Toyota Yaris has officially completed one year in the Pakistani auto market. During its first year, the car has outsold Corolla, Civic, City and won the number one spot in the race of subcompact sedans of Pakistan. Here’s a look at Toyota Yaris’ journey so far.
Toyota Indus made its official debut in Pakistan in March 2020. At the same time, when COVID-19 hit us and forced a complete lockdown in the country. Everything was shut down because of the plague. A month later, car sales dropped to an all-time zero in April. Clearly, when Toyota Indus launched Yaris in the market amid such chaos, things were not looking good for the car’s future.
What changed then? As soon as things got better with the COVID-19 pandemic and country-wide lockdowns, people really saw Yaris for what it was — a replacement of 1.3L Corolla XLi and GLi. It offered all the things the two predecessors did. In short, Yaris was everything Toyota fans could ask for.
- Big car with a small, fuel-efficient engine
- Reliability
- Modern tech and safety features
- Availability of parts
- Easy maintenance
- Timely delivery
- Several variants
Thanks to all these things about the car, sales of Toyota Yaris started to take a toll on Corolla, Civic, and City from June 2020. The numbers only went up from there. Have a look.
What happened when Changan launched Alsvin and Proton launched Saga?
All through the year 2020, Toyota Yaris knocked it out of the park, with its sales growing each month. That’s because Yaris had only one direct competitor at the time, Honda City. With the new year came two new competitors, Changan Alsvin and Proton Saga. Both are B-segment budget sedans, just like Yaris and City.
The launch of Alsvin and Saga brought more options for the buyers, which meant tougher competition for Yaris. Both cars did sway a part of the Yaris fan club, but not too much. Mainly because of two reasons. One that Changan and Proton are new entrants, still trying to settle in the local market. Two that their car deliveries are way too late. Ergo, Yaris remains a heartthrob of most Pakistani buyers.
Are you a fan of Toyota Yaris? If yes, what do you like about the car? If not, what are your concerns? Tell us in the comments.
I agree that Toyota Yaris’s sales got affected by Alsvin and Saga but it is a short-term effect, firstly, even now if the company reduced Yari’s price by a PKR 80,000 to 100,000 much of customers are going to come back to it.
Secondly, in my opinion a person switching from hatchback to sedan shall also look at the long-term prospect of Alsvin and Saga in other words, these customers loyalty shall depend on durability of Alsvin and Saga. By durability I mean cost of keeping car in original condition for, as well as after seven to ten years, Corolla’s is not high and Yaris is cashing in on that badge. Moreover, I know a few people ditching used Corolla in favor of Saga and Alsvin are feeling wrecked at their decision, hard suspension, expensive or unavailable car parts, interior and paint quality and softness are way under the standard that Corolla delivered to them.
So please, it is not just timely delivery, it is the fact that people have experienced Toyota and per this experience, they have found that its cars are capable. Perhaps another reason why even Toyota’s J.D.M. models are popular too. I do not remember seeing much hyped Chinese boxes or Korean vehicles on our roads despite relaxed car imports about few years ago.
No matter what I do not consider Yaris is worthy to buy due its asymmetrical shape and ugly look from front in special. Infact City gave space to Yaris due its old legendary shape and looks and discontinuation of Xli and GLi variants. One can see from table above that City continued to compete Yaris anyways.
@ Khurram
Sir No doubt that Japanese cars are of goof quality, but you cannot say that Korean and Chinese cars are not let the time decide it.
“Perhaps another reason why even Toyota’s J.D.M. models are popular too. I do not remember seeing much hyped Chinese boxes or Korean vehicles on our roads despite relaxed car imports about few years ago.” Do you the reason why because in China and Korea’s Local market is Left Hand Drive and not Right Hand Drive, whereas Japan and Pakistan both follow Right Hand Drive system which gives Japan J.D.M models the advantage.
Correction: Saga is an A segment sedan. Not a b segment sedan.