Hindustan Times
Can the Brio, Liva capitalise on Swift’s stumble?
Thanks to Maruti’s persistent problems with its workforce at the manesar factory, the outstanding bookings of the new Swift has risen to 1.08 lakh units. Just to give a perspective to this, Swift’s numbers are bigger than what General Motors, Ford, Skoda and even its direct competitors like Toyota and Honda sell individually as a company across models.
So while Maruti struggles to get its act together and keep its workers happy (to me, their restarting production at the plant in a bid to normalise the situation is still a half baked solution), is there, finally, a chance for competitors to snipe away?
The Liva conundrum
The entry of Toyota in the mass market segment has been much publicised and eargerly awaited. But the car was launched in June, it flattered to deceive. The Liva as well as its bigger cousin Etios, cannot boast of styling and looks as their strong point. At the same time, they are disadvantaged vis a vis Maruti on after sales service and cost of ownership parameters. What works for them is the Toyota heritage, which is a big draw in India, and a capable engine in the Etios. In the Liva though, they do not have that advantage either. It is not as compelling a performer over the Swift as the Etios maybe over the Dzire.
What did not work well for them also, was the fact that they got the pricing wrong. The Liva range starts with an entry level price tag of Rs 3.99 lakh all right, but this variant is so shorn of equipment– no power steering, music system, fog lamps– that it is appalling. I have always maintained that if one has to compete with a market leader in India, one has to give something extra to the consumer at the same price, or maybe even at a lower price. The Liva on the other hand, goes absolutely the other way. The quality of plastic and poor ergonomics do not help its cause either.
The numbers tell the story too. Liva has so far got a much tepid response compared to the Etios and on its own (petrol engine), it is sure to be one of Toyota’s biggest debacles in India. 
Diesel Liva
What works to Liva’s advantage however, is Swift’s lack of availability and the timely launch of the diesel variant of the car last month. The diesel Liva is better configured with a powerful 1.4 litre engine that also does duty in bigger cars like Etios and even the Corolla. It is also easy on pocket and a great car to have some fun with. The increasing obsession with diesel in India is such, that this car will surely be a bigger draw.
However, some usual problems remain. The car is not a big draw in terms of fit and finish and looks. Neither is it equipped adequately. Though the entry level diesel Liva at Rs 5.54 lakh (ex showroom), mercifully has power steering, there is no music system or such other comforts. The engine is powerful but is also coarse and a lot less refined that Swift’s 1.3 litre diesel engine.
But with this car, Toyota has a chance. The huge backlog for the Swift tells us two things.
a) Consumers see no value in competition and are willing to still go ahead and book the Swift, notwithstanding the ridiculous waiting period.
b) Provided the rivals can sweeten the deal on existing products, I reckon a significant part of those waiting for a new Swift would be tempted to shift. Bookings of over 1 lakh would scare some consumers coming into the market in the festive season, and could be easily lured in by others.
What is needed is for Toyota to sweeten the deal with the diesel Liva. While it would not be easy to re-configure the interiors of the car so early after the launch, equipment levels can easily be topped up along with a subtle price revision. Even if Toyota manages to get a fourth of the bookings Swift has received, its hands will be more than full. 
The Honda Brio
Which brings us to the curious case of the Honda Brio. Launched two days back, this is a big acid test for the Japanese car maker and on the face of it they are making the right noises and doing the right thing. The car is priced way less than other Honda cars (62% less than the Brio in Thailand as well) and for once, there is a Honda car that costs less than rivals in a segment.
It is not the most spacious car in its segment, but it has its heart in the right place. Suitably equipped and having the best in class fit and finish, Brio is an appropriate car for the city. The problem though is that it is available only in petrol which is now so expensive over diesel that it has ceased to make sense for most.
In this segment, which is relatively less price sensitive to the Wagon R/Santro and Alto segment, petrol cars now account for almost half of overall sales. I expect that percentage to continually go down. However, between the Liva diesel and Brio petrol, and in a background of unrelenting problems with Swift’s production, there is a good chance for these cars to make their presence felt. 
(12 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)
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Since the last few years, I have read about several cases where violent and inhuman punishment meted out by a teacher resulted in death and severe injuries to school going children. Children are still petrified by the teacher though there is a big change in the behavioural pattern of today’s students vis-a-vis teachers. Political and economic empowerment are positive developments that are contributing negatively in the student-teacher violence. As report suggests, the victim teacher had reported 13 times to the parents of the culprit boy that got him so infuriated. Now reporting 13 times is really a bit too much – of course not enough and no justification at all to get murdered for that! Had the boy been a bit less moneyed and hence that much less empowered, he would have first of all improved himself and thats that.
Thanks to the RSS shakhas, students are behaving more aggressively casteist. Not to speak of increasing communalism in society. There is more casteism at the school level – from seating arrangement in a class-room to the appointment of teachers in a school than ever before. When there is so much of hatred and negative energy in the adolescents of the country, can one dare to imagine what would be the future like?
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I fully agree with the author. Present day parents are responsible for the production of pansies from the school system. They fill their childrens’ pockets with cash, and teach them to behave impudently with good and strict teachers. Very soon India will be producing totally ignorant high-school graduates like the North American school system. Incidentally, in my opinion co-ed schools are also responsible for the low standards. Boys and girls should only have co-ed classes at the University level, when they are much more mature.
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I do not agree to this. I’ve seen how we Indians behave meekly because of our upbringing. Our education system does not allow pupils to think of their own mind but to prepare them for rat race. How much innovation do we have in India? How many people think out of box to bring something on world stage? How many patents do we file? I do not think canning pupils brings discipline but fear. I was never canned but I still love my teachers. We need to let the children develop their own mind so that they can be different than us. We need to guide them with our experience but let them play with fire till then do not endanger themselves or others around it. The current anti corruption wave has lot of youngsters in it. This is only because this young generation has not followed us keeping heads down. @Abu lets stick to point.
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Great point, Arnab. However, there is one additional consideration. There is a very material difference between now and 20 years ago: the social norms were different, the pressures on students and teachers’ alike were different, parents approach was different. This problem is more of a social problem than one relating to schools. Take me, for example: I would be very, very, very angry if corporal punishment was used on my child – I would definitely consider punitive action like complaining to the principle etc. But I am perfectly ok with other disciplinary measures being adopted. You have to understand that not every child reacts the same way, you have to understand the child and consider how will this punishment effect the behaviour we want to change? This requires parents and teachers as equal participants! Unfortunately, there is little parent – teacher interaction. And whatever little there interaction happens focuses on academics!
Parents and Teachers alike do not understand that marks – especially in Nursery – 7/8th classes – are not the determinants of success. You should be focusing on the child’s behaviour, social interaction, participation, habits, fundamental understanding of the topic. But in place of this we place inordinate emphasis on marks, and neglect the first warning signals of problematic behaviour! This way, you can catch bad behaviour before they become a habit. What is required is proper training for teachers and re-invigoration of the system to reflect modern realities
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haha, that is interestingly interesting, so true yet !!
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The Madrasa teaches theology, Quran, Science, Maths & English whereas the Shakhas teach how to kill Muslims thats the big difference, amongst several others, between a Madrasa and a RSS Shakha.
You are hurt, for which I am sorry. Fact is the RSS is spreading militancy all over the country through their Shakhas and it is reflected in minor and major incidents of intolerance occurring everywhere.
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One of the best articles I have read laying out the challenges before the indian foreign policy establishment and their current state of lily liveried stupor.
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A sensible article with the logic of power equations. Power begets respect and respect begets compliance. Power not shown is as good as absent. Politics of power is to exhibit but never use it. India has to learn a lot in mind control. But for that we have to break away from the slavery hangover that still persists.
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Abu Ahmed Reply:
February 20th, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Only now do we seem to have some extra dough to be spent on counter espionage activities. How many countries in the world can afford to spend money influencing politics of ohter countries like the USA, once-upon-a-time-USSR and now China? Do they have a BPL population of say 500 million at least?
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I like your approach; did our leadership struck back after 2008? and you talk of striking at **** nukes? Do u imagine us to be Israel with the backing of the US and Europe?
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What Mitra envisages is the policy of developed and wealthy nations. The only remark I would make on Mitra is that he is living in a fool’s paradise, or USA’s Israel. If India becomes as powerful as Israel, that is be able to wag the dog, then much more can be done in the foreign sphere.
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support their cause and take away the pressure from the facist Arab regimes of Kuwait,Saudi Arabia,etc
they are welfare states not fascist.israel is apartheid fascist state voilated many uno resolution.they are the secret intigators of most of the voilence in the region.
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We here in the west also deal with the cancer of political correctness, especially in the area of religion and morality. Kids are growing up without a sense of their Christian heritage here and have an entitlement mentality. They mock religion as they hear it mocked in the media and music. Morality among youth is very poor indeed. They are so wrapped up in thier iphones, ipads, and video games, that they have turned their ears away from the truth. Many have become insulent and arrogant, disrespecting parents and authority.
2 Timothy 3
Perilous Times
3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.
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