Re: Shift in our entry-level car segments! A buyer of a car in this entry level segment is generally a newbie youngster who has just begun his career or who has just got a promotion from a smaller salary. Also a senior citizen who just got himself a car just to do short distances within the city. Most of them would want to have a car that is fuel efficient and bullet proof in reliability and doesn't want to risk frequenting with the service centre. Above all this segment buyers don't want to get a poor resale value. That is why they don't take a 'risk' and settle for the best selling car in the market. Hence they don't buy anything other than a Maruti as it is perceived as a car that doesn't break down and spares are cheaper and available everywhere.
Hyundai Eon, that was a gas guzzler but good reliability and spares were a little expensive than a Maruti. Also i10 was a decent seller but not at the Maruti level. Tata Nano was fuel efficient but under powered and unreliable. That same perception has hit Tiago and Tigor. All others like Datsun, Nissan, Renault, et al, were expensive to maintain.
That is why Maruti sells in the hatchback segment and due to the above factors and no one can beat them in this game unless the segment dries up on sales. Now with rising salaries and affordability, people have started looking higher and elsewhere. That has opened up the market for features. People also played safe in choosing standard colours, but now are increasingly experimenting with exotic colours. Now design and technology rule and people are willing to stretch to the next segment for better features and 'Kithna deta hai' has taken a back seat. |