially offering it only on the Fronx. Despite earlier attempts with the Baleno RS, which also featured the turbo engine but did not perform as expected, Maruti is to witness substantial sales. Toyota may be earning profits from a trend in consumer preference toward performance-oriented vehicles as evidenced by the success of its turbo variant.
The Taisor launch by Toyota and their expectations for the turbo model demonstrate how the Indian auto industry is changing. The popularity of the Taisor's turbo variant may open the door for other manufacturers to release models with comparable engines as buyers place an increased emphasis on performance and powerful engines.