[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by CarNerd

As one of the world's top carmaker, Toyota should be ashamed of itself for doing such idiotic things in India. What prevents it from investing and coming up with newer international models? Even countries like Indonesia, Phillipines have more models than us
If a newcomer like MG can come up with cars with latest features, what's the problem with Toyota? Can't they bring one decent proper Toyota model in the 8-16 lakh range? Instead, Toyota is busy thinking stupid names for Maruti cars. I hope Toyota goes the Ford way if it continues doing such ridiculous things.

The problem is with Japanese mentally of playing safe until technology is proven. Name a modern technology of past 100 years where they have lead the development/ invention as compared to West. Japanese have excelled in bringing finesse to tech & process along with covert media management, all with making load full of money which has propelled them amongst the top economies.

Till recently they weren't willing to offer modern infotainment systems (read big displays with Android Auto/ Apple Carplay) as these were the biggest niggle causing factors in West.

They adopted EVs only when the management was funded by West or the technology had matured & commercial success proven. Whatever surplus money of 90s was spent on fuel cells is frozen for future commercial viability.

I'm sure Toyota's future in India is Lexus branded Fortuner & Innova & rebadged Marutis as they woy not spend money on new product development that would fund the salaries of Indian management & profit appetite from Indian operations. All this despite the market potential being more than combined market of few South-East Asian countries where they sell all sorts of sundry models & variants.

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Maruti Suzuki India made LHD Toyota Beltas:

Few more spotted:

[PrasannaDhana]

Launching a badge engineered product, which is about to come to the end of its life cycle.

Toyota atleast could have used the time to make some classy cosmetic changes (like they did in urban cruiser). Looks like ciaz is getting just a new name and the T badge, just like thr glanza.

[sravankrishnan]

Belta is already a poor name but the Toyota Belta is somehow even worse to say .

And why does it remind me of this [To Mods: Not sure if allowed, of course feel free to delete ]

Top Gear

[Peri_patetic99]

They could at least change the gearbox combo in the auto variant, that 4 speed auto certainly shows its age now.

[DeepCarTalk]

It's almost 2022, can we just cancel Toyota all together?

[parrys]

Originally Posted by DeepCarTalk

It's almost 2022, can we just cancel Toyota all together?

+1

I've owned a Ciaz for 6 years, 1.4 lakh kms. And if Toyota thinks that package, is still relevant, then I don't think they are taking the Indian car buyer seriously.

Toyota has nothing new & interesting.
The ride quality of the Innova & Fortuner is

Dear Toyota, enjoy the blind faith till it lasts...

[ron_9191]

It is fairly easy to understand that Toyota has lost its mind in India. And I am struggling to find why someone would choose a Belta over a Ciaz just for the difference in badging?

This tells a lot about the perception car manufacturers have about the Indian mainstream consumer.

[srvm]

Aha! I now understand how Toyota's Bidadi plant achieved 100% carbon neutrality recently (Toyota's Bidadi plant achieves 100% carbon neutrality).

Step-1: Receive unbadged car from Maruti-Suzuki

Step-2: Slap T-badge

Step-3: Ship out car to Toyota showrooms

Zero Carbon/emissions achieved.

[Sebzgeo89]

They could have waited till the launch of the next generation Ciaz or at the least give it some cosmetic changes. This is just sad.

[Brumby]

Yesterday I received a call from Millenium Toyota, asking me if I was interested in buying any new Toyota vehicle.

My reply, "Genuine Toyota cars that are available for sale in India are beyond my budget, and the rest that Toyota sells in India, I am not interested".

If selling Suzuki vehicles as Toyota clicks, probably they will survive, else we may see the exit of another automobile giant from India.

[padmrajravi]

Many people chose Glanza and Urban cruiser over their sibling. I can't see any reasons why it would not happen with Belta too. Like it or not, Belta will also bring in decent numbers for Toyota.

Toyota did give us a genuine product called Yaris. Safety came as standard in that car. It was overpriced compared to segment rivals like Ciaz and Verna. But then it happens with every genuine Toyota product. They are ussually expensive than segment rivals because of their quality premium. None chose Yaris.

The mandate from customers was clear. Start India specific development if you want to survive here. India specific product development is a short form for either compromised safety or compromised quality. There is no way you can have international standard safety bundled with quality and still price it on par with Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata and Mahindra. Why spend all that money to create a Ciaz or Verna when you can just buy it from Suzuki and sell it at a profit ?

In the higher segments, customers are willing to pay the premium for quality and safety. So they chose to play with their genuine models in those segments and maintain a namesake presence through Suzuki in segments where the combination of safety and quality are not valued.

[jigar1791@gmail]

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

Many people chose Glanza and Urban cruiser over their sibling. I can't see any reasons why it would not happen with Belta too. Like it or not, Belta will also bring in decent numbers for Toyota.

Glanza and Urban Cruiser are a part of the growing segments (Premium Hatch and CSUV). If we see the sales figures, we'll be deceived by the fact that these rebadged cars sell. A growing and a volume-heavy segment will always have buyers, at the expanse of other segments - Premium Sedans/cannibalization(?)

See what Magnite has done to Nissan - YoY sales have grown by ~4000%, and a steady monthly sales figures of about 2000-2500 for now.
A one product brand doing about 2500 dispatches is commendable, that's how Renault had started it's career in India with Duster, during early 2010s.

Why spend all that money to create a Ciaz or Verna when you can just buy it from Suzuki and sell it at a profit ?

The Executive Sedan pack is anyway on the deathbed at the moment. City sees about 3000 dispatches, Verna at about 2000 and Ciaz is at 1500. Nothing much to write more on this.
Rebadging won't work and it doesn't work for those segments where the demand is anyway not in sync with overall industry numbers.

While we all speculate on Belta's fate, a mere 200-300 dispatches/month will keep TKML happy, as anything more than 0 will eventually add to it's profits

[sandeepmohan]

I can tell you one thing. This new Belta is poles apart from the original Belta they sold over a decade ago. For those who cannot deal with the name or for someone calling you "beltaaaaa", do a debadge or stick a Yaris or Vios badge. That's what they named it in some other markets.

[KPR]

May I infer from Belta's launch that there will be no new updates to Ciaz in the next two years? As a customer I'm happy as I get some bargaining power. I liked Urban Cruiser with those subtle touches Toyota has given to it. Hope they make such minor touches to Belta as well. Ciaz was and will be a good product for sure in the hands of Toyota. I agree competitors have gone ahead with features in their sedan but are costing atleast 2 Lakhs more than a similar featured Ciaz.