Team-BHP > The Indian Car Scene


View Poll Results: Can a market for very large hatchbacks be made in india CURRENTLY?
Yes 75 64.66%
No 35 30.17%
Don't know/ impossible to tell 6 5.17%
Voters: 116. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
  Search this Thread
15,150 views
Old 16th March 2011, 19:58   #31
BHPian
 
gshanky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Coimbatore / Bangalore / New York
Posts: 717
Thanked: 13 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

I voted yes. And I really think that All over the world with the possible exception of Europe bigger cars are generally preferred.

However affordability is a totally different thing. So, a large hatch back or minivan or any type of car could be sold in large numbers for a price. Even some of the cars that are not selling in good numbers would arguably sell better if the price is reduced.

From a practicality standpoint a big hatchback should come probably with extra seating or trunk space or both. Say for example U-VA is a good size hatch. Anything bigger should be able to bring something else to the table to justify the size and price. Product positioning is a completely different ball game.
gshanky is offline  
Old 16th March 2011, 20:14   #32
BHPian
 
misquitas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Panjim
Posts: 875
Thanked: 324 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Indians like big cars, because a larger car generally has more space (for our many family members) and is more prestigious (a significant purchase motivator).

Net net, large hatchbacks are welcome but not at large prices
If Indians like big cars, I wonder why station wagons / estate cars never really took off? My dad had a Tata Estate between 1995 and 2003 and it had acres of space. Unfortunately, it was not popular and few attempts were made (Tata Indigo Marina, Palio Adventure, Baleno Altura, etc.) to really market these rooms-on-wheels.

In my opinion, an estate is a perfect vehicle for a family -- large enough to compete with the size of a sedan (hence 'status' image remains the same), large cabin space and a mega-large boot space. Sad though, that no new estates are available in the Indian market. Imagine if Hyundai had an estate version of the I10 or I20 or if Maruti had an estate version of the Swift or Alto K10.

Last edited by misquitas : 16th March 2011 at 20:16.
misquitas is offline  
Old 16th March 2011, 21:08   #33
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Chennai
Posts: 420
Thanked: 137 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

Size is king in India. Large hatchbacks should do well. However, cost will dictate success. Some examples of success in the size proposition:

- Mid size hatchback Indica for the price of a city car;
- e class size skoda super for the price of a passat / accord
acidkill is offline  
Old 16th March 2011, 22:22   #34
BHPian
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 38
Thanked: 12 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

My vote was a YES. In my opinion even though looks could be dated and quirky, a Kia Rondo comes to mind because it was designed to be a glorified hatchback to seat 5 comfortably. It does breach the 4000mm limit but I think there are similar examples where designers have attempted and came out with good looking XL Hatchback examples. Hyundai i30, Opel Meriva & Nissan Note, come to mind.

Now wait a minute, I did not find a classification called XL Hatchback in this list! So, are we discussing compact MPV’s here or did nukeblitz accidentally coin the next buzzword after crossovers? Boy, give them a chance and the marketing gurus would not step back from adding another new variation to the already crowded categories.

Back to the topic, we have a lot of unanswered questions here. Are manufacturers shying away from creating bigger hatchbacks purely because of excise OR is there more to the equation? There would be no dearth of acceptability considering the virtues remain the same, as long as it is a hatchback albeit with greater space. I often read the term ‘when marketed correctly’ which I think is little unclear. It would be great if it is also made known how. I for one would readily grab these XL Hatchbacks provided the promise to seat 5 decent sized adults comfortably with a not so bulky boot like a wagon. No bold statements like ‘it can sandwich the sedan’ or ‘packing the entire marriage party’ or ‘no car has ever gone before’. I could be naïve, but would it be a feat for TATA to conceive a Vista XL 1 Lakh apart. After all, the rate at which it is churning new models is just mind-boggling.
KameshR is offline  
Old 17th March 2011, 00:29   #35
Senior - BHPian
 
S2!!!'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 1,918
Thanked: 10,064 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

I voted NO!
See in India there will definately be buyers for large hatchbacks but looking at it from a large scale market point of view - I don't think the manufacturers will really get numbers.
India has buyers who
  1. want a cheap, affordable car and hence select a hatchback,
  2. have a tight budget but want a "status symbol" (read: dicky waali badi gaadi),
  3. have the budget but have parking issues hence restrict their buy with dimensions of a car and hence select a hatchback
  4. or want a second/ third car in the house for errands and short distance travel
so where exactly would you fit large hatchbacks in the list. In my opinion even a Honda Jazz is a large hatch not only for its dimensions but also for the price point it is being offerred. It does not sell in huge volumes as that of a Swift.
At this point I think of the Chevrolet SR-V as well. Was large, big engine, leave aside the -ves of that car, it did not receive a welcoming response and neither would it have received that had it been launched today (in a fresh avataar). Because a hatch is purchased mainly for city commuting and to make parking a less cumbersome task. If someone had parking and the money he/she would end up buying a sedan for sure.
There are very few who would choose a Golf gti over a Honda Civic at the same price point if you know what I mean.
S2!!! is offline  
Old 17th March 2011, 00:52   #36
Team-BHP Support
 
suhaas307's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 8,830
Thanked: 12,246 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

Let's get this straight.

In India, people prefer a big car. For them, it adds a few inches to their unmentionables.

A big car is a status symbol here. People will laugh at you if they've heard that you've spent 20 lakhs on a Golf. They would think that you've gone mad. For that price, you can buy a much bigger car, according to them. It's a mind-set, at the end of the day.

I've noticed people buying the Dzire over the Swift, even though they do not do any sort of distance. Talking about one of my neighbours: I see that car being removed and parked in the drive-way every morning and every night. It remains parked in one of those tech-parks not far away from home during the day. A Swift would have served the purpose, and probably would have done a better job too, but the family insisted that they buy a car with a boot. Because they want to show their uncles in the UAE that they can buy a big car too.

But times have changed now. The i20, at 8 lakhs, sells alright. The Jazz too has picked up over the past few years. If you don't believe me, let's go back a few years.

There was a time when one would buy a hatchback only if he couldn't afford a sedan. But now, people buy i20s, Fabias, Puntos, Polos, etc. and they're all 'premium', for now.

I'd like to believe that India is a growing market, and it will take some time, but that time will come when someone will be able to walk into the VW showroom and buy a Golf.

Last edited by suhaas307 : 17th March 2011 at 00:53.
suhaas307 is offline  
Old 17th March 2011, 07:51   #37
Team-BHP Support
 
ampere's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 17,922
Thanked: 12,888 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

Suhaas what you said is perfect, and so do the points of all members about XL Hatches and Size and Price.

But I still do not see a worthy successor to the Fusion, which anyway did not do well. In those times, there used to be the Palio Adventure. But that also fizzled out just like the Fusion.

Jazz has all the elements, but I would love have a higher GC and a 1.5L engine. Polo 1.6 is good lacks on space for me. Fabia 1.6 is almost there.


The only thing I can see is a grey overlap area between Fusion/Adventure/Jazz like cars and Mini-Cross Overs. Premium-XL hatches would be in the range 8-11. (Yes I am OK with 11 also provided the power, seating and GC are provided). Add to it the Compact-X-Overs in the range 10-14 (Dacia Duster, Korando etc). I know 10-14 is a long shot for these X-Overs, but I guess that is where the pricing sweet-spot is.
ampere is offline  
Old 17th March 2011, 08:37   #38
Team-BHP Support
 
vb-saan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: S'pore/Thrissur
Posts: 7,249
Thanked: 12,318 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Thanks. See, the thing is, some people mistakenly think that Indians love small cars. They don't; due to limited purchasing capacity, Indians love cheap cars. There's a huge difference between small & cheap though, due to economics, they inevitably overlap. Give the market a larger version of the Alto, i10, Nano and gang and watch how they are lapped up.
Completely agree. Say if an i20 is going for the price of i10, it will easily match the figures done by Alto now. And if TATA can do a Nano for 100k, why not a bigger Nano (maybe a Micro) for 200K?

Quote:
Originally Posted by libranof1987 View Post
Basic question : In what scenario does the need for a XL size hatchback arise?

When/why does the market for a large hatch arise?
Look at the above post... Its all about space.

Quote:
Originally Posted by libranof1987 View Post
So why would one go for a large hatch? If space is a criteria, he COULD go for a sedan. If money is a concern, he COULD go for a hatch.
Now this is something which could change over the years. At now, its all about more space for the money spend.

Quote:
Originally Posted by harimakesh View Post
In Kuwait suzuki Alto, hyundai i10+getz,Daihatsu Sirion, KIA piccanto hatch back cars are used as pitza takeaway food delivery vehicles.
Well, there is no point in comparing with other markets. Each market got its own requirements and preferences. In many countries a Honda City is considered as an entry level car, but in India its considered as a premium offering. In the US, even the Jetta is considered as an entry level car.

Quote:
Originally Posted by harimakesh View Post
With better buying power and personal economy eventually Indians will move forward for better, bigger, comfortable hatch back cars in the coming years. Govt must define 15ft length as small car.
Thats true, it will eventually happen. Ours is still an evolving market, and the behaviour will be different once we become a stable and matured market.


Quote:
Originally Posted by harimakesh View Post
Ford Focus hatch will be a comfortable hatch with usable boot for Indian families.
Focus will be a good one as far as size is considered. But again, with a price point above Fiesta, it maybe a bit hard. By the way, if I am right, the Focus is a notchback
vb-saan is offline  
Old 17th March 2011, 11:48   #39
Senior - BHPian
 
HammerHead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Goan in Pune
Posts: 1,246
Thanked: 641 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?
The answer is 'Yes' only if the XL size hatch costs less then a sedan which is just a segment above!!

IMO if a XL hatch costs similar to a sedan with similar specs., majority will go in for a sedan.
HammerHead is offline  
Old 18th March 2011, 08:03   #40
BHPian
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: India
Posts: 477
Thanked: 950 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

I don't think that indians love big cars (sedan or hatchbacks) that much. The fact is bigger the car, harder it will be live with that car especially if you live in a normal indian city where some of the residential lanes are really narrow etc. People buy big cars for infrequent use or highway travel and usually it's not just about money. Cars should be big on the inside and compact on the outside and should be VFM with respect to the peers. I believe that i10 is a good example of this. Figo is another one. There is a difference between VFM and being cheap. Cars like Jazz and srv were sales duds they were not VFM with respect to their peers and other product disadvantages like weak engine at low rpms/FE/GC etc with comparison to the peers.

Now the other thing is your average working professional does not really worry about the brand value of a car that he purchases. Now if you are a politician/small to medium business owner etc you want your car to convey a certain image to the society but for the average professional dont think this would be a real deal maker.

The biggest dealbreaker for the normal indian is the running cost/hassle of ownership. FE + the niggles + Dent correction etc. Nobody wants to spend too much time looking after this car. This is where maruti and the hyundias score.

Last edited by vishnurp99 : 18th March 2011 at 08:05.
vishnurp99 is offline  
Old 18th March 2011, 09:33   #41
BANNED
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 11,368
Thanked: 23,090 Times
Infractions: 0/3 (12)
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

Yes. Indians prefer less expensive vehicles and at the current moment it is only the hatchbacks and small cars which qualify in terms of price - occasional exceptions like the Tata Indigo CS and so on also exist, but they havent really made a dent on account of the reliability quotient say in comparison to Maruti and Hyundai etc.
Imagine if the govt changes its import duty policies and we also receive access to good international cars at reasonable prices - say a BMW 3 Series at 18 lacs, Skoda Yeti at 12 lacs-13 lacs and so on. I would surmise that in such a situation, most Indians would go straight to the top marques, which currently are unaffordable for the majority.
If the above happens, as a natural corollary, the sometimes exorbitant prices for some of our hatchbacks will be forced down, causing an entire new segment to enter the 4 wheeler purchasing segment.
Then, over time, like in more developed countries, most people will own cars and things like Autos may vanish from the roads. Bikes also would move toward the leisure biking segment etc.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Thanks. See, the thing is, some people mistakenly think that Indians love small cars. They don't; due to limited purchasing capacity, Indians love cheap cars. There's a huge difference between small & cheap though, due to economics, they inevitably overlap. Give the market a larger version of the Alto, i10, Nano and gang and watch how they are lapped up.
shankar.balan is offline  
Old 18th March 2011, 12:11   #42
BANNED
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Gurugram
Posts: 7,969
Thanked: 4,786 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

I think no. We have a habit of looking for sedans, even though hatches make more sense. So we try and move 'upmarket' ie buy a sedan.
sgiitk is offline  
Old 18th March 2011, 12:39   #43
BANNED
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 11,368
Thanked: 23,090 Times
Infractions: 0/3 (12)
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

this phenomenon is directly linked to the extreme "status consciousness" angle. For years the ordinary Indian had the choice of mostly hatchbacks in the affordable range. the Maruti 1000 and later the Esteem was considered an Ostenatious Luxury car at that time - I remember clearly that between 1990 and 1994 only the pretty well off people could afford to get one of those cars. Automatically, since it was apparent at the time that the "car with the boot" could be afforded only by the elite, the "car with the boot" became an aspiration cue for the common man. I think in a way we may still have this hangover, but things are definitely changing - no doubt about it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sgiitk View Post
I think no. We have a habit of looking for sedans, even though hatches make more sense. So we try and move 'upmarket' ie buy a sedan.
shankar.balan is offline  
Old 18th March 2011, 13:49   #44
BHPian
 
rxpaul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Pune
Posts: 364
Thanked: 127 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

I voted No.

For most of us, the Car is a status symbol and traditionally the car has been a 3 box sedan. Why did the Octavia notchback do well ? Because it 'looked like a sedan'. The Octavia Combi, the estate type versions of the Balano and the Fiat Adventure all bombed. All were large( big cars) XXL hatchbacks in a way. The sporty looking Chev SRV and the Fusion were all failures.

Possibly a high mounted Hatch/ small SUV if priced right could succeed....Why ? Because traditionally SUVs have always been 2 box.

Something like the Ford Ecosport could sell well. See link so[COLOR=#0e774a]indianautosblog.com/.../ford-ecosport-the-figo-platform-suv-everyones-talking-about[/COLOR][COLOR=#767676] -[/COLOR]
rxpaul is offline  
Old 18th March 2011, 14:17   #45
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Delhi
Posts: 229
Thanked: 65 Times
Re: Is there market potential for XL size hatchbacks in India?

what you people are forgetting that price point is affected by car size as a car and bigger engine would automatically escalate the car cost (as per govt norms), and then the status symbol comes in place. Anyways how many indians actually use drop down seats and all in hatch. Most would still prefer a boot...
Mindgrinder is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks