India's People car maker

[amit]

I don't think we at team-bhp have really got down to disucssing who we think is India's people car maker. So here is a poll for all to vote in and give their opinions on the same. But, the question is what really is a people's car maker? I'd say a people's car maker should have cars that are in the Indian context:

1. Reliable.
2. Fuel Efficient.
3. Cheap to service and maintain.
4. Safe
5. Good Looking and Modern. Although, I do feel that looks are something that buyers of these cars are willing to compromise on for the first 3 points.

The company needs to be :

1. Dynamic and totally in tune with the buyers desiers.
2. Offer great customer service both in sales and service.
3. Constantly update and modernize their products without too much of a corresponding increase in price.
4. Widespread dealer network.

I am expecting a close fight between Maruti and Tata but remember Tata's upcoming 1 lac car that will do what the M800 did 15 years back. Sure MUL may price the M800 on par with Tata's One but the One is a car that will be approx 15 years newer, read that as 15 years of R&D in design, driving dynamics, safety, engine technology and fuel efficiency.

VW is Europe's people car maker, GM is North America's and Toyota is Japan's people car maker. So who is India's people car maker?

[theMAG]

Altho Maruti would seem to be the automatic choice, I've voted for TATA owing to their completely Indianness that makes this manufacturer more in-tune with the country's mobilization requirements.

Hyundai seems to have lost the plot completely, which is a sad departure from their entry days.

[GTO]

But, the question is what really is a people's car maker? I'd say a people's car maker should have cars that are in the Indian context:

And that alone should hand the card to Maruti. There is a subtle yet significant difference between "Putting India on wheels" (Maruti) and the "Truly Indian car" (Tata).

Maruti has delivered exactly what the average Indian car buyer wants; Value, reliability, FE, cheap cost of ownership and a well-spread service network.

Tata may have given us the Indian car, but sales show that it is not what all Indians want. Its diesel and big...yes. But the small car buyer has become discerning enough.

In short, hats off to both who have delivered at supreme levels. But in relevance to this poll, my vote goes to Maruti.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

My vote also goes to Maruti...

Sales chart makes it clear... Alto, wagonR, Maruti 800, Omni and swift in the top 10 most selling cars... With the alto being the largest selling car in the country followed by the M800...

Maruti Suzuki has delivered what the people could afford...

Although TATA has made an appreciable Indian effort... I guess, the Indian people's car maker crown goes to Maruti Suzuki itself...

(Unless TATA 1L car comes out soon, and does what the M800 did when it was launched)

[abhibh]

My vote goes to maruti. Hyundai is blowing it now days and Maruti seems to be having problems with the dealers.. but we can not dis agree the fact and ratings of various companies like JD power..

[mclarenracer]

my vote maruti. they did it better than anyone else for a long time.

[Raajiv]

Maruti without any doubt.Average indian Buyer always considers Maruti as the first choice due to the Service Network,FE,Availability of Spares and above all to give a car that suits indian road conditions.

[Mr.Bangalore]

Maruti is the one, they have the car that can be affordable by an average indian,
even the maintaince of it is also low .
FE is also very gud,
many M800s running strong after 2 decades,
but safety wise is not upto the mark

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by amit

1. Reliable.
2. Fuel Efficient.
3. Cheap to service and maintain.
4. Safe
5. Good Looking and Modern. Although, I do feel that looks are something that buyers of these cars are willing to compromise on for the first 3 points.

The company needs to be :

1. Dynamic and totally in tune with the buyers desiers.
2. Offer great customer service both in sales and service.
3. Constantly update and modernize their products without too much of a corresponding increase in price.
4. Widespread dealer network.

Lets see point by point who wins this. this is purely my opinion.i am discussing only the basic entry level cars here, which should really be the people's cars.

1. Reliable. - Maruti / Hyundai
2. Fuel Efficient. - Maruti / Hyundai / TATA
3. Cheap to service and maintain. Maruti / TATA / Hyundai
4. Safe No Points
5. Good Looking and Modern. Although, I do feel that looks are something that buyers of these cars are willing to compromise on for the first 3 points. - Maruti

The company needs to be :

1. Dynamic and totally in tune with the buyers desiers. - NONE
2. Offer great customer service both in sales and service. - Maruti
3. Constantly update and modernize their products without too much of a corresponding increase in price. None
4. Widespread dealer network. - Maruti

Final Scores
1. Maruti - 6 Points
2. TATA - 2 Points
3. Hyundai - 3 Points

TATA could have been given a point for constant updates, but i dont think fault rectifications could be called as updates like the Operating Systems we use.

[theMAG]

While taking away no credit to Maruti for putting India on wheels ( I own a Maruti Swift anyway), my thought process is inclined towards the fact that it was TATA who gave India's first multi-talented (city and highway) affordable hatch that had as its USP (apart from the diesel), its ensconsing safety for the occupants. And its genuinely capable of seating a normal Indian-sized family of 5 in complete comfort. Sure, the Indica can be more refined - but its the big picture that counts.

But, moving away from the Indica vs Maruti's multi-car stable, moving forward, I feel it'll be TATA that will bridge mobility gaps in the Indian motoring scene, as displayed by the Rs 1-lac car project, while ensuring new product developments - TATA doesnt have the wherewithal to bring in 5-year old decommissioned dies from a foreign parent. And herein lies the biggest difference between Maruti and TATA - Maruti is reactionary while TATA is proactionary.

Overall - I strongly feel a continuously improving TATA will be the comfort factor in mass Indian motoring over the years to come.

[Suryam]

IMHO, Tata's should be people's car maker because:
>1. Reliable.
We can see lots of Indicas/Indigos on streets

> 2. Fuel Efficient.
They are reasonably FE compared to other European/American cars

> 3. Cheap to service and maintain.
Their miant. as cheap as Korean/Japanese(Santro/Maruti) cars in entry-level/sedan category

>4. Safe
They are safer than Santro/MAruti cars at their corresponding category car

>5. Good Looking and Modern. Although, I do feel that looks are something
> that buyers of these cars are willing to compromise on for the first 3 points.
Their cars looks more or less ok -- this is highly subjective



>1. Dynamic and totally in tune with the buyers desiers.
The only manufctures(and sells in reasonable numbers) cars both in Petrol/Diesel for entry level cars. They also manufacture diesel cars for entry level cars(which people do want). Now only Korean/Japanese car maker are creating the diesel cars in entry level segment. They also manufature diesek-car with very less premium(over their petrol counterparts)


>3. Constantly update and modernize their products without too much of a >corresponding increase in price.
We can see this behaviour from Tata for Indica/Indigo's.

[sbasak]

Maruti/Suzuki first showed India that common people can afford a car! Their sole aim was people's car (still their bread & butter) and then they upgraded their stock with more models and luxury cars. Maruti's cars were popular from very beginning.

Tata showed India that industrialists can purchase Indian made trucks! Then thought (like their once common ad "we also make steel...") they could make the trucks smaller which they could call car. The result -> Tata Sierra, Tata Estate and Indica V1 which were all shoddy products. Although they have now improved a lot but this was how their philosophy evolved over time.

Now Hyundai is a different story. They entered in Indian market when Maruti has already made their base. However, they entered India with a long term vision and they are also successful in Indian market. Their cars are cheap, fuel efficient, reliable and above all VFM. Unlike Honda & Toyota, Suzuki & Hyundai don't consider Indian buyers in "not enough matured" metality. They introduce same models in Europe, America and India. I appreciate their attitude.

So my vote goes to 1. Maruti/Suzuki 2. Hyundai 3. Tata

Just my 2p

[GTO]

it was TATA who gave India's first multi-talented (city and highway) affordable hatch that had as its USP (apart from the diesel), its ensconsing safety for the occupants. And its genuinely capable of seating a normal Indian-sized family of 5 in complete comfort. Sure, the Indica can be more refined - but its the big picture that counts.

I was just waiting for someone to say this....Maruti for all was going to be a tough pill to swallow!

[RX135]

For me, it is no brainer. It has to be Maruti on almost all counts.

Though Tata's 1Lac car is alluded as Tata's own 800, I am skeptical about its success. More and more entry level car buyers are switching from 800 -> Alto, though Alto is more expensive than 800. Buyers are able to afford bit more expensive car, which is more contemporary.

For 1Lac car, target will 2 wheeler owners, who can't afford a car today. Reva , previous attempt for such car, was a miserable failure since it was not practical. Now unless Tata really comes up with a good quality product which has practical use, there are chances that it will bomb too.

[rks]

Maruti and Hyundai beat Tata on quality and reliability, which are so important. So which is the people's car? Hyundai does not have any car to compete with Maruti 800, but I think that the Santro can arguably be called the people's car given its great utility in both city and highway, ruggedness and reliability.