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The Big 3 local automakers, Suzuki, Toyota, and Honda, are frequently criticized for charging exorbitant prices for inferior goods that are deficient in quality, features, and equipment. Additionally, they provide us with outdated models that are often either presented after being completed elsewhere in the globe or are dragged out for a lengthy time.
Since the implementation of the Auto Policy 2016-21, it was expected that this would alter. The goal of the program was to bring in the necessary healthy competition that the local car industry had traditionally lacked by attracting a variety of companies to the market. Ironically, though, since no newcomer has provided anything that could be claimed as a substitute for the current compromised alternatives, vehicle buyers have seen little to no gain from the strategy.
In addition to being priced absurdly high and targeted exclusively at individuals with significant purchasing power, the bulk of new cars released by entrants are also outmoded and rejected by the rest of the globe. Let's look at Pakistan's locally compiled lineup of newcomers to determine if they are comparable to the approach used elsewhere.
Three domestically built Hyundai models are available in Pakistan. Elantra and Tucson are prior generation vehicles that are still offered in the nation, with the exception of the 8th generation Sonata.
Almost a year after the 7th generation model made its global debut, the 6th generation Elantra was released in Pakistan (albeit we got a facelift).
Contrarily, the Tucson we currently own is a 3rd generation model that has been in production since 2015, and the most recent 4th generation Tucson debuted in the same month that the model from the previous generation was introduced in our nation.
Since returning to Pakistan in 2018, Kia has so far released 4 locally made cars there. The Stonic is the only one of the remaining three types that are still in production today.
Starting with the Picanto hatchback of the second generation, which was introduced in Pakistan over 2.5 years after being phased out elsewhere? This generation vehicle debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2011 and was superseded by the third generation in 2017. Not to mention that the third generation is reaching the conclusion of its manufacturing cycle and has already had a facelift in 2020. The model that is being marketed in Pakistan is already 11 years old.
Next is the third-generation Sorento, which was reintroduced here following the launch of the new 4th-generation vehicle. According to reports, Kia is already hard at work on a mid-life makeover for the current generation vehicle, which is about to be shown.
Last but not least, the new 5th generation model, which arrived in June 2021, has rendered the 4th generation Sportage, which was Kia's best-selling domestic vehicle, outdated.
Another outdated item sold by a newcomer in Pakistan is the Isuzu D-Max. Although the third generation of the D-Max, which made its debut in October 2019, is the one now sold in Pakistan, it is really the 2nd generation model. And even though the new D-Max has been out for over 3 years, our car buyers have no intention of adopting the model from the most recent generation any time soon.
In 2018, United Motors unveiled the 800cc Bravo hatchback, based on the Mehran, a second-generation Suzuki Alto model three decades old. Additionally, the business debuted the 1,000cc Alpha hatchback, a rebadged second-generation Chery QQ facelift that was rendered obsolete in 2015. These two vehicles are currently only available for purchase in Pakistan and may only be found in a few third-tier Chinese cities.
In January 2020, Regal Automobiles unveiled the Price Pearl hatchback, another Chinese vehicle based on the three-decade-old Suzuki Mehran with the same 800cc replica engine and 4-speed transmission but no safety features. Like the United Bravo, the Price Pearl is devoid of any safety features. Only in Pakistan are Bravo and Pearl offered, and both are made by low-end Chinese automakers that are only present in China's third-tier cities.
The 11th generation Toyota Corolla, the 6th generation Honda City, and the four-decade-old Suzuki Bolan and Ravi are just a few examples of outdated vehicles that are still on the roads today. And it's not only about the aforementioned possibilities that are now available; there are countless cases in the past when automobiles debuted in Pakistan after becoming outdated elsewhere.
The offers of some newcomers, though, are happily perfectly in line with those of the rest of the globe. For instance, the Oshan X7 and the Changan Alsvin are models from the most recent generation and are identical to those offered elsewhere in the world. In addition to being current generation vehicles, Proton X70 and Saga are also available in other markets.
Together with GWM and BAIC of China, Sazgar has so far introduced the locally produced Haval H6 and BJ40 Plus models. Both SUVs are exactly on par with comparable models offered abroad. Other than this, current models include the DFSK Glory 580 Pro, the MG HS, and the ZS in Pakistan. Last but not least, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Tiggo 8 Pro by Ghandhara and the Peugeot 2008 by LMC are identical to those sold in other foreign markets.