Team-BHP - Frustrating variant mistakes in the Indian car market

I think at this point many a car buyer in India has faced this dilemma. They want to buy a particular car from a particular brand but cant find the right variant to lock down the purchase.

The New CRV is a classic case of the same.
Want a petrol CRV? Then here is an ancient 2.0 stuck with a CVT. What? You want a 1.5 turbo? Sorry sir this is all we got.

Want a diesel CRV? Here is 1.6 with less horsepower than a Verna. What is that? You dont want to get your butt kicked on the highway in your 40 lakh car by a Figo? Well tough luck.

What about the 1 series and the 3 series? Did the company that sells the ultimate driving machine has ever given us a choice of rowing our own gears?

Examples are numerous even down the food chain. When do we get a Polo 1.2 tsi manual? Would have loved to knock a lakh and half of the price of the DSG variant. Most VW group cars, the octavia, jetta, passat , Audi A3 are available in base 1.2 tsi, 1.4 tsi and 1.6 tdi variants. Dont get such choices over here though.

Also the choice drought is not limited to drivetrains. Most carmakers like VW give a wide range of equipment choices too. Do you want digital instrument cluster or not? 6 speakers or 8 speakers sound system? Leather or cloth? Metal trim or wood trim? Brown interior or black?

We are not going to get these car makers to build from scratch these variants on the assembly line here in India. That is for sure. Whats the odd enthusiast to do to get the right variant of the car he wants? Lobby for free trade? Low tariffs? Would Team BHP start a political lobbying group for liberalizing the car industry? Hey all the workers have their unions, farmers have their unions, automakers have their unions. Shouldn't we consumers/car lovers start our own ? :D

While it's not a car buyer's heaven, there is plenty of choice. If you don't like CRV, you can buy VW Tiguan. If you don't like Polo DSG, you can buy Punto MT. For every segment, I feel there are fun to drive options as well as easy to own options. Of course fun to drive and easy to own has been an impossible combination for ages across the world. What we need: more choice in EVs and Hybrids.

True that. It is really frustrating.

I have been looking for a top spec diesel automatic,compact to medium sized SUV for the last 3 years and still haven't found one.

Ecosport, no diesel automatic.

Creta in top spec,diesel automatic not available.

Compass in top spec diesel, automatic not available.

Almost finalised the Tucson, but no height adjustment for the front passenger seat was a downer. The seat is set way too low and a short passenger would not see beyond the dash. No ventilated seats? Though the Verna and Elantra have them.

Now comes the Harrier without the auto box.

The wait continues. Though I like the Endevour, found it too big for a daily beater.

Honestly if it is a 4*4 all the better, but a diesel automatic with the full safety kit including 6 airbags is a must.

Started looking out when my Punto was 80k on the odo and now it has a 130k.:lol:

Well the so-called "Choice" is only an illusion. For e.g. there is no reason for Swift LDi to not have a rear wiper and defogger (they makes it safer too) and in bill of materials or cost, it is going to cost Maruti peanuts given the volumes but how else will they get you to spend a lakh more and get then same feature in a higher end model. I can give you other examples but I hope you get the gist.

The biggest manufacturer in India whose existence is largely dependent on our market doesn’t bother to sell their first world models in India. Even if they sell some, the variants are heavily watered down. When volume players themselves are on conservative approach, we cannot expect niche/low volume manufacturers to provide multiple options. For a model which sells in 100s or 200s a month, e.g.; the CR-V or the Octavia, it’s hard to provide an exhaustive list of options to choose from (especially in a price-sensitive market like ours).

The 'chindhi' mentality of the car manufacturers is to blame. The top version itself is so barebones, that they resort to removing nuts and bolts here and there to make lower cost versions. Examples are abundant. Missing rear wipers, Hyundai not offering passanger side bag on top version of Santro AMT or no 6 airbags on Creta, Tata dropping off features to maintain the price level, Toyota offering safety kit in base varient of Yaris but pricing it over enthusiastically.

I think only competition will break this circle. Because majority of consumers will lap up a tin car that wavers in the winds running on kerosene if it gives 30KMPL.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vb-san (Post 4506900)

The biggest manufacturer in India whose existence is largely dependent on our market doesn’t bother to sell their first world models in India.

True. After a couple of misses mostly related to bad pricing (Grand Vitara & Kizashi), MSIL has stopped manufacturing & marketing anything but bread and butter cars in India.
With 50% market share, how much would it hurt them really to bring in cars like Jimny, Swift Sport, Scross petrol with allgrip and the likes?

Add to that Hyundai & Honda - N series & Mugen are not even in their distant dreams for India.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackasta (Post 4506915)

With 50% market share, how much would it hurt them really to bring in cars like Jimny, Swift Sport, Scross petrol with allgrip and the likes?

I'd like to own the Swift Sport myself. After taking the first highway ride in our new Swift, it became pretty obvious that the car could be SO much more and so easily.

But then again, what would I be willing to pay, honestly? This one cost almost 8L on the road. Perhaps I'd go as high as 10 for the Japanese-spec version. Will that be possible? I don't really know. Anything higher and I'd certainly go see the car, take a test drive, write about the experience on TBhp :), generally be very happy that it's available in India, but wouldn't buy it.

Let's face it, the dismal sales numbers of any performance/niche vehicle car or bike here speak volumes (or don't speak of any 'volumes' rather :)) about the majority buyer in the Indian market (two of my colleagues in their 20s say my 2009 Pulsar 180 has 'too much power for the city'(!)). So thinking like a business/showroom owner, if I have a model that doesn't really sell, and l could use that space for a model that is really moving, what would I do? Try the long slog of 'building the market' or just go with tried/tested/profits?

Personally, I hope they focus on making their cars much safer first before catering to the enthusiast market.

My 14 lakh on road priced Verna D does not have key less entry and has a pretty simple low tech instrument cluster with no fancy graphics etc. Only the top end has these features. While I don't mind the instrument cluster much I can't believe cars much lower in the segment have key less entry and I have to twiddle the key every time I want to start the car. Using the key these days seems that I am trying to break into my own car while I am leaning over the steering to look where I am inserting the key into it's slot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ani_meher (Post 4506911)

I think only competition will break this circle. Because majority of consumers will lap up a tin car that wavers in the winds running on kerosene if it gives 30KMPL.

I think it's a vicious circle. Enthusiasts are only a handful, what majority people want is a car that:

1. Is cheap to buy, own & maintain.
2. Is reliable and doesn't disturb the peace of mind.
3. Ferries them from point A to point B in comfort.
4. Is a status symbol (sedan/premium hatch/SUV).

If something that combines the above requirements, people will buy it. The non-enthusiast middle class person doesn't care about the shoddy build quality of Maruti as long as they get a so-called SUV (Brezza) at a price cheaper than the much superior competition (Ecosport). Manufacturers are milking this mindset.

If manufacturers start building the cars with safety features as standard and set a benchmark for build quality, this problem can be solved. BUT..they are businesses and work for profit. So they make what they can sell and maximize profits.

Then how do we break this vicious circle? It would be possible only if the Government takes some steps and sets benchmarks and standards for safety and build quality just like they did with BS-6 engine norms.

And I mean scientific standards. I hate the 80kmph beeps.:Frustrati

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy (Post 4506832)

I have been looking for a top spec diesel automatic,compact to medium sized SUV for the last 3 years and still haven't found one.

Yes Sir! I am also waiting for a diesel automatic (the petrol's have awful drinking habits) compact SUV with full safety features.
Indian car manufacturers seem to asleep at the wheel! How is it that they cant see a demand here/