[DicKy]

Originally Posted by The Rainmaker

Toyota has lost it, it seems. They're overpricing their vehicles like crazy and Fortuner is hardly a 30 lakh truck that they're selling for 50 lakhs only because there are enough dummies to pay that kind of money to buy it. Hilux is no exception. It should not cost more than 20 lakhs. In fact even Isuzu started with a 10 lakh price tag and now it touches almost 25 lakhs on road...For 32 lakhs (approx) one can get a VW Tiguan that has a better performance and can provide the comfort of a sedan while also tackling decent off road requirements, although for pure off road use only that may not work as well but I'm sure hardly any of us will ever put our vehicles through those scenarios unless we're participating in Dakar Rally (anyone? ). ..This is how the downfall starts,

With all due respect. Different buyer demands, different target segments. Even in developed markets you will find decades old tech BoF SUVs selling at the same or greater price than a chic European driver's car. A typical Fortuner buyer will say that only dummies would buy a petrol 5 seater hatchback on stilts for 32 lakhs, that may not run troublefree beyond warranty period. But then, a typical Tiguan buyer would appreciate driver comfort and performance over durability or 10 years+ service.

No doubt Toyotas are overpriced in India and have a profit over volumes strategy(opposite of what they practice worldwide), but the elephant in the room has been discussed to death in our forum. Our taxes. If you take away our taxes, you would see that our prices would be reasonable. Ofcourse, Toyta can sell the Hilux for under 20 lakhs, but that would be a utilitarian version sharing more with the Innova than Fortuner. But then we have decades old tech Mahindra pickups for around 10-12 lakhs to do the job, so why would Toyota.

Again, I agree that the Hilux is overpriced. I was dreaming of the STD being sold at below 30 lakhs OTR, but alas. The Toyota tax is prevalant world over, just that our market has way less competition and taxes to magnify it.

[Doge]

Originally Posted by achyutaghosh

I had a quick look at the brochure, and it seems Hilux loses out on quite a few features as compared to Fortuner 4x4, such as-

1. 3rd row seats

I feel it is for the better that the Hilux doesn’t have a third row tho lol, would be quite a sight though I am sure.
All the politicians could fit their goons in the back, Subaru Brat style.

[CEF_Beasts]

Originally Posted by The Rainmaker

This is how the downfall starts, Toyota among other brands have been increasing their prices almost every quarter. Their greed will soon let them down badly.

Yes they have become very greedy and have increased prices considerably in the last 2 years, but so have the competitors.

And did you say downfall? Month after month I hear/read the word downfall after reading that Toyota has decided to raise prices. But where is the downfall?

Toyota India just recorded their highest monthly sales figures of 17131 units in March 2022, the highest since March 2017.

Approx 8000 Innova Crystas and 3000 Fortuners were dispatched in March 2022. Toyota is doing something other manufacturers thought was never possible! Just to get the numbers right a 22-31L OTR MPV selling 8000 units (even the VFM Carens managed 7000 units) and a 40-55L OTR SUV selling 3000 units.

Other than that, Toyota Innova Crysta and Fortuner have been driving the sales numbers up as well. Mr. Atul Sood, Associate VP- Sales and Strategic Marketing – TKM, had this to say: “We have been witnessing tremendous demand from the market and our March wholesales stand testimony to the current demand trends.”

He continued, “This is clearly reinforced with segment leading models like the Innova Crysta clocking almost 8000 units in just a single month. The Fortuner and the Legender too, both have faired phenomenally well and especially with the Legender having carved a niche for itself in such a short time. Both models put together, we have clocked close to 3000 units.”

Regarding the Hilux, yes it is overpriced, yes it doesn’t offer the practicality of an Innova or Fortuner, it’s in a niche segment that needs sometime to mature. Loyalists of Toyota are already waiting to pick up their Hilux-es.

[Black_Star]

Originally Posted by achyutaghosh

I had a quick look at the brochure, and it seems Hilux loses out on quite a few features as compared to Fortuner 4x4, such as-

1. 3rd row seats

Dont know what you are talking about, Hilux seems to provide better seating capacity than Fortuner, heck you can consider it to be VFM if you take all the equipment you can pack on top of that

[raghukodali]

Originally Posted by The Rainmaker

only because there are enough dummies to pay that kind of money to buy it. .

I am one of the dummies who bought a 2021 Fortuner with my really hard earned money and have zero regrets in doing so.

if we start calling people as dummies who don't align with our way of thinking, the whole world will look like dummies.

[shashanka]

It certainly feels like silly pricing by Toyota. There's more than 10L difference between the top Hilux and top D-Max versions. Do the Hi-Lux frills add upto this large gap? And what is "tyre angle indicator" - something which I saw in another release? If it is the steering angle indicator, my humble Thar BS6 has it too. And this doesn't involve rocket science either. Certainly it will come with Toyota's brand value and image - but is that worth 10 L?

[Fuldagap]

As some folks have pointed out, it'd be great if our Army could get its hands at the Hilux. Our 'friend' in the west have ample Toyotas deployed in civilian or military guise that they procure from their western 'friend'. They are usually pretty old but still do the job immaculately. Moreover, the terrain under their area (north of Pir Panjal) has higher peaks as compared to our peaks mostly. Although the mighty old gypsy does the work even today, but it will be great if something of the sorts of Hilux or even the Jimny could be deployed at our borders.

I wonder what our used car market will be offering these Hiluxes for, 10 years down the line.

[R_Gowardhan]

On second thoughts, I feel Toyota has played it's cards right. They may have realised that the key buyers of the Fortuner are not 4x4 enthusiasts and purists. Rather it's people with deep coffers who do not necessarily understand vehicles and want something with a humongous road presence with a "T" badge and to have scary / intimidating stance.

I have seen a lot of convoys now with Fortuners becoming the pilot vehicles rather than the primary one with a German beast carrying the "sahab" .

Imagine how a Hilux will fit in the role.

This segment of buyers will definitely prefer a pick up over an SUV.

[R_Gowardhan]

Originally Posted by Fuldagap

As some folks have pointed out, it'd be great if our Army could get its hands at the Hilux.

While most of us would want our armed forces to have these capable vehicles, the selection and procurement process is "open & fair" and "perceived quality and reliability" may not be taken into consideration.

Competent bids are called from all vehicle manufacturers based purely on specifications. If at all Toyota submits a bid for the Hilux, there will be competing bids from Tata's (Xenon) and Mahindra (Bolero camper, Imperio or Scorpio Getaway). A large part of the decision lies in the lowest bid which Toyota cannot / won't want to match. (Both Tata & Mahindra are fighting to get the lion's share of defence market.)

Add to this a gruelling worthiness testing/trials which may span a couple of years before the decision can be taken. These testings are done in real world off road conditions and the machines are actually put to applications unique to the use cases which the manufacturers may/may not have anticipated. Most machines fail in the initial trials itself.

[docted]

Yesterday a very dear friend who has booked a “Fourtounar” (as he like to call it) AT 4x4 and is waiting delivery,was at the south delhi showroom and saw the MT Hilux there and was informed by SA that if he buys one they can only get it registered in Gurgaon or Faridabad, Not Delhi.

One SA said it’s Too Big the other guy said some pollution issue.

Any one from Delhi booked it and came across something similar?

A couple of decade back his dads 2006 Pajero was also registered in Faridabad for some strange reason.

[aditya.bhardwaj]

Originally Posted by docted

Yesterday a very dear friend who has booked a “Fourtounar” (as he like to call it) AT 4x4 and is waiting delivery,was at the south delhi showroom and saw the MT Hilux there and was informed by SA that if he buys one they can only get it registered in Gurgaon or Faridabad, Not Delhi.

One SA said it’s Too Big the other guy said some pollution issue.

Any one from Delhi booked it and came across something similar?

A couple of decade back his dads 2006 Pajero was also registered in Faridabad for some strange reason.

That's wierd! Because the Isuzu V Cross can be registered as a private vehicle in Delhi but not the D-Max S Cab as it comes under the commercial category in the RTO therefore all the private D-Max users have registered in faridabad, Gurgaon or Noida but not Delhi ( probably some early users might have done it in Delhi but not sure)

As the hilux should technically come under the same category as the V-Cross, don't think private registration in Delhi should be an issue. Although people who have booked it can throw more light.

[achyutaghosh]

Originally Posted by docted

Yesterday a very dear friend who has booked a “Fourtounar” (as he like to call it) AT 4x4 and is waiting delivery,was at the south delhi showroom and saw the MT Hilux there and was informed by SA that if he buys one they can only get it registered in Gurgaon or Faridabad, Not Delhi.
One SA said it’s Too Big the other guy said some pollution issue.

Registration rates for diesels will be lower in Haryana and UP as compared to Delhi. Is that the real reason?

[docted]

Two friends, one with VCross and another with DMax have DL registration (2016).

[dhruvmalik]

Anyone get calls about their deliveries?

I am looking at next week for mine. They have NO accessories available but rather you need to place an order. Im sure in due time that may not be the case.

If anyone is interested in the Accessories price list, here it is for Gujarat.
EDIT: Would it kill them to get the car name right?

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by veyron_head

Wasn't the Hilux supposed to compete with Jeep compass as per their leaked internal sales kit?

That "leaked" sales kit sounds like an April fool's joke to me. A Hilux and Compass are just about as similar as chalk and cheese

Originally Posted by veyron_head

I think you would only buy Hilux if you are specifically looking for a Hilux.

Absolutely! No one would go cross-shopping across a pick-up truck and another segment.

On a generic note, I am surprised that people here are surprised with the pricing. Toyota has always charged a premium for its vehicles and people have gladly paid for the same - Innova and Fortuner sales figures are not classified info! When they can get bullish on segments which do have competition (quite a bit for Innova and till very recently for Fortuner), what stops them from pushing the envelope further for a vehicle that virtually has no competition? The VCross is dated, underpowered (compared to the Hilux), and cherry on the cake is Isuzu's wafer-thin dealer network! It has been selling so far as there was no real good alternative in the market. On my Spiti sojourn back in 2019, I was chatting with a gentleman who used to own a VCross at that point (BTW, he runs one of the most well-known and popular hotels in Kaza) - without getting into the gory details, all I'd say is that he did not have a positive opinion about his truck and was waiting for the Hilux to hit our shores. I am sure he'd have booked one by now In no way do I mean to offend VCross owners as I have absolutely zilch knowledge/interest in this segment - I am just conveying the perspective of an owner, and someone who uses it the way it is supposed to be used, given the terrain out there.

I agree that Toyota should get a reality check on their pricing but unfortunately, that does not seem to be happening anytime soon.