[lurker]

Whether it is based on Laura or not . . it is good value at around 10L. As also endorsed by Sirish Chandran of Overdrive.

Price it more and it loses a lot of its charm. Still there would be people who go for it. But will sell volumes somewhat on levels just above Outlander.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by lurker

Whether it is based on Laura or not . . it is good value at around 10L. As also endorsed by Sirish Chandran of Overdrive.

Price it more and it loses a lot of its charm. Still there would be people who go for it. But will sell volumes somewhat on levels just above Outlander.

What you are trying to say here is that you would not want to pay more then 10 lakhs for Yeti. But for the manufacturer, it costs so much to build a car of certain size/weight and features. And there is question of economy of scale (niche products suffer here).
Consider this: Soft-roaders based on car platform cost nearly 2 times (ex: 26 lakhs CRV against 13 lakhs Civic, 25 lakhs Outlander against 12 lakhs new lancer (estimated))
Compared to this, 17 lakhs Yeti against 15 lakhs Laura is not bad. Of course, yeti is shorter then Laura by a feet.

[lurker]

Honda has incurred some expenditure in converting a civic platform into CRV but then again they con Indian consumers by charging a premium for that conversion. Those who want to buy into that con game can and will go ahead, but what I meant is that tendencity amongst Indian consumers will reduce as their 'first flush' with international car brands fade away.

So taking the example of Laura & Yeti. It may be based on Laura platform. So that puts it at 13. Take away a feet from Laura which saves from cost of metals. Reduce a 2. Put in a 4-wheel drive suspension and works. Add a 2. Gizmos on both being same. It should cost as much as a diesel laura at best. The rest being premium charged by the manufacturer.

It is a cute product, but when hefty premiums are charged for cute products, the oomph just tends to fade away. But it can also be a great product if priced honestly.

[agbenny]

Originally Posted by jigbarai

Please read thru the pages. The size of the car is comparable to a Laura, with raised GC and features like 4WD etc.

How could you ever compare it with a Wagon R ? Just by the 'shape' ??

And on what basis do you arrive at a price of 12L ? Any guidelines ?

Certainly its not the size of Laura. I probably shouldn't have compared it with Wagon R, But Ford fusion.

Anyhow, on what basis such a small car priced for 17L? Why NOT 27 or 37? Is it CBU? Are they Mercedes, After all these money, I wonder people buying tiny cars for such a big money. For its looks? If yes, then why don't we see much 500s and Beetles on the road?

Anyhow, I compared with the SUVs and MPVs which are sold around 10L, and I for a tiny SUV like Yeti, for its build quality, 4X4 etc, I believe 12 L is the right price unless if it is a CBU.

Many times car companies are confident in the market with such pricing, because there are plenty of people in us, who could be easily deceived and make them believe they made a right decision.

[SCH]

Originally Posted by agbenny

Certainly its not the size of Laura. I probably shouldn't have compared it with Wagon R, But Ford fusion.

Anyhow, on what basis such a small car priced for 17L? Why NOT 27 or 37? Is it CBU? Many times car companies are confident in the market with such pricing, because there are plenty of people in us, who could be easily deceived and make them believe they made a right decision.

In my opinion they should price Yeti a shade more then fully loaded Scorpio. and if that is the case then it should sell like hot cake.

As due to its sheer size it should create a segment between Scorpio and Toyota Fortuner.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by agbenny

Certainly its not the size of Laura. I probably shouldn't have compared it with Wagon R, But Ford fusion.

Anyhow, on what basis such a small car priced for 17L? Why NOT 27 or 37? Is it CBU? Are they Mercedes, After all these money, I wonder people buying tiny cars for such a big money. For its looks? If yes, then why don't we see much 500s and Beetles on the road?

Yeti has the same footprint as laura but short overhangs which makes it 30 cm shorter. But substantially taller.
Talking about Mercedes, GLK class comes close to Yeti but would cost 40+ if sold in India.

[agbenny]

Originally Posted by Guna

Yeti has the same footprint as laura but short overhangs which makes it 30 cm shorter. But substantially taller.
Talking about Mercedes, GLK class comes close to Yeti but would cost 40+ if sold in India.

There is a price for quality and then Brand image, certainly. Yeti may sell for its looks, and it might not sell like a Scorpio for its price.

India has a huge market and huge potential to sell volume. Car manufacturers should talk to the Government for bit better taxing to get more buyers and by investing more to source or manufacture components.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by lurker

Whether it is based on Laura or not . . it is good value at around 10L. As also endorsed by Sirish Chandran of Overdrive.

Price it more and it loses a lot of its charm. Still there would be people who go for it. But will sell volumes somewhat on levels just above Outlander.

How have you arrived at the figure of 10 lakhs? Is it because Mr Chandran has said so?

Originally Posted by agbenny

Certainly its not the size of Laura. I probably shouldn't have compared it with Wagon R, But Ford fusion.

The Ford Fusion is a hatch-back. Not a crossover/niche vehicle like what the Yeti is. It just came with flared arches akin to SUVs and a slightly raised ride-height. Where as the Yeti is not a hatch-back at all! It's more like an estate-version of the Laura with a raised suspension. The Yeti is a much bigger car and falls in a completely different league.

Originally Posted by agbenny

Anyhow, on what basis such a small car priced for 17L? Why NOT 27 or 37? Is it CBU? Are they Mercedes, After all these money, I wonder people buying tiny cars for such a big money. For its looks? If yes, then why don't we see much 500s and Beetles on the road?

Again, it is by no means a 'small' car or a 'tiny' car. It is probably as big as a Laura in terms of width and length, give or take a few inches. And no, it doesn't cost 17 lakhs because of its 'looks'. I've justified my statement below.

Originally Posted by agbenny

Anyhow, I compared with the SUVs and MPVs which are sold around 10L, and I for a tiny SUV like Yeti, for its build quality, 4X4 etc, I believe 12 L is the right price unless if it is a CBU.

Why do you compare it to SUVs and MPVs which are sold at 10 lakhs? You shouldn't do that. The Yeti doesn't fall under the Scorpio/Safari/Innova segment at all! It's a soft-roader/crossover. It's made with quality material, comes loaded with features and provides space that you will find in cars like the Laura/Jetta/Golf. Why should it be priced at 12 lakhs? Yes, 17 lakhs is a bit too much. Much like how 8 lakhs for the Jazz is a bit much.

15 lakhs would have been quite alright.

Originally Posted by agbenny

Many times car companies are confident in the market with such pricing, because there are plenty of people in us, who could be easily deceived and make them believe they made a right decision.

Deceive? I don't think Skoda is looking to deceive anyone by pricing the Yeti at 17 lakhs. It depends on your priority, at the end of the day. It's not all about the size of the car.

You don't buy an Innova instead of a Jazz if you're a family of 4, just because it costs 10 lakhs and it's bigger! Unless you're that sort of a person. You buy what suits your needs and what suits you. You don't buy a car just because it's bigger than another car that's in the same price-bracket.

I request people not to misunderstand the purpose of the Yeti. So what if it's 17 lakhs? Don't relate the size of the car to its price. In that case, buy a Sumo. it's huge and it costs 5 lakhs.

[GloryManUnited]

The OTR price of the Laura MT elegance in Bangalore is 18.79L. The general feeling is that the yeti in the same trim will be +2L. So we should be looking at around 20.79L. We will know on 15th Nov.

In my opinion if this is how it will be priced, the yeti will be very successful. There is no other soft-roader at that price point with the economy of diesel. The people who will buy the yeti will be very different from the people who patronize the fortuner. There is enough room for both the markets.

If it retails at this price, the talk about this being over-priced is mis-placed. I don't see any justification for this being priced in 10-12L range considering this is a Laura + some !

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

How have you arrived at the figure of 10 lakhs? Is it because Mr Chandran has said so?

The Ford Fusion is a hatch-back. Not a crossover/niche vehicle like what the Yeti is. It just came with flared arches akin to SUVs and a slightly raised ride-height. Where as the Yeti is not a hatch-back at all! It's more like an estate-version of the Laura with a raised suspension. The Yeti is a much bigger car and falls in a completely different league.

Again, it is by no means a 'small' car or a 'tiny' car. It is probably as big as a Laura in terms of width and length, give or take a few inches. And no, it doesn't cost 17 lakhs because of its 'looks'. I've justified my statement below.

Getting a bit vehement, aren't we? People compare things to what they look like. Probably unrelated, but an example is the Aria, and it being compared to the Innova. Yeti is (from the pics in this thread itself) not much taller than the Fabia, and doesn't look much larger either. There might be better space management and materials, but even I find the overall shape to be similar to the Fusion.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Why do you compare it to SUVs and MPVs which are sold at 10 lakhs? You shouldn't do that. The Yeti doesn't fall under the Scorpio/Safari/Innova segment at all! It's a soft-roader/crossover. It's made with quality material, comes loaded with features and provides space that you will find in cars like the Laura/Jetta/Golf. Why should it be priced at 12 lakhs? Yes, 17 lakhs is a bit too much. Much like how 8 lakhs for the Jazz is a bit much.
15 lakhs would have been quite alright.

This comparison is based on the seating/loading space. Another point of comparison that is quite common in India. You may not like it, but that's the way it is.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Deceive? I don't think Skoda is looking to deceive anyone by pricing the Yeti at 17 lakhs. It depends on your priority, at the end of the day. It's not all about the size of the car.

You don't buy an Innova instead of a Jazz if you're a family of 4, just because it costs 10 lakhs and it's bigger! Unless you're that sort of a person. You buy what suits your needs and what suits you. You don't buy a car just because it's bigger than another car that's in the same price-bracket.

I know numerous people who have bought or would consider buying an Innova just because it is bigger than the other options in the same price range. Diesel also counts, but not when you look at their monthly running. This would be the "More is Better" people, and there are a lot of them too. Why that should be a bad thing is something I didn't understand, so you might want to elucidate.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

I request people not to misunderstand the purpose of the Yeti. So what if it's 17 lakhs? Don't relate the size of the car to its price. In that case, buy a Sumo. it's huge and it costs 5 lakhs.

What is the purpose of the Yeti? It is a crossover in the shape of an SUV, without the ground-clearance to do any serious off-roading, yet has features which a proper 4x4 would probably benefit from. How that helps (besides bumping up the price) is again something I did not understand. Maybe it is just me, but I honestly wouldn't be tempted to buy a vehicle if I need someone else to explain why I need it, or why I should ignore the mildly ridiculous price-tag.

[Akshay1234]

I quite like the Yeti, and I think if its about 17-18 on road it would be quite ok. It will create its own niche segment, since its not really a substitute for anything, but will be bought by people who like it, not because it serves a purpose.

I would buy it if I wanted something higher than a sedan, which drives like one, which has all the features you could want, with a nice engine+gearbox combo, yet small enough for the city. Personally I think it will do reasonably well.

Also it is supposed to be quite a capable offroader. Of course not what the crazy guys on tbhp do, but nonetheless, the 4x4 Haldex system certainly isnt a waste.

Frankly, next year I will be in this dilemma, and if the Laura Vrs dosent launch, or the Laura L&K is out of my budget, I will be happy to pick one of these up.

And id love to see this with a tsi engine and a DSG. Lol now im really wishing too much, but at least a DSG should be launched soon.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by VeluM

Getting a bit vehement, aren't we?

Oh no! Not at all! Please don't take my posts the wrong way. I enjoy a good debate!

Originally Posted by VeluM

People compare things to what they look like. Probably unrelated, but an example is the Aria, and it being compared to the Innova. Yeti is (from the pics in this thread itself) not much taller than the Fabia, and doesn't look much larger either. There might be better space management and materials, but even I find the overall shape to be similar to the Fusion.

I've noticed that. And actually, there is a substantial difference between the Fabia and the Yeti when it comes to size. Don't be fooled by the small-ish looking exterior. It's quite a spacious car! Yes, the shape does remind one of the Fusion. But it is definitely bigger that one.

You'll be surprised that the Figo, which is loosely based on the Fusion, is actually pretty much the same size as the Fusion. They've just given it smaller wheels, a slight slope in the roof-line and they've lost those SUV-derived whee-arches. It boils down to the design at the end of the day. A big car can be made to look small and vice-versa.

Originally Posted by VeluM

This comparison is based on the seating/loading space. Another point of comparison that is quite common in India. You may not like it, but that's the way it is.

Well, then we should compare the Innova/Safari, etc. to the CRV then. But then, that would be wrong. Anyway, I've got your point and you're right. It is compared. And unfortunately, it's just the way it is.

Originally Posted by VeluM

I know numerous people who have bought or would consider buying an Innova just because it is bigger than the other options in the same price range. Diesel also counts, but not when you look at their monthly running. This would be the "More is Better" people, and there are a lot of them too. Why that should be a bad thing is something I didn't understand, so you might want to elucidate.

Precisely!

You've hit the nail on the head with this one. 'More the better' is the attitude of the people. And I'd like to add to this by saying: People prefer to get the 'more the better' if it comes cheaper. So basically, it would be: 'more and cheaper, the better'!

It isn't particularly a bad thing. But this is the reason why larger hatch-backs (like the Golf) and smaller SUVs/soft-roaders/cross-overs (like the Yeti) might not go down to well with the majority. It just goes to show that India might be an growing market and an emerging player in the automotive world, but they are a long way off as it still has to attain that level of maturity.

Originally Posted by VeluM

What is the purpose of the Yeti? It is a crossover in the shape of an SUV, without the ground-clearance to do any serious off-roading, yet has features which a proper 4x4 would probably benefit from. How that helps (besides bumping up the price) is again something I did not understand. Maybe it is just me, but I honestly wouldn't be tempted to buy a vehicle if I need someone else to explain why I need it, or why I should ignore the mildly ridiculous price-tag.

The purpose of the Yeti? I've mentioned this before.

You see, there are several nuclear-families that would love to have a great car like the Laura, parked in their garage. But, the catch is that the roads in India aren't favorable for these sort of sedans. Besides, being a part of a typical family like this would mean that road-trip/holidays are on the cards.

That's where the Yeti swoops in. It's a great car that offers the little luxuries that cars like the Laura offer whilst possessing the ability to tackle the rough country roads and the massive craters and speed-breakers that the city throws at it. Something that the Laura would struggle to do. And surprise, surprise! It's priced at the same point! What more would you need?

EDIT:

Originally Posted by GloryManUnited

The OTR price of the Laura MT elegance in Bangalore is 18.79L. The general feeling is that the yeti in the same trim will be +2L. So we should be looking at around 20.79L. We will know on 15th Nov.

In my opinion if this is how it will be priced, the yeti will be very successful. There is no other soft-roader at that price point with the economy of diesel. The people who will buy the yeti will be very different from the people who patronize the fortuner. There is enough room for both the markets.

If it retails at this price, the talk about this being over-priced is mis-placed. I don't see any justification for this being priced in 10-12L range considering this is a Laura + some !

Originally Posted by akshay1234

I quite like the Yeti, and I think if its about 17-18 on road it would be quite ok. It will create its own niche segment, since its not really a substitute for anything, but will be bought by people who like it, not because it serves a purpose.

I would buy it if I wanted something higher than a sedan, which drives like one, which has all the features you could want, with a nice engine+gearbox combo, yet small enough for the city. Personally I think it will do reasonably well.

Also it is supposed to be quite a capable offroader. Of course not what the crazy guys on tbhp do, but nonetheless, the 4x4 Haldex system certainly isnt a waste.

Frankly, next year I will be in this dilemma, and if the Laura Vrs dosent launch, or the Laura L&K is out of my budget, I will be happy to pick one of these up.

And id love to see this with a tsi engine and a DSG. Lol now im really wishing too much, but at least a DSG should be launched soon.

With the both of you!

You've got it absolutely spot-on, IMO!

You see, there might be people who compare two cars from different segments based on their size in relation to their price OTR. But there are people who understand the utility of that vehicle and would vouch for it. I hope that one day, more people would understand this. And once that happens, we will find new segments emerging in our market and we will start to see cars on our roads that we otherwise, dream about now. For example, the VW Golf, the Ford Focus hatch, the Renault jingbat and not to mention, many more crossovers like the Toyota RAV4!

[Guna]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

You'll be surprised that the Figo, which is loosely based on the Fusion, is actually pretty much the same size as the Fusion. They've just given it smaller wheels, a slight slope in the roof-line and they've lost those SUV-derived whee-arches. It boils down to the design at the end of the day. A big car can be made to look small and vice-versa.

I know this is off the topic but Fusion is considerably bigger then Figo. Actually the difference in dimensions between Fusion and yeti is not all that significant.
Fusion is shorter by 20+ cms but equals Yeti in width and vertical space.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Oh no! Not at all! Please don't take my posts the wrong way. I enjoy a good debate!

Naah, just sparking a debate there.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

The purpose of the Yeti? I've mentioned this before.

You see, there are several nuclear-families that would love to have a great car like the Laura, parked in their garage. But, the catch is that the roads in India aren't favorable for these sort of sedans. Besides, being a part of a typical family like this would mean that road-trip/holidays are on the cards.

That's where the Yeti swoops in. It's a great car that offers the little luxuries that cars like the Laura offer whilst possessing the ability to tackle the rough country roads and the massive craters and speed-breakers that the city throws at it. Something that the Laura would struggle to do. And surprise, surprise! It's priced at the same point! What more would you need?

I get your point too. And there might be others who think that the Yeti doesn't exude the class and grace that a sedan does (and the associated "I'm rich!" tag). There are so many POVs in India, that some are bound to match the audience intended by the Mfg.

I'm one of those who think I should get what I pay for, and would (if I need a people mover in the 17L range) look at a Safari and save some cash, or maybe the Aria (I know they're as alike as chalk and cheese).

As a slightly off topic example of the Indian-ness of these decisions, one of my colleagues wanted a Punto MJD, and finally bought a second hand Alto. Nothing like each other, but his logic was that the Alto would do whatever he wanted from his car at a much lower price. There were other influencing factors behind the scene, but that was generally my point (where I'm coming from). Hence my opinion that the Yeti is overpriced a fair bit.

OT: Probably more importantly, I don't have the budget for a 17L people mover anyway!

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by VeluM

I'm one of those who think I should get what I pay for, and would (if I need a people mover in the 17L range) look at a Safari and save some cash, or maybe the Aria (I know they're as alike as chalk and cheese).

Your looking at it from a completely wrong perspective. If you are looking for a people mover, the Yeti should not be in contention. Its aimed towards a completely different segment.

I think the market has matured enough to accept the Yeti. I mean the Aria seems to be selling, and the Sante Fe, who thought 500+ people would pay 24l for a Hyundai?