[Asmt_b]

Every now and then we come across cars that generate a lot of buzz before being launched but end up being sales flops for different reasons.Some of the examples that come to my mind are the :
1.New Hyundai Santro
The earlier generations were a super duper hit mainly because they were fun to drive and offered a lot of vfm.However the current model seems really pricey now with prices crossing 7 lacs !
2.Renault Captur
Another car which created a good buzz prior to launch and seemed really good on paper only to be let down by its woefully outdated interior and high pricing.

[KL01toKA03]

I'll add the Nissan Kicks to this list. Nissan sponsored the cricket world cup and spent a lot of money on ads. Still, the car could not generate too much sales, probably due to uncertainties regarding the brand in India.

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by Asmt_b

Every now and then we come across cars that generate a lot of buzz before being launched but end up being sales flops for different reasons.

Oh the list will be huge if I consider cars from different eras. You may need to give a timeline to choose the cars from

Immediately the following would come to mind from the era gone by:

1) Ford Mondeo . It was supposed to place ford as a a leader in the luxury segment

2) Many GM/Chevy/Opel cars - Corsa (and different variants of it), Optra SRV, Aveo, etc

3) Suzuki Kizashi

4) Maruti Versa - Not exactly a car to be honest but it created a lot of buzz on the back of AB Jr and Sr's endorsement.

Many more will come out if I start digging the list.

As for the more recent models, I have lost a count of the models that have failed after creating the so called Hype on Social Media and other such modern platforms. Who remembers the number of models that M&M launched and then forgot about very recently? How about GM and some other makers who couldn't get buyers? The list will be long

[RavSam]

Though I like this car but this is the father of all the "all hype and sales dud". Tata Nano.

[kushagra452]

I will like to add Tata Harrier to this list as well. IMO despite all the noise and build up of expectation, the end product has been an utter disappointment. The never ending niggles and other serious engineering issues that have plagued the Harrier have done injustice to it's aesthetic appeal and design.

With the likes of Kia and Hyundai stepping up to the plate, the future for Tata Harrier doesn't look that rosy.

[bongSENse]

The couple of cars which came to my mind after seeing the thread title is the Maruti Suzuki Kizashi and the Mahindra Quanto.



As far as I reckon, the Quanto was an attempt from Mahindra to define the C-SUV segment, but sadly, their efforts were in vain as India was still not ready to accept such a vehicle. The Ford Ecosport is actually considered to bear the moniker of the first C-SUV to have made it big!



Ah, I absolutely went gaga over the Kizashi when they had shown it on the TV advertisement (remember the Kizashi adorned on a red carpet?). A Maruti with a sticker price of ~17L on-road ensured it was dead-on-arrival. Sigh. Till date they haven't been able to make headway into this segment (maybe soon with the re-badged Corolla!)

A few of the others which I can recollect are:

(i) Mahindra Verito/Logan: Mahindra still managed to keep it alive thanks to the EV alter egos
(ii) Skoda Yeti: Enthusiasts loved it, but sadly it did not clock numbers that it ought to (probably because of a ~20L+ sticker and the famous Skoda brand reputation)

[mh09ad5578]

Aren't we forgetting the biggest of them all ? (Ironic)The Tata Nano!

[Asmt_b]

The latest Honda Accord too seems to deserve a spot here considering how well the earlier generations did but at almost 45-50 lakhs now it really doesn't sell well.


Another big let down were the Chevy sail twins.


Prior to their launch Chevrolet had a positive image in the market over the years thanks mainly to the Optra,Beat and the amazing Cruze.However, it seems that the Sail twins with their poor build quality and horrible interiors sunk the Chevy ship altogether

Fiat Linea.


I remember falling in love with it's elegance when it was launched and even though it did receive initial success I believe it was let down by the horrendous FCA A.S.S and marketing.Sadly the Jeep Compass is another product from that stable which will wind up on this list in a couple
of years if FCA don't wake up and give it an urgent refresh with its monthly sales falling lower than the endeavour.

[Garth]

Tata Harrier
Tata Nano
Nissan Kicks
Nissan Captur
Alturas G4
Maurti Suzuki Kizashi
Maruti Baleno Estate

This is my list

[samee_arian]

I think Nano would fit this case, although the reason for it failing or fizzing out was more to do with Singur issue more than the failure of the product itself. A lot more would have sold if it was to roll out as per schedule.

Other cars I can think about are PAL Peugot, Cielo, Micra first model that was launched in India, Zen Estilo (just for the name which they eventually dropped), A-Star and Kizashi.

For that matter most of the cars from Fiat came with good brand value but did not do well due to the management. Sienna/Petra, Palio, Aventurra were great cars. Most notable is Punto. Loved world over and even the guys who bought them here in India love their cars, but others simply chose lighter more fuel efficient options.

[PrideRed]

Fiat Uno it has to be. The car holds the record for highest number of bookings till date(about 3lac) in India. However they could only sell few hundreds in first few months due to production issues, sadly most users ended up cancelling their bookings.

[sv97]

New Ford Figo

Chevrolet Optra Magnum

New Civic in comparison to sales of earlier generation

Tata Harrier prior to 2020 model

These are some of the models which I feel generated a lot of hype but ended up as a sales dud.

[Bibendum90949]

Not sure if the below cars qualifies for the list, may be flops sans the hype.

Maruti Zen Estilo
Renault Fluence
Nissan Evalia
Skoda Yeti
Hyundai Getz
Mahindra Voyager

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

TATA Harrier

The original forum thread in the Indian Car Scene has the highest views for a car in that section (~5 million views, 4k replies) - only to be later struggling to sell an average of ~500 units.

Harrier truly was the perfect example of messing up a launch from a position of all-out hype! Sad because the car (especially the Dark edition) looks the best of all the recent products in the market.

[M00M]

Jeep Compass
Honda Accord Hybrid
Honda Mobilio
BMW M8
Fiat Uno
Fiat Punto Abarth
VW Passat
VW Toaureg
Skoda Fabia
Maruti Suzuki S Cross
Maruti Suzuki Ignis
Maruti Suzuki Zen Estillo
Maruti Suzuki Versa
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara
Maruti Suzuki Kizashi
Maruti Suzuki Baleno Altura