Company : Maruti Suzuki Ltd
Brand Analysis Count # 440
Maruti has launched a new Multi Purpose Vehicle - Eeco. Eeco is the rebirth of the Late Maruti Versa. Versa was a big flop despite the high profile celebrity endorsements from Amithabh and Abhishek Bachchan. Maruti messed up that
practical car with a ridiculous pricing.
And what a way to come back.
Eeco is built in the same platform of Versa. The brand has the famed KB series of engine that powers the new Maruti offerings like the Ritz. The company also squeaked the exteriors of the old Versa, discarded the high roofing and added little more graphics in its new avatar.
More than anything else, it is the price that makes Eeco a potential winner in the ever value conscious Indian market. Priced from Rs 2,60,000 - Rs 3,10,000, the brand comes in a mouth watering price . At this price,Eeco is a winner from the word " Go".
Maruti Eeco fills an important gap in the automotive market. There exist a need for a entry level vehicle that can carry a large family . The small cars can never satisfy that need. Infact most of the cars are ideal for a family size of 4. Eeco is fulfilling that need and that too at a irresistible price.
Eeco is priced at a premium to Omni. Omni , although found takers in the Indian market suffered because of concern of security and lack of comfort. The future of Omni is bleak since the van cannot be fitted with A/C and A/C is becoming a part of the expected product.
Eeco offers all these comforts. It has an A/C variant and comes in 7 seater & 5 seater offerings. For a large family , Eeco makes immense practical sense. Backed by Maruti reliability, Eeco is expected to boost up this new segment of entry level MPVs. Eeco will be popular both at rural and urban markets.
I expect this brand to create a new segment of entry level MPV . Eeco will definitely cannibalize Alto, Omni and to a certain extent Wagon- R by luring large families into it. But more than the limited cannibalization, this is a product that Indian families were waiting for. The predicted success of Eeco will also open up a new market segment for comfortable mini vans. Now we have only have such large carriers at the premium segments like Innova. Eeco has the potential to disrupt the market structure . Most car makers assume that the typical family structure in India is of the size 4 and thus turning a blind eye towards many large families. Eeco can change the way automakers look at this segment .
The brand has the tagline " Happiness , Family Size " . Eeco is running a tvc across various channels. The ad is very basic and nothing much to talk about. It does't need a highly creative ad for such a wonderful offering.
The only factor that Eeco will have to deliver is the promise. If Eeco as a product performs on parameters like comfort, A/C cooling, safety, stability and mileage, it is a winner.
Related Brand
But without the diesel option which is very important for Indian consumers, this may fail as an MPV. Also if the right positioning is not done, Eeco might become a Maxicab...
ReplyDeleteCAN THE SEATS BE MORE COMFORTABLE IN THE SAME PRICE BAND, CAN THE AC FACILITY BE FITTED IN SEVEN SITTER ALSO AS IT IS IMPECCABLE NEED AND WILL IT BE AVAILABLE IN THE CSD FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL
ReplyDelete@saravanan, true but it is being positioned as a family vehicle and it will be rationally appealing to many consumers.
ReplyDelete@rakesh I hope suzuki will increase the comfort way forward once it starts getting consumer feedback
Harsh,
ReplyDeletei too think in the same way,I think in such a pice range and with assurance ( as name Maruti and Suzuki is there) Eeco will surely touch and eaily attract the middle and upper middle class families... as far as cannibalization is cocerned in my opinion in will not affect the sales of alto and omni as alto is in small car segment rather it will provide opportunity to the company to attact the families who didnt use maruti products and shifted to innova,tavera n others bcoz of lack of capicity in cars.. it will create a new market segment which is untuched so far(with this price band).
regards
Pallav Pancholi
FMS MLSU
Harsh,
ReplyDeleteWith Maruti EECO being priced between 2.6L to 3.1L isn't there a fear of the Car being converted into a car suitable for taxis (though absence of diesel variant will be a downside to such phenomena)? If this happens what will be the impact on brand of the car ?
@pallav, eeco will create a new segment for sure , some cannibalization can happen.
ReplyDelete@gagan.. i don't see any problem in this brand being embraced by taxi owners as long as the positioning is clear. take the case of Indica , despite being popular in the taxi segment , lot of customers buy it because of value. same will happen to eeco.
The most prominent car makers of india Maruti Suzuki has come up with all new Maruti Eeco replacing its own previously launched Maruti Versa
ReplyDeleteThe best features of eeco are its luxurious and spacious interior space, wrapped in wonderful aesthetics inside out. Add to this, with a powerful engine, the Maruti Suzuki Eeco brings home the happiness of owning a truly world class car. And makes every outing in it one of sheer happiness, family size!
ReplyDeleteFamily Size of Maruti Eeco comes with interiors are extremely spacious and capacity to sit 5 +2 passengers inside it.This impressie MPV car as it’s a budget car for Indian joint family.
ReplyDelete