premium sedan market is experiencing a strategic shift as manufacturers prioritise value creation over volumes through luxury, technology and performance integration.
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Toyota, with its recent launch of Camry at a dealership price of ₹48 lakh, is blending luxury with technology. The Japanese auto major, which has charted a different course, is backing its strategy with 25.49 km/litre efficiency and an 8-year/160,000 km hybrid battery warranty.
«Through the longer battery warranty, we bring peace of mind to customers buying a hybrid electric vehicle and enhancing the momentum of vehicle electrification in the country,» said a spokesperson for Toyota Kirloskar Motor.
Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, is using the pure luxury approach and its priority remains top-end feature-rich vehicles. The C-Class, priced at ₹62.57 lakh and positioned as the 'Baby S-Class', targets first-time luxury buyers, said Santosh Iyer, MD &CEO, Mercedes-Benz India.
The new Camry, with its main rival being the Skoda Superb, has also become an alternative to the likes of Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class, priced in the range of ₹46-61 lakh. Sales of the Camry are already inching closer to the number one player BMW 3 Series at 2,277 units in 2024. Sales of Toyota Camry stood at 1,911 units and Audi A4 at 1,172 units, according to data collated