Toyota to unleash six more small cars in India

Toyota Kirloskar Motor, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Co, announced on Wednesday that it is planning to introduce at least six new small cars in India over the next four years as it seeks to rival fellow-Japanese competitor Suzuki, the leader in the Indian compact car market.

Toyota's two recent launches in this segment – the Etios and the Liva – have proved reasonably successful, perhaps prompting its decision to increase its presence in this segment as developed markets continue on a slowdown path.

''We will launch more small cars … we have to study which of these vehicles is suitable for India,'' said Hiroshi Nakagawa, managing director of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Co. ''Going forward our focus is very much in the emerging countries and India is a very important market,'' he added.

Toyota is looking to sell 180,000 vehicles this year as compared to 130,000 units sold in 2011.

Currently, Maruti Suzuki accounts for 46 per cent of the small car market in India. Toyota's closest contender with Maruti's six small car models is the Liva, with a market share of two per cent in the premium hatchback category.

''In the saturated markets of the United States, Europe and Japan, we have less room to grow. We are therefore focusing on countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China and countries in the ASEAN region to gain volumes,'' said Nakagawa. Toyota sales fell 7 per cent in America and 23 per cent in Japan in 2011 – partly accountable by the hit taken from the tsunami-earthquake disaster in Japan in May last year.