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Originally Posted by agent4ferrari  I don't understand which Indian would put 5.5-7lakhs of his hard earned money into a hatchback. most buyers like to buy the costliest looking car within their budget. 5.5 upwards theres the aveo fiesta sx4 etc which not only look bigger but also look more striking. car lovers and enthusiasts will lvoe the car for its technical aspects and features. but the normal man who buyes cars need to have the max show off appeal for his money. so that he can say yes iv bought x car. if it does not giv that value then it needs to be cheap on fuel service and more value for money. lets see how this new skoda fares in the indian scenario. even the exisiting skoda customers if their religion aint cars, they wish they owned a toyota or a honda instead. the older design of the fabia was good. the new design is too sober for our premium market. on top of its and expensive hatch. with such features the mentainance costs would also be premium! nor does this car have the performance figures of the superhatch. besides luxury and refinement theres nothing else to it. in a market where most premium buyers look at selling their car in 2-3 years, theres little scope for people to appreciate the build quality and durability, unless they meet with an accident and the car proves its strength. look at wht happened at the amazing palio 1.6! inspight of also having a powerful engine. look at the fusion and the srv. even the uva is having tough time. getz sales arent inspiring. these are good products with good intentions and concepts but when compared with whats the ebst you can buy for your limited money, then the high end hatch doesnt come in top slot. the rear legroom int he srv and uva are more. the engine power is more in the hyundais and the fiats. others look better. to make matters wose the side cues remind you of the much cheaper swift. just the additional features are all secondary needs. i wouldnt like to spend for a car that from far may be mistaken for a cheaper car atleast that neither looks the best in its class nor performs like a hot hatch. may be the ride quality and build is excellent but howmany realy appreciate that out here. i think this product will have the same destiny the opel sail had few years ago. great product but wrong marketing mix for the wrong market. |
Not too sure if I agree with you on a couple of points
1. The only advantage to launching the old Fabia instead of the new one would be the fact that it was available as a sedan. Other than that it looked boxier and more dated than even the Octavia. Looks and image play an important part in a buyer's deciscion making process and ultimately decides the car's fate.
2. This isnt an out and out enthusiast's car. If you want power the Getz D can be tuned to 130bhp with a Petes box. This car will appeal to the more educated and aware buyer who has matured over the years and realizes that even though he could probably get a Logan for the same price as a Fabia, just because the Logan is a bit bigger and has a boot doesnt mean its a better car.
3. The 'hatchbacks arent real cars' mentality is certainly present in the minds of consumers though people are slowly starting to see beyond that. I believe a Swift costs almost the same or more than an Esteem and still sells more. People arent as price concious as they are value concious. Everyone is looking to get the maximum bang for their buck. If people were just Diesel crazy and were so price sensitive why would the vdi outsell the ldi?
4. Skoda
IS a premium brand in India and its definatly a nice brand to have in your driveway and something you can flaunt unlike having a Swift or Getz.
Im not however saying that this car is a garunteed success, its a pretty risky move on Skoda's part. A sedan would mean garunteed success in the Fiesta/City/Aveo segment but I guess Skoda doesnt have the time to wait for the international launch of the sedan and is taking its chances on the Indian market. To be honest Id rather have a well proportioned Swift than an akward Swift sedan, an Indica rather than an Indigo and the Fabia hatch than some wierd sedan.