New Delhi: Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), which on Thursday unveiled the seven seater Rumion in India, expects the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) segment to grow at a similar pace as the sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in the country.
“We expect this (MPV) segment to grow at a slightly better pace than the industry, much similar to what we are seeing in the customer acceptance for the SUVs,” Atul Sood, Vice President – Sales and Strategic Marketing, TKM, told ETAuto.
“Based on our studies, the target customers for Rumion will be personal consumers, predominantly male and businessmen. The MPV is aimed for semi-joint families, Sood said.
Toyota Rumion gets a K series 1.5-litre petrol engine offering a fuel efficiency of 20.51 kmpl for petrol variant and 26.11 km per kg for CNG variant. It will be available in six variants of S MT/AT, G MT, and V MT/AT, S MT CNG.
With a share of over 30% in the domestic MPV segment, Toyota is the market leader in this category. Currently it sells three models – Innova Crysta, Innova Hycross, and Vellfire. With the launch of the new entry-level MPV, it expects to further boost its presence in the category.
Toyota Kirloskar has seen a significant growth in its domestic sales during the last year. Without giving specific details about the business strategy, Sood said, “We are very bullish about India as a market. We are working towards a concrete plan to enhance our contribution here. At this stage, a structured planning is in progress.”
A product of the Toyota-Suzuki alliance
To be launched in the market in the coming festive season, the Toyota’s Rumion is a rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, which was first launched in the country in 2012. In accordance with the global alliance between Toyota Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation, Rumion will be manufactured at Maruti Suzuki’s Manesar plant in Haryana and then supplied to TKM. It will be the company’s second model to be supplied by Maruti, after the Baleno-based Glanza.It may be noted that Maruti Suzuki also sells two models as part of the pact — Invicto, which is a rebadged version of Toyota Innova Hycross and Grand Vitara, based on Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder.
When asked as to why should the consumers opt for Rumion over Ertiga, Sood said, “We strive to create an exceptional presales and after-sales experience, ensuring a smooth ownership experience of the customer.”
While OEMs like Maruti Suzuki and Honda Cars have discontinued diesel as a fuel, TKM is positive about its acceptance going forward. “Given the size, scale and diversity in terms of the mobility needs of the consumers, we continue to provide diesel options wherever required. After BS-VI Phase-2 norms, the emissions from the diesel vehicles are actually on the lower side when compared to similar ICE technologies (petrol),” Vikram Gulati, Country Head & Executive Vice President, TKM, said.
Going forward, the company is positive about the passenger vehicle industry in India and expects a bullish performance of the industry in the coming festive season. It said that the pace of growth in the rural and semi-urban markets is better than the urban markets.
Crafted with intuitive technology and thoughtful amenities, the vehicle embodies convenience and opulence into every journey, the company said.
The auto major said it has a strong pipeline of new launches for the passenger car business and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), and feels quite confident to have a strong FY24. It is extremely well positioned “to not only continue to capture growth but gain market share.” Starting with the updated Nexon, it will bring a total of four EVs by early next year. While the automaker has no plans to venture into hybrid vehicles, it is working on hydrogen technology for CVs.
