The Most Epic Car Launch of 2021
2021 has been the most happening year for the auto market. We had 15 new car launches this year. A hatchback, five sedans, seven crossovers and SUVs, and a jeep. A mix of imported CBUs and locally assembled CKD cars.
Out of the 15 new cars, which one was the biggest car launch of the year? The one that had everyone on the edge of their seats. The one people waited for the most and had the most interest in. That’d be the car that had the most searches, right? Well, we looked it up, and found a tie between two sedans.
Contender 1: Changan Alsvin
The first contender for the title of Biggest Car Launch of 2021 is Changan’s first-ever sedan in Pakistan, the Changan Alsvin. The budget sedan that was officially launched at the beginning of the year.
Changan unveiled Alsvin in December 2020 but didn’t reveal the price. And everybody was dying to know. When the official prices finally came in January 2021, people were all over the social media, reacting and commenting on the cheapest sedan of Pakistan.
Changan priced the three Alsvin variants between 22 and 25.5 lacs, making the sedan worth the wait. The local market loved Alsvin so much that the company received 1000 pre-bookings in just two days.
Besides the attractive pricing, Alsvin also has stellar looks that set it apart from the other budget sedans. Alsvin’s third selling point is that, unlike others, its base variant has powerpack features such as LED DRLs, leather seats, alloy wheels, touchscreen infotainment system, and more.
COVID-19 got in the way of Alsvin’s success. It’s been almost a year since the launch, and Changan has delivered 7000+ units of Alsvin.
Contender 2: Honda City
The second contender for the title of Biggest Car Launch of 2021 is Honda’s decades’ old sedan, the Honda City. This one had the most bizarre launch ever.
Pakistanis waited 12 years for the new City. Of course, the launch of the new generation City was a big deal, even if it was the internationally discontinued 6th generation model.
Honda started pre-bookings for the 6th gen City without revealing its specs and features or even the full price. Still, thousands of people booked the car without even seeing it. That’s how eager Honda lovers were. Just like Alsvin, City had the most searches when the official prices came in.
The new Honda City is popular because it’s an upgrade from the old 5th generation model we had for over a decade. Another edge that City has over its competitors is it’s a trusted product in the market. People have known, seen, and used City for years. It didn’t have to prove its worth and earn our trust like Alsvin and others. In other words, it’s a Honda car, which also means easy parts availability and after-sales services. The third thing is that it’s a pretty good looking car with many new features.
Sales-wise, the new Honda City is doing just as much as the old model. We have seen the year-end comparison of Honda car sales, and the new City is selling the same number of units as the old one. But, of course, City’s sales are higher than Alsvin’s. Honda is selling at least 1000+ units each month.
The Winner
Changan Alsvin and Honda City had almost the same number of searches. Both have their selling points to attract sedan buyers. However, we think people’s interest in Alsvin was real and genuine. The car won the market’s attention and interest. Honda, on the other hand, did not play fair. The company created unnecessary hype for the new City, so much so that the official prices were a surprise for even the buyers who had already booked the car. For that reason, we pick Changan Alsvin as the winner!
What is your take on this? Alsvin or City, which one would you pick for the Biggest Car Launch of 2021 and why?