[mkh]

Hi Folks
A lot of action in 2009, almost all car manufacturers ending the year with a big bang, forgetting the year that how it started with 2008 ending with a whimper...lots of launches, some hits and some misses. Some wowed and some made us wonder.
What would be the hits of the year and the misses??? I guess there is no thread for this so starting this off( hope the mods are ok)- there is a seperate thread for the Car of The Year but i am here opening this out to discuss what the manufacturers did well and what would they need to change next year taking learning from 2009...
HITS of 2009:
Hyundai i-20: Sets a new standard in large hatchs, any future launches will take this as a benchmark, another winner from Hyundai stable..
Tata Nano: The dream is alive...and on the roads now...the cheapest car in the world and we have it..finally!
Fiat Linea and Punto: FIAT is saved..finally they have launched something that can probably save them from exiting the indian market..however problems in sales and support still exist

MISSES of 2009:
Honda Jazz: NO jazz on the sales numbers...wonder what did honda think??? The future looks bleak for this model from honda...
Ritz Diesel: The swift still in demand, the newer model from Maruti failed to draw that much attention as normally newer launches do, the same engine in both but the old horse still pulls along much much more numbers..

These are what stood out in my view, folks can add what they feel belong to the list above!( did not include anything from the premium segment)

[harimakesh]

Hits
Tata Manza (Sure winner for TATA)
Toyota Fortuner
Skoda Superb

Flops
Tata Sumo Grande MKii (Though early predictable If manage to become a HIT, i am all happy for Tata)
Maruti A star

NOT a HIT neither a FLOP
Mahindra Xylo

[mkh]

Originally Posted by harimakesh

Hits
Tata Manza (Sure winner for TATA)
Toyota Fortuner
Skoda Superb

Flops
Tata Sumo Grande MKii (Though early predictable If manage to become a HIT, i am all happy for Tata)
Maruti A star

NOT a HIT neither a FLOP
Mahindra Xylo

Oh how did i miss the A Star!!!- tho exports are good, its a big miss for maruti especially slated to be a "better alto"....another hit for maruti could be the Estilo, the drab old model was such an eye sore on the sales charts and even on the roads...

[basilmabraham]

Well hit and miss analysis could be done considering many aspect. Number of cars sold is only one of the criterion. Features and maximum bang for the buck are other factors which determine hits and misses. A hit for one man may be a miss for another man.

I disagree when you say that the Honda Jazz was a miss. It might have not been a major seller. But, for some one who wants Honda in hatchback form, there is no other choices. Also reading reviews here, I dont think the car is nothing short of the others. The price is a differentiating factor, but if you are ready to spent extra for Honda reliability and what not, this is a good car to own.

[Rotorhead]

Hits
nano
i10
Punto
Tata Manza
Toyota Fortuner

Flops
Maruti A star
jazz - not many takers owing to the pricing i suppose.

not sure whether to classify cruze as a hit or a flop. In my opinion it should be on the hits list

[mkh]

Originally Posted by basilmabraham

Well hit and miss analysis could be done considering many aspect. Number of cars sold is only one of the criterion. Features and maximum bang for the buck are other factors which determine hits and misses. A hit for one man may be a miss for another man.

I disagree when you say that the Honda Jazz was a miss. It might have not been a major seller. But, for some one who wants Honda in hatchback form, there is no other choices. Also reading reviews here, I dont think the car is nothing short of the others. The price is a differentiating factor, but if you are ready to spent extra for Honda reliability and what not, this is a good car to own.

You are right in some ways- i am looking at only the market response, the numbers expected to sell vs sold and how did it come down with the end user...overall i guess there are few cars which are really a miss..ex- ford fusion is a great ride, but failed overall if looking at sales figures...guess thats what manufacturers aim for- sales numbers at the end of the day

[basilmabraham]

Originally Posted by mkh

You are right in some ways- i am looking at only the market response, the numbers expected to sell vs sold and how did it come down with the end user...overall i guess there are few cars which are really a miss..ex- ford fusion is a great ride, but failed overall if looking at sales figures...guess thats what manufacturers aim for- sales numbers at the end of the day

I understand your point. My list of hits and misses follows

Hits:
Cruze
Fortuner
i20

Misses:
A-star
Estilo

[gaddiwale]

Originally Posted by mkh

Hi Folks
HITS of 2009:
Fiat Linea and Punto: FIAT is saved..finally they have launched something that can probably save them from exiting the indian market..however problems in sales and support still exist

MISSES of 2009:
Honda Jazz: NO jazz on the sales numbers...wonder what did honda think??? The future looks bleak for this model from honda...
Ritz Diesel: The swift still in demand, the newer model from Maruti failed to draw that much attention as normally newer launches do, the same engine in both but the old horse still pulls along much much more numbers..

I find this kind of comparison is funny and misguiding. In the month of Nov 2009 Fiat has sold 1153 (GP) and 807 (Linea) units, comprising both Petrol and Diesel models. Where as Jazz sold 546 units, only has petrol version. Same true for Ritz (sold 4851 units), though I dont have the break up of pertrol and diesel. Just looking at the cars on the road of a town/city we should not jump in to a conlusion of Hits and Misses, the scenario may be different in other parts of the country or in totality as the sales figures indicated.

[gomzi]

Originally Posted by mkh

You are right in some ways- i am looking at only the market response, the numbers expected to sell vs sold and how did it come down with the end user...

If you go by this criteria of "market response and expected to sell vs sold and end user perception" then the Fiat cars will be misses.

If thats the criteria, i'd suggest we let consolidated 2009 sales figures for all cars/manufacturers decide the matter. After all, the sales figures decide which car went down well with the target buyers and which ones did not.

I'm sure the information is there looking at the various monthly sales threads.

[McLaren Rulez]

If not market response, how else can you determine a hit or a miss? Its pretty clear that a car that sells is a hit and one that does not is a miss. Of course, the numbers we use should be seen in context with its competition.

[dodge_v1per]

Here's list from my side :

Hits
- Chevy Cruze
- Toyota Fortuner
- Tata Nano
- Tata Manza

Misses
- A-Star

[vinaydas]

fortuner definitely a Hit.
Cruze - averaged out
Nano- Hit obviously bringing affordability even to the chaiwalas and cobblers.
xylo- according to me a hit
Linea and Punto -Definitely a Hit to me by the normal fiat standards and the numbers they were doing before the release.

[nurni76]

Hits:

1. Fortuner (8 months waiting and bookings closed)
2. i20 (what a stunning car!)
3. Cruze (600 Nos for a car priced around 13L is amazing)
4. Nano (Ofcourse just by introduction)

Average:

1. Ritz (Saved by the 1.2 L petrol engine)
2. Linea (Coming down from Hit to Average, hoepfully doesn't move to the miss category)
3. Estillo - (Seems to have improved with the facelift and the engine transplant)

Miss:

1. Jazz (from a monthly target of 2K, currently selling 0.5 K)
2. Punto (with so many variants and engine combinations, still doing 1.2K is a poor show - despite people going gaga over looks)
3. A-Star (in the domestic market)

[mkh]

Originally Posted by nurni76

Hits:

1. Fortuner (8 months waiting and bookings closed)
2. i20 (what a stunning car!)
3. Cruze (600 Nos for a car priced around 13L is amazing)
4. Nano (Ofcourse just by introduction)

Average:

1. Ritz (Saved by the 1.2 L petrol engine)
2. Linea (Coming down from Hit to Average, hoepfully doesn't move to the miss category)
3. Estillo - (Seems to have improved with the facelift and the engine transplant)

Miss:

1. Jazz (from a monthly target of 2K, currently selling 0.5 K)
2. Punto (with so many variants and engine combinations, still doing 1.2K is a poor show - despite people going gaga over looks)
3. A-Star (in the domestic market)

Nice to add the average section- some cars are not entirely hits and neither misses,
Fortuner is most certainly the hit of the year probably, at the price it sells being wait listed is a huge huge accomplishment indeed...
Car sellers in the US must be tearing their hair off seeing this situation in india...

[Manish Rathor]

Hits

Cruze(Good Car at that price)
Xylo(Entry SUV)
Punto(looks)
Linea(looks)
Nano(Out of the world)
Fortuner(good on road off road and price).

Flops
Ritz,(Price, looks)
jazz( Overprice
Astar(cramped)