Toyota 'not concerned' about HiLux rivals - Motoring
Toyota says it is not worried about competitors like the Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi Triton and Mazda BT-50 – all of which will have been renewed or upgraded by the time it arrives in showrooms in October – encroaching on the new... Speaking at the world debut of the eighth-generation HiLux in Sydney today , Toyota Australia executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb said a shift to lifestyle vehicles had made the light commercial vehicle market big enough for everyone. "That is changing over time and what the customer's basically looking for now is a family-oriented vehicle as well as the tough WorkMate sort of working vehicle. "So as a result the market has grown dramatically and we're attracting an almost SUV-like customer into these types of vehicles -- particularly the dual-cabs -- so the market is bigger for everyone. However, HiLux 4x4 sales are down 2. 2 per cent so far this year and 4x2 sales are off 1. 9 per cent. While the HiLux 4x2's market share has increased year-to date, from 23. 9 to 26. 8 per cent, the one-tonner's slice of the much larger and more profitable 4x4 ute segment is down, from 21. 6 to 19. 4 per cent. That's down from a high of more than 30 per cent in 2008, when the Ranger accounted for just 8. 8 per cent of the 4x4 ute segment. Source: www.motoring.com.au
