Skoda intends to carve out a niche for itself as the “number one” choice for mid-size premium sedan buyers in India who spend more than Rs 10 lakh, according to a top company executive.
With the newly released Slavia, the Czech carmaker hopes to corner at least a third of the global mid-size sedan market and beat Honda to the top of the saloon sector.
The new mid-size car, which went on sale in India on Monday, is priced between Rs 10.69 lakh and Rs 15.39 lakh ex-showroom, undercutting the current market leader Honda City by 30,000 to Rs 50000 depending on the version. While some variations are more expensive than the 5th generation Honda City, Skoda provides turbo petrol engines across the board, as compared to the City’s MPI engines.
Skoda’s brand director, Zac Hollis, told ET that the firm wants to be the number one choice in sedans, and with the Slavia, the company hopes to take the lead in the mid-size sedan sector.
“The new Slavia is a perfect fit for our value-luxury brand proposition.” It is the class’s largest, broadest, and longest sedan. The ride, handling, and features are comparable to those found in larger sedans on the market. We’re already a market leader in the Octavia and Superb segments, and we’re confident in our ability to stretch the value premium quotient in the lower price bracket,” Hollis added.
While the sedan segment’s market share has dropped below 10%, absolute sedan volumes are likely to rise in the future, nearly doubling to over 2.5 lakh per year by the end of the decade.
“While the popularity of SUVs is expanding, there are specific sedan buyers in the market who have been waiting for something exciting in the category, and we are convinced that with the Slavia, we will be able to meet their needs,” Hollis concluded.
Skoda expects to sell roughly 2500-3000 Slavia cars every month. The mid-size car will aid the firm in maintaining its volume momentum in India 2.0, which was launched with the small SUV Kushaq.
According to Hollis, Skoda was aiming for a 10% segment share in the mid-size SUV segment with the Kushaq SUV, and the firm is almost there, but Slavia will aim for a significantly greater share of around 30-35 percent.
“Since SUVs are in high demand, Kushaq will continue to account for around 50-60% of the market, with the Slavia bringing in the remaining 40% or so.” There hasn’t been a single cancellation of bookings since Slavia was shown in the showroom, so we’re optimistic about the brand’s future,” Hollis added.
With 220 locations, the company has extended its product portfolio as well as its network footprint to better serve a bigger consumer base.
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