Versa vows!

Sparkie · 22nd April 2007, 12:54

Hi guys,

I wanted to know what are your thoughts on the Maruti Versa:

1. Why did it fail?
2. What are its negatives?
3. What are its positives?
4. Where did Maruti go wrong and how should they have marketed the car in order for it to be a successful product?

I would be happy to hear your thoughts on this, especially those who have had some ownership experience with it.

Keep the posts flowing in!

sbasak · 22nd April 2007, 16:01

+ve = can't think of anything

-ve = van like image, bus like driving, it was never meant for a car

rahul_intlad · 22nd April 2007, 16:10

Lack of space compared to the other MUV's.[toyota qualis etc].
Perhaps diesel option would have sparked more interest in the cab segment.Too boxy,dont know if anybody would like that design.Initially was launched with too steep a price tag.

I doubt maruti could have done anything to turn this product into a blockbuster.

Jaggu · 22nd April 2007, 16:20

lack of space is primary, for what it was marketed to be with big n small b and all its pretty cramped inside especially the second and third row

second its very bumpy ride

Sankar · 22nd April 2007, 16:46

Versa is the car which replaced Suzuki Carry aka the Maruti Omni in the foreign market. It's a commercial vehicle marketed as a people carrier. Fuel efficiency wasn't that great either.

GTO · 22nd April 2007, 16:54

The Versa is a RWD with an Esteem engine! And comes in varied (5 , 7 9) seating options. Good space for those in the first two row but cramped at the rear. The downside is the horrible ride quality and below-average highway stability.

theMAG · 22nd April 2007, 17:24

To a layman its a bigger more expensive Omni.

Mpower · 22nd April 2007, 17:33

If I was in Maruti product planning, I would have approved the launch of Versa too.

Afterall Omni is such a big hit and has been selling since 1984. For sure there is a bunch of people who like the concept and would like to move up to something bigger and better. But the Versa fell flat on its face. Maybe the high initial pricing killed it and nobody took note of the eventual price cut. sad sad

Ricky_63 · 22nd April 2007, 18:41

Down market image with Upmarket pricing......Bad ride quality, wrong target segment, lack of diesel option....can't think of any positives. Wonder why they had such a Grand Brand Ambassador though ???

mail4ajo · 22nd April 2007, 23:06

I think the major mistakes were the high pricing, target audience and low FE. I like to drive this especially for the short gear stick and tall stance. Has good load capacity as well. My relative has a music company and carries all his stuff on it. He also uses it as a family car. He has converted to LPG.

Should have be positioned as a commercial type van rather than a people carrier and not have blown money on the Big B's to endorse that.

car_crazy1400 · 23rd April 2007, 09:18

The Primary reason it failed was that it cannot compete with the omni on the pricing front nor on the cheap spares front.

But since maruti is already selling Wagon R lpg now, its high time they also provided a similar kit with a bigger tank in versa. It would surely help to boost some sales.

Sparkie · 24th April 2007, 22:05

To those who felt it had a down-market image, would you attribute this to it's boxy van-like looks which probably didn't look like a personal vehicle?

Mpower · 25th April 2007, 03:45

Well WagonR also has boxy van like looks but is doing fabulously well!
I wonder why people shunned the Versa even after the price correction.

vinu99@gmail.co · 25th April 2007, 09:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mpower

Well WagonR also has boxy van like looks but is doing fabulously well!
I wonder why people shunned the Versa even after the price correction.

Versa, I would say is simply un-appealing, how much ever the price is!

esteem_lover · 25th April 2007, 09:27

Number one, the design itself is not appealing. It has an uneven finish to it like it is looking to fall over. But i did like driving it when i had the chance. it had a good AC, decent power & a vantage position on the seat. The space in the front 2 rows are very decent. I guess the shape & design of it plus the high pricing spoilt the party for maruti.

22nd April 2007, 12:54	#1
Sparkie BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chennai-not at home now Posts: 101 Thanked: 2 Times	Versa vows! Hi guys, I wanted to know what are your thoughts on the Maruti Versa: 1. Why did it fail? 2. What are its negatives? 3. What are its positives? 4. Where did Maruti go wrong and how should they have marketed the car in order for it to be a successful product? I would be happy to hear your thoughts on this, especially those who have had some ownership experience with it. Keep the posts flowing in!
	() Thanks

22nd April 2007, 16:01	#2
sbasak BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CCU-LTN Posts: 608 Thanked: 14 Times	+ve = can't think of anything -ve = van like image, bus like driving, it was never meant for a car
	() Thanks

22nd April 2007, 16:10	#3
rahul_intlad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 1,579 Thanked: 4 Times	Lack of space compared to the other MUV's.[toyota qualis etc]. Perhaps diesel option would have sparked more interest in the cab segment.Too boxy,dont know if anybody would like that design.Initially was launched with too steep a price tag. I doubt maruti could have done anything to turn this product into a blockbuster.
	() Thanks

22nd April 2007, 16:20	#4
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,215 Thanked: 15,907 Times	lack of space is primary, for what it was marketed to be with big n small b and all its pretty cramped inside especially the second and third row second its very bumpy ride
	() Thanks

22nd April 2007, 16:46	#5
Sankar Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Location Posts: 5,766 Thanked: 9,054 Times	Versa is the car which replaced Suzuki Carry aka the Maruti Omni in the foreign market. It's a commercial vehicle marketed as a people carrier. Fuel efficiency wasn't that great either.
	() Thanks

22nd April 2007, 16:54	#6
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,546 Thanked: 300,761 Times View My Garage	The Versa is a RWD with an Esteem engine! And comes in varied (5 , 7 9) seating options. Good space for those in the first two row but cramped at the rear. The downside is the horrible ride quality and below-average highway stability.
	() Thanks

22nd April 2007, 17:24	#7
theMAG Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Avon, CT Posts: 7,217 Thanked: 1,807 Times View My Garage	To a layman its a bigger more expensive Omni. Last edited by theMAG : 22nd April 2007 at 17:25.
	() Thanks

22nd April 2007, 17:33	#8
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,409 Thanked: 1,730 Times View My Garage	If I was in Maruti product planning, I would have approved the launch of Versa too. Afterall Omni is such a big hit and has been selling since 1984. For sure there is a bunch of people who like the concept and would like to move up to something bigger and better. But the Versa fell flat on its face. Maybe the high initial pricing killed it and nobody took note of the eventual price cut. sad sad
	() Thanks

22nd April 2007, 18:41	#9
Ricky_63 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,885 Thanked: 518 Times View My Garage	Down market image with Upmarket pricing......Bad ride quality, wrong target segment, lack of diesel option....can't think of any positives. Wonder why they had such a Grand Brand Ambassador though ???
	() Thanks

22nd April 2007, 23:06	#10
mail4ajo Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 1,957 Thanked: 331 Times View My Garage	I think the major mistakes were the high pricing, target audience and low FE. I like to drive this especially for the short gear stick and tall stance. Has good load capacity as well. My relative has a music company and carries all his stuff on it. He also uses it as a family car. He has converted to LPG. Should have be positioned as a commercial type van rather than a people carrier and not have blown money on the Big B's to endorse that. Last edited by mail4ajo : 22nd April 2007 at 23:08.
	() Thanks

23rd April 2007, 09:18	#11
car_crazy1400 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: DL/UP16/PB10 Posts: 647 Thanked: 330 Times	The Primary reason it failed was that it cannot compete with the omni on the pricing front nor on the cheap spares front. But since maruti is already selling Wagon R lpg now, its high time they also provided a similar kit with a bigger tank in versa. It would surely help to boost some sales.
	() Thanks

24th April 2007, 22:05	#12
Sparkie BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chennai-not at home now Posts: 101 Thanked: 2 Times	To those who felt it had a down-market image, would you attribute this to it's boxy van-like looks which probably didn't look like a personal vehicle?
	() Thanks

25th April 2007, 03:45	#13
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,409 Thanked: 1,730 Times View My Garage	Well WagonR also has boxy van like looks but is doing fabulously well! I wonder why people shunned the Versa even after the price correction.
	() Thanks

25th April 2007, 09:27	#15
esteem_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Madras/Py Posts: 7,556 Thanked: 502 Times View My Garage	Number one, the design itself is not appealing. It has an uneven finish to it like it is looking to fall over. But i did like driving it when i had the chance. it had a good AC, decent power & a vantage position on the seat. The space in the front 2 rows are very decent. I guess the shape & design of it plus the high pricing spoilt the party for maruti.
	() Thanks