** ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ข๐ข๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ต **
Thumbs up with depressing faces ..
So, after many many year of speculations, the Honda City rumor and expectations chapter is closed. We witnessed the launch event yesterday , courtesy Honda Atlas live stream . Personally I was expecting a decent, lively and a vibrant event BUT it was completely opposite. Poor planning, improper lightning / staging and on top of that , extremely low quality presentation and overall depressing outlook . To be honest , a kindergarten school event is more exciting than the one we saw yesterday.
The GM of sales and marketing for the company was just reading the brochure and had no command on his own product. There was no energy, no enthusiasm and very bad body language. It seems like the GM himself was not too much excited like rest of the public and it looked like he was forced to present .
I wish the presenter is more energetic , confident , more involved in the event and built up some excitement about the brand and model , keeping in mind the position he holds. I leave it to readers to watch it yourself if you missed the show yesterday. Here you go https://youtu.be/77070ELeVJw?t=1242 .
By the way; the girls hosting the show were not happy either and seems like were also very disappointed like rest of us. anyways , again itโs my personal opinion and nothing against anyone. People can have difference of opinion and sharing it is always welcomed.
Back on May 6th , I wrote a very detailed post about the upcoming NOT so new City. Read it here > https://www.facebook.com/groups/PakWheelsOfficial/permalink/4059660730815886/ . I mentioned that Honda fans will be disappointed with the upcoming City because a 12 year old model is being replaced with yet another model which is again 7 year old and an older generation. ATLAST ATLAS took a brave step. Brave in the sense, to take on the ongoing and upcoming bashing and criticism for the generation they are launching. but hey .. something newer is coming.
I pointed out that Atlas can still attract potential buyers if the vehicle is well equipped, well-built and the most important reasonably priced. Atlas need to be very vigilant and must have a clarity for this upcoming launch and it should not be mismanaged show. But ATLAS again didnโt disappoint with their poor performance.
Started booking for the vehicle without even displaying the vehicle and sharing details of it. I have been stressing that even if a vehicle is released, DON'T book a vehicle until you see it, experience it and test drive it at dealership. Again some of our consumers went with the flow and booked a vehicle without evening knowing the features, options, other details beside the most important the price. on the other hand , the Black- marketers and in many cases dealers insiders themselves are already active and aggressively involved in under the table undocumented money minting in shape of unethical premiums.
I don't believe that car companies are not involved in this activity and they don't know what's going on. They are fully aware and promote this culture. Please stay away from paying any such money and do your part being a responsible consumer. Unfortunately many of us fuel this nonsense. Intentional supply demand gap by these car companies is also well known fact in our market. I hope Honda Atlas do all the measures to tackle this serious issue and make sure that genuine consumers are entertained well in time and Honda Atlas ramp up their production so buyers gets their vehicle as soon as possible. As of now many buyers are listening a news of March 2022 for their vehicle delivery.
Unfortunately most of the public wants "NEW SHAPE" and for them , from 12 year older Honda City to GM6/ the replacement model will suffice. People happily bought a decade old City in Pakistan even being older generation with multiple fake-lifts with chrome chamak-patti and accelerated perfection in shape of sharkfin- Antenna and they will still buy the 6th / GM6 , no matter if it is already dead everywhere else. BY the way, the SHARK-FUN-ANTEENA is back in action and also got a praise in the presentation again this time.
While, older generation was a topic of its own and have been extensively discussed, the price reveal was like bombshell. A long running older generation replaced with yet another older generation and on top of that crazy pricing strategy made people confused. The top of the line variant of the City is almost PKR 275,000/- more than top of the line Toyota Yaris sedan, the direct rival . As always it is buyers discretion to choose the best option as per his her own choice and budget and I will not go in that detail.
I donโt understand why safety is on cutting board. Good to see the City now has the two airbags BUT it misses another very basic safety feature and the VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL. A feature which is a standard equipment across the Yaris sedan all variants. A feature which is there on overseas l model of the same generation. Unfortunately for many people the rear air vents seems an attraction while a missing safety feature donโt have any importance.
ATLAS during the teaser camping, told us about the City that โ ITS ELEVATEDโ , means the increased ground clearance. The importance of this development for ATLAS was so supreme that it was presented like a salient feature in the reveal presentation . So much and so, the City brochure shows it like โ ๐ญ๐ณ๐ญ.๐ด๐ด โ . I mean, Honda Atlas wanted to be so precise about this figure that they went to two point decimal rather rounding it off. I wish Honda Atlas spent just little time on the importance of safety feature like VSC/ESC and made it standard. I believed, hoped and wished that with the launch of yet another older generation, Honda ATLAS will behave a little more responsibly in this regard BUT again as always their poor thinking never disappoint ..
I am sure, many people were looking for LED headlights, LED taillights and for a sunroof and other shashkay, but donโt mind.. Honda have kept those for their face-lifts and fake-lifts and obviously you have to wait for that.
I hope Honda Atlas donโt drag this model very long and start working sincerely and invest towards the newer generation so, we here in Pakistan can enjoy the same model as enjoyed by consumers overseas. Maybe when we start thinking about the 7th generation City, the world will be moving towards the 8th . I donโt know if we will ever catch the global model as far as the City.
Honda slogan โThe power of Dreamsโ ; looks like for consumer in Pakistan, the newer model same as an international version will remain in dreams. Letโs hope for the best.
Lastly; Honda Atlas has given the best selling sedan in the segment the YARIS a cushion. I seriously fear that Toyota might be thinking to bump up the pricing of their Yaris sedan especially the ATIV X, which cost around 300K less than the ASPIRE CVT. I hope Toyota Indus act responsibly and keep their current pricing static.
" CITY has overtaken " .. but only at night when everyone is sleeping and no one is on the road . Its acting like sheep in a lions costume. Honda ATLAS, ATLAST now we have a competition, PLEASE WAKE UP .
Meanwhile Join Pakwheels Dedicated Discussion Thread on 2021 GM6 Honda City > https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/t/2021-honda-city-gm6-dedicated-discussion-owner-fan-club-thread/1445346
[ f-w @PakWheels.com]
