[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by Omtoatom

I think Toyota will be the first to concede that the Ertiga is giving it a more than a fair bit of competition.

However you're right in a manner of speaking, there isn't enough competition in the MUV segment right now. Although I assure you, that scenario is going to change very quickly in this country. Almost everyone is eying this lucrative segment and I see manufacturers falling over each other to introduce their MUV offerings in the years to come.

Anyway about time, the Innova is dethroned, isn't it?!

Well I would not really call Ertiga as a competitor to Innova. Yes it might have eaten some numbers from the Innova but its major bulk of customers are coming from hatchback and sedan segments. As a customer If I have Innova in my list of MUVs then I won't look at the Ertiga. Its not a proper MPV like the Innova but more of a makeshift MPV when the need arises over short distances.

And yes I would love to see Toyota being forced to add more goodies to the Innova for the price it comes at. To be honest I have always felt the reason for Toyotas being reliable is because there is not much equipment in the car to start with. I hardly has any electronics. Ofcourse it goes without saying that the mechanical parts are indeed capable of taking a lot of abuse.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Well I would not really call Ertiga as a competitor to Innova. Yes it might have eaten some numbers from the Innova but its major bulk of customers are coming from hatchback and sedan segments. As a customer If I have Innova in my list of MUVs then I won't look at the Ertiga. Its not a proper MPV like the Innova but more of a makeshift MPV when the need arises over short distances.

Very true, the hatchback based MPVs are indeed a different segment. The differentiation with Innova will be something similar to, say a Honda City v/s Honda Civic in the sedan space. From the look of it, the Lodgy should very well sit in the Ertiga segment, and I do expect this segment (along with budget SUVs) to get crowded in the next couple of years.

[Omtoatom]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Well I would not really call Ertiga as a competitor to Innova. Yes it might have eaten some numbers from the Innova but its major bulk of customers are coming from hatchback and sedan segments. As a customer If I have Innova in my list of MUVs then I won't look at the Ertiga. Its not a proper MPV like the Innova but more of a makeshift MPV when the need arises over short distances.

Mate, I'm not for a second saying that the Ertiga is direct competition to the Innova. I know they are different segments, different price points. Which is why in the second part of my post, I've noted that there just isn't enough fistfight happening in the MPV segment. I hope to God there is.

The point I was trying to make is that, as you've correctly pointed out above, the Ertiga has certainly taken some of the sheen off the Innova's halo. Agreed Maruti's offering is primarily being lapped up by a different class of buyers and the Innova still remains virtually unchallenged if it is one's first choice. Nonetheless, the runaway success of the Ertiga must've got the folks at Toyota sit up and take notice; maybe even got them thinking about the prospect of facing serious competition in a segment that they've owned until now. They will know they cannot afford to be complacent. Competition is around the corner and they better pull their socks up. Which is good news for us folks!

That is all I was trying to say.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Well I would not really call Ertiga as a competitor to Innova. Yes it might have eaten some numbers from the Innova but its major bulk of customers are coming from hatchback and sedan segments. As a customer If I have Innova in my list of MUVs then I won't look at the Ertiga. Its not a proper MPV like the Innova but more of a makeshift MPV when the need arises over short distances.

Ertiga might probably be one segment lower than Innova in terms of the size/space. Due to this sector being non-existent earlier, the customers who would have ideally went for this segment had to go for Innova. Now, there is a clear choice to the customers who really don't need a full size MPV. Larger size has its own disadvantages too, especially when it comes to city driving. If the numbers that Innova was enjoying so far included a big chunk from this segment, then it would be a big worry for Toyota. Going by the current numbers for Ertiga (even with Duster taking a big chunk of the hatch/sedan upgrades), it certainly looks like it was not a small fraction of the pie that Innova was enjoying so far.

Since Innova was catering to two segments earlier, decline in sales from either of the segments would be a hit for Innova's sales. If Lodgy comes in as a compact MPV, Innova might still lose some numbers but not as much as it would lose if Lodgy is a full size MPV priced on par with Innova - direct competition in own segment and a much better VFM choice for the lower segment customers in the form of Ertiga. Either way, Toyota has no choice but to wake up.

[suhaas307]

What are the chances of the Lodgy being branded a Datsun and sold here?

Renault is busy, now that they've launched 5 cars in quick time, 3 of them coming in 6 months! I think they'll want to focus on widening and improving their service-network.

There will be a few small cars that will come with the Datsun badge in the near future. But there could be a high possibility that they would launch a watered-down Lodgy - given that they're the 'budget-brand' of the three - and position it against the likes of the Ertiga?

This is pure speculation, FYI.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Renault is busy, now that they've launched 5 cars in quick time, 3 of them coming in 6 months! I think they'll want to focus on widening and improving their service-network.

A very vaolid point. I would really want to see adequate sales and service network set up on the ground before they start catering to a larger customer base, that too specially larger sized cars like the Duster and Lodgy ( if launched). These vehicles make for the majority of the sales and servicing them requires that much more space in the servicing wing compared to small hatches or even sedans. This is one place where I have seen my local Toyota dealer really stealing the show by being able to manage the large number of Innovas and Fortuners effectively every day by providing ample parking space both inside the service bay and outside.

On the other hand the way Indian car scene is getting jammed up with new launches coming every month, Renault might not want to wait too long and let the current aura of success in the minds of customers slip away.

[volkman10]

Renault lines up MUV launch; to take on Toyota Innova, Mahindra Xylo

The company is looking to sell about 35,000 units a year of the MPV Lodgy, codenamed J92, which will take on Toyota's Innova and Mahindra & Mahindra's Xylo.
MPV will see a huge trend and Renault will have to find a solution to go wisely and also find out what is best in our DNA to go into small cars." Industry experts expect the Lodgy to be priced between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 11 lakh since it will share the platform and a number of parts with the Duster.

Here is the source!
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/18375509.cms

[zenren]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Renault lines up MUV launch; to take on Toyota Innova, Mahindra Xylo

Any additional info like tentative launch date etc or the source of this info?

No offense, 7-11 lakhs seems like a very competitive proposition but somehow a little hard to believe considering the way Duster pricing is currently.

[LongDrive]

Rumour now slowly turning to reality, it will launch in early quarter of 2015

here goes the link from ET online today


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/18375509.cms

[arnabchak]

Bringing in Lodgy will not do Renault any good in terms of Sales.

It looks as ugly as Evalia if not more.

The need is to get something like the Clio/Megane to set the charts rolling.

[antz.bin]

Really looking forward to the Lodgy being launched in India. The Logan needs to be replaced by a larger family car and neither the Innova nor the Ertiga quite make the cut for me. Having had a satisfying long-term ownership experience with its sibling, I would love it if we get the option of upgrading within the same family.


But I think it would be better if they take their time so they don't skimp on the petrol engines. My pick would be the one I already talked about earlier in the thread, the 115 Ps 1.2l Turbo Petrol version any day. If they take their own sweet time bringing it in, maybe by that time, the Pertol-Diesel price difference would have stabilized at much lower levels making the Petrol much more attractive buy to the masses.

[volkman10]

And finally Renault has launched the India Bound MPV, Renault badged Dacia Lodgy in the Ukrainian market.
Renault Lodgy: Is it the Toyota Innova beater ?

The Renault Lodgy is expected to be launched in India by mid 2014 and should go on sale in early 2015.

http://carsizzler.com/news-detail/00...a-beater-.html

[ACM]

To me the Lodgy looks quite good - as good or bad as the Maruti Ertiga if not better but definitely a better option than the boxy Evalia.

They though do need to learn a bit from the EcoSport and get the pricing right for the Lodgy when/ if it does come in. Undercutting a Maruti is not that easy.

[clementj]

Other than its name which may not work here, Lodgy IMO is a good proposition for India. I have ridden in a dacia one in slovakia and it does not look bad in flesh. Its much less of a van than the Evalia and the 110 PS one has a 0-100 in 11.5 which is quite quick for a MPV.

Perhaps Nissan should discontinue the Evalia and launch a well priced, rebadged version of the Lodgy should they want to take the fight up to the segment leaders.

[rajshenoy]

Good if they bring it by 2014. 2015 may be bit too late to digest its look because by then we will have Hyundai and Honda MPV also on our roads.

This lodgy along with other compact MPV are going to be car like to drive. But Renault might seriously need to work on the dash if they want to launch this in 2015 !!