Toyota Starlet and Suzuki Baleno are, essentially, the same cars under the skin, as well as in terms of exterior designing.
In the premium hatchback segment in South Africa, Toyota Starlet has emerged to be way more popular than the Suzuki Baleno, as per the latest sales data. Interestingly, both these cars are the same. Starlet is the badge-engineered version of the Baleno that has been exported from India. Back in India, the market share of the Baleno is unmatched by any other vehicle in the segment. But for the South African market, people have leaned more toward the brand value associated with Toyota rather than Suzuki. Here are the details.
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Toyota Starlet More Popular Than Suzuki Baleno in South Africa
The latest sales report reveals that Toyota managed to sell 1,218 units of the Starlet compared to just 504 units of the Baleno last month. This puts the former at number three on the list of top-selling cars in SA. This list was topped by VW Polo Vivo on the back of 1,876 sales followed by Toyota Corolla Cross with 1,644 units sold. This makes the Corolla Cross the highest-selling SUV in the country. The fact that 2 out of the top 3 highest-selling cars in SA are from Toyota speaks volumes about the mentality that people have toward the Japanese auto giant.
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In terms of the large 7-seat SUV, Toyota Fortuner was crowned the champion with 1,018 units sold last month alone. Its nearest competitors like Haval Jolion and Chery Tiggo 4 Pro were second and third on this list of highest-selling large SUVs with 881 units and 745 units sold respectively. Suzuki sold 217 units of the Jimny in the South African market. Note that this is not the new 5-door version that is sold in India.
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What We Think
No one can question the brand value that Toyota has acquired over the decades of being in existence. In fact, it has been at the top of the world several times becoming the largest carmaker on the planet. It has products in almost all major markets across the world since time immemorial. Hence, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that the SA market is dominated by its products. Its engines and components are so reliable that people invest in its cars and know that they don’t have to worry about expenses for years to come. What is interesting, though, is the fact that Starlet is actually a Suzuki product that is sold as a badge-engineered model under Toyota. But the brand value is what is attracting such high sales.
