[arvi86]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

In comparison, Hyundai's Santa Fe's sales figures are dismal. They've managed about 190 units in October, and it's been the same story for the SUV, except in August when it went past the 200 mark.

I know from reliable sources that Hyundai never really expected the Santa Fe to take off in India and they had planned and imported only limited numbers when they launched the model in India. Surprisingly, Santa Fe met with a tremendous reception and all the 600 odd numbers that they had imported were sold off in a jiffy. It was this initial success that prompted Hyundai to start assembling the Santa Fe in India a few months back. It was only after this Hyundai started taking orders again for the Santa Fe and 150 + numbers constantly every month is quite good in this segment, especially considering the fact that it is high priced. I don't think the Santa Fe could be termed a failure by any means.

So, Hyundai should try to use this platform and regain its confidence in the SUV segment and introduce the new Tucson in India which could take away a chunk of sales from the 15 - 20 lakh rupee sedans.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by ampere

That is the exact reason they need to re-package it in a different avatar as I mentioned
earlier. 1.6L diesel (they already have it). If possible try to integrate it to the Verna platform (like the Fiesta)
and take advantage. That way they can keep the prices down and also play the VFM angle.

+1.

A 1.6 liter diesel Santa Fe could really spell doom for the other seriously overpriced SUVs around. It could even eat away the sales of some of the other cars like the XUV 500.

But I reckon, if Hyundai were to ever decide on bringing in the 1.6 Tucson, it will not be anything lesser than 15 lakhs!

Originally Posted by Yeldo

suhaas307, CRV sold well in days when it was smartly priced and the Diesel- petrol gap was not so wide. The Santa Fe has sold well since its introduction, and reports say Hyundai initially were surprised by the demand. All CBU SUVs- Captiva, X Trail, CRV, Outlander- have sales figures similar to or worse than the Santa Fe. The Endeavour has a distinct price advantage, but its sales figures are not correspondingly great- compare those with the gradpa Pajero's figures which for God's sake is sold by HM! The Toyota Fortuner, I agree, is a different story, but buyer interest in it is as not high as the early days, if you notice.

Regarding the Tucson, I wonder whether Hyundai would ever introduce it here, since the price- size ratio is not in its favour. But who knows, Hyundai might just be emboldened by the response to the Santa Fe!

Originally Posted by arvi86

I know from reliable sources that Hyundai never really expected the Santa Fe to take off in India and they had planned and imported only limited numbers when they launched the model in India. Surprisingly, Santa Fe met with a tremendous reception and all the 600 odd numbers that they had imported were sold off in a jiffy. It was this initial success that prompted Hyundai to start assembling the Santa Fe in India a few months back. It was only after this Hyundai started taking orders again for the Santa Fe and 150 + numbers constantly every month is quite good in this segment, especially considering the fact that it is high priced. I don't think the Santa Fe could be termed a failure by any means.

So, Hyundai should try to use this platform and regain its confidence in the SUV segment and introduce the new Tucson in India which could take away a chunk of sales from the 15 - 20 lakh rupee sedans.

Great point. Yes, the CRV's boom in the beginning could be attributed to lower fuel costs and the actual cost of the car too. The other soft-roaders have done quite shabbily. While the Chevy Captiva just about manages three-figures in sales, the Nissan X-Trail, the Mitsubishi Outlander and Monterio are well below 100 units per month, which is dismal to say the least.

Even the excellent Yeti hasn't really set the sales chart on fire.

So considering the fact that the Santa Fe is over-priced, it has managed decent numbers over the last few months. But don't you think it's just the initial phase where everything does well, but then there is this lull period before the discounts are forced down prospective customers' throats?

Do you think 100-150 units justifies a separate assembly line? How big is the price difference between the initial CBU Santa Fe and the now assembled one?

[arvi86]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

So considering the fact that the Santa Fe is over-priced, it has managed decent numbers over the last few months. But don't you think it's just the initial phase where everything does well, but then there is this lull period before the discounts are forced down prospective customers?

Do you think 100-150 units justifies a separate assembly line? How big is the price difference between the initial CBU Santa Fe and the now assembled one?

I agree with your point that the Santa Fe is still in its initial phase in India. But, having been launched in the market on Oct-2010, it has already crossed one year with respectable sales. The previous SUVs from Hyundai (Tucson and Terracan) never really managed those numbers. But yes, I agree that Hyundai has not passed on any significant reduction in prices to the customers even after it started CKD operations.

However, I feel that 150-200 numbers is a respectable volume for that size and class of vehicle because that is what the volumes in India are. Excepting the Toyota Fortuner, no other model in that price and segment manages significantly higher numbers than that in India. For that matter, Ford has been assembling Endeavours and HM has been assembling the Pajeros here for years together with hardly 200-300 numbers every month. So, I assume that it should be viable for the manufacturers economically.

[90BHP]

Looks a bit like the BMX X1 from side. Is this the IX35 model ?

[m-hawk]

Any chance of this having an A/T box mated to the engine . Hyundai is always been industry first in delivering goodies to the Indian market with the snaps of moving cars it wont have been possible to click it's interiors! Why is Hyundai s every car sharing the fluidic verna looks .

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by arvi86

It was this initial success that prompted Hyundai to start assembling the Santa Fe in India a few months back. It was only after this Hyundai started taking orders again for the Santa Fe and 150 + numbers constantly every month is quite good in this segment,

Is Santa Fe now locally assembled?? And that too without any discount in the CBU prices?? Buggers are making a solid profit from this vehicle then. The savings [profit] on the price is a 40% straight off the CBU version.

[vinayrathore]

Spotted one with NL plates yesterday near Nazafgarh.

NL is already notorious for such registrations, makes me wonder if people are really importing it officially or is something happening under the authorities' nose?? Or is it Hyundai selling it silently?

[architect]

Maybe the Dimapur / Kohima authorities take it easy with imports. I have seen certain authorities are "favoured" over others for various reasons, including lesser taxes. A great favourite in Delhi and surrounding areas (even as far as Meerut) is HR-51 (Faridabad). A simple rent agreement (actual or fake) and you're at home with an HR-51 vehicle.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by architect

Maybe the Dimapur / Kohima authorities take it easy with imports. I have seen certain authorities are "favoured" over others for various reasons, including lesser taxes. A great favourite in Delhi and surrounding areas (even as far as Meerut) is HR-51 (Faridabad). A simple rent agreement (actual or fake) and you're at home with an HR-51 vehicle.

Rent agreement is accepted as address proof all across Haryana. Those submitting fake documents can do so for any document, i am sure they know they can be tried for forgery(too big a gamble for saving a few bucks).

[architect]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

Rent agreement is accepted as address proof all across Haryana. Those submitting fake documents can do so for any document, i am sure they know they can be tried for forgery(too big a gamble for saving a few bucks).

The rules are the same everywhere, but it seems to be easier getting things done in certain RTOs and not easy in certain others. I know quite a few people who take the trouble of getting (fake) rent agreements either through their friends / relatives just to save a few thousands on the registration charges of cars.

It also creates a statistical problem. The HR51 RTO reports "so-many-cars' registered in Faridabad, whereas they are running in Meerut. The authorities in Meerut assume much lesser cars when they plan infrastructure whereas those in Faridabad plan for much more cars.

P.S. I know atleast 5 Meerut residents (including two clients) who own HR-51 cars. Interestingly I also know 3/4 Agra residents running HR-51 (Faridabad) and HR-01 (Ambala?) registrations.

Now, we're off-topic, no?

[suhaas307]

Well what do you know. Hyundai have gone and done it.

The Tucson out. I saw an advertisement of the same in a magazine a few days back. It looks great and if Hyundai price it correctly, we could see a Yeti beater. Not that the Yeti is doing fantastically anyway.

[anandpadhye]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

The Tucson out. I saw an advertisement of the same in a magazine a few days back.

Are you talking about India?
Which magazine? Can you post a link?

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by Rigid Rotor

Well then, my two cents - the front looks a bit like Mickey Mouse on stilts...? The Fluidic thingie does not appear to be too terribly fluidic on an SUV scale, if I may so say!

Sorry if this upsets anyone. I think the new Tuscon looks like a Hyundai Eon on steroids. Especially when viewed from the rear three quarters

[anandpadhye]

Absolutely.
Hyundai have spoilt the looks. The earlier Tucson looked nice - especially from the rear three quarters.

[Ym-enjn]

Spotted The All New Tocson with a red number plate close to Jaipur yesterday. It was in opposite lane thats why couldnt click photo.

It looked brand new and was not masked at all. I dont know if it has been launched already. Size and road presence is like the older one but its siblings have similar design lines so it doesnt give any new excitement. Felt it should compete in segment of XUV.