Suzuki and Toyota sharing some love.

Here's why Toyota says you should buy a Starlet over a Suzuki Baleno

Toyota South Africa Motors has launched its new Starlet in South Africa, with the newcomer arriving as a rebadged Suzuki Baleno. So, why would you buy the Toyota version over the Suzuki original?

Well, we asked Toyota SA that very question during an online product presentation.

“Spec for spec versus the Baleno, the Starlet has a price advantage. And we have a three-grade strategy whereas they have only two [grades] in their line-up,” said Riaan Esterhuysen, manager for product communications at Toyota SA.

Replacing the Etios (which has gone out of production in India), the new Starlet hatchback range comprises five variants (three trim levels and two gearbox options), as opposed to the three in Suzuki Auto South Africa’s Baleno line-up. The Starlet’s starting price of R204 900 undercuts the base Baleno by some R17 000.

“The mid-grade model is R5 000 cheaper than the equivalent Baleno plus the Starlet is fitted with alloy wheels. In essence, it’s a more competitive product offering,” he added.

While Suzuki offers its Baleno with a five-year/200 000 km warranty and a four-year/60 000 km service plan, Toyota’s versions aren’t quite as generous, with the Starlet shipping with a three-year/100 000 km warranty and three-service/45 000 km service plan.

www.carmag.co.za

Here's why Toyota says you should buy a Starlet over a Suzuki Baleno...

We asked Toyota South Africa Motors why buyers would consider purchasing the new Starlet hatchback over the Suzuki Baleno on which it's based...
www.carmag.co.za www.carmag.co.za
 
I remember back in my days when you bought a Toyota you got a Toyota. These days it might be a Suzuki, Scooby or a Beemer lol
 
Good thing about this car is that at least both brands is Japanese. Their cars doesn't break easily. I had 2 Suzukis's and none of them gave me any stress. But then again the same car with a different name in one country is something else:laugh:
 
Gtx Gaming said:
I remember back in my days when you bought a Toyota you got a Toyota. These days it might be a Suzuki, Scooby or a Beemer lol
Click to expand...
Damn, platforming sharing.
I'd keep this on the DL, there are plenty Audi A3 drivers thinking they got an Audi, where it's actually just a golf..
 
Toyota SA planning other affordable products to take up the Etios slack

With more than a little help from Suzuki, Toyota now has a credible replacement for the Etios that was discontinued earlier this year in India.

And while the new Baleno-based Toyota Starlet certainly appears to offer better value than the Etios, given that it’s bigger, better equipped and more modern, it still can’t match the outgoing car’s sub-R200 000 price tag. The cheapest Starlet will set you back R204 900, while the entry-level Etios cost R191 800.

Will the Starlet be a volume leader?

Toyota SA is initially targeting a volume of around 500 units a month for the Starlet, which is lower than the 1125 unit average that the Etios achieved. However Toyota puts the lower numbers down to the newer car’s higher asking price, but added that supply could easily be increased if the market demanded more than its conservative initial estimate.

Another question that came up during the Starlet Q&A session was whether Toyota was planning a successor for the Etios sedan. However TSA product communications manager Riaan Esterhuysen pointed out that the company currently has no plans to fill that space and that the Starlet hatchback would remain the only offering in that segment.

We also asked them whether the current Yaris faced discontinuation given how close the Baleno is in size terms, but at this stage the company is planning to continue with the Yaris in its current form, although the model range could be modified if deemed necessary.

www.iol.co.za

Toyota SA planning other affordable products to take up the Etios slack

An even more affordable alternative to the newly launched Starlet could hit local shores as early as December.
www.iol.co.za www.iol.co.za
 
www.carmag.co.za

Here's why Toyota says you should buy a Starlet over a Suzuki Baleno...

We asked Toyota South Africa Motors why buyers would consider purchasing the new Starlet hatchback over the Suzuki Baleno on which it's based...
www.carmag.co.za www.carmag.co.za

Here's the thing.
What are the exorbitant on-the-road-costs that Toyota Dealers charge versus the Suzuki Dealers?
Secondly, what do the Toyota dealers charge for parts?
And how about the interaction that Suzuki owners have with their dealerships compared to the hardegat take-it-or-leave attitude that Toyota dealerships have?

I've a Suzuki, like regular members of this forum know, and I often pop into the dealership just to say: "Hi"
I am made most welcome. Are there any Toyota owners who do that?
When my car went for its service I was treated courteously and efficiently. With Toyota you are a customer and get served, because there are many in the queue and told to get hell outta there because there are many customers in line who have to be attended to.

I do not own, or have owned a Toyota, I'm conveying what I have heard from my friends who own a Toyota.
 
Toyota South Africa has no plans to directly replace the Etios Sedan

Toyota South Africa Motors recently launched the new Suzuki-built Starlet to replace its Etios hatch range. But what about the saloon version of the Etios?

While the Baleno-based Starlet serves as a direct replacement for the Etios hatch, the Japanese firm’s local arm says it has no immediate plans to offer a new small sedan to fill the gap left by the Etios Sedan.

“There has been a progression in this segment of the market to favour hatchbacks so currently we do not have a replacement for the Etios Sedan,” said Riaan Esterhuysen, manager for product communications at Toyota SA.

“The Starlet will serve as our [contender] in this segment and will remain hatch only,” Esterhuysen said, before Clynton Yon, senior manager for communications at Toyota SA, pointed out the Corolla Quest would step into the role of the firm’s entry-level sedan.

www.carmag.co.za

Toyota South Africa has no plans to directly replace the Etios Sedan...

Toyota South Africa Motors recently launched the new Suzuki-built Starlet to replace its Etios hatch range. But what about the saloon version of the Etios?
www.carmag.co.za www.carmag.co.za

Toy.JPG
 
Rhein said:
www.carmag.co.za

Here's why Toyota says you should buy a Starlet over a Suzuki Baleno...

We asked Toyota South Africa Motors why buyers would consider purchasing the new Starlet hatchback over the Suzuki Baleno on which it's based...
www.carmag.co.za www.carmag.co.za

Here's the thing.
What are the exorbitant on-the-road-costs that Toyota Dealers charge versus the Suzuki Dealers?
Secondly, what do the Toyota dealers charge for parts?
And how about the interaction that Suzuki owners have with their dealerships compared to the hardegat take-it-or-leave attitude that Toyota dealerships have?

I've a Suzuki, like regular members of this forum know, and I often pop into the dealership just to say: "Hi"
I am made most welcome. Are there any Toyota owners who do that?
When my car went for its service I was treated courteously and efficiently. With Toyota you are a customer and get served, because there are many in the queue and told to get hell outta there because there are many customers in line who have to be attended to.

I do not own, or have owned a Toyota, I'm conveying what I have heard from my friends who own a Toyota.
Click to expand...
Pop into a dealership to say hi? Kahle Rhein, no one has time for that, some people have jobs you know...
 
Toyota SA planning sub-Starlet budget model (and Yaris to soldier on)?

Toyota South Africa Motors says it will later in 2020 introduce a model to “fill the gap” left by entry-level variants of the now-discontinued Etios.

The news comes after the local launch of the new new Starlet, which arrives as a rebadged Suzuki Baleno. While the Etios hatch range had started at R191 800, the new Starlet kicks off at R204 900.

Toyota SA says it expects to sell some 500 units of the Starlet each month, down from the average of 1 125 units achieved by the Etios (including the Sedan, which won’t be directly replaced).

“This vehicle [the Starlet] is slightly more expensive than our outgoing Etios, so we aren’t expecting exactly the same volumes that we had from Etios,” Clynton Yon, senior manager for communications at Toyota SA, said during an online product presentation.

Still, Yon suggested there were plans to introduce another budget vehicle to make up this lost volume.

www.carmag.co.za

Toyota SA planning sub-Starlet budget model (and Yaris to soldier on)?

Toyota South Africa Motors says it will later in 2020 introduce a model to “fill the gap” left by entry-level variants of the now-discontinued Etios.
www.carmag.co.za www.carmag.co.za

Toy.JPG
 
thechamp said:
Pop into a dealership to say hi? Kahle Rhein, no one has time for that, some people have jobs you know...
Click to expand...
This is true.
Like some people who have jobs, have 29,667 posts and many of those posts are in working hours.
Just saying, you know. ;)
 
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After a little research it seems Baleno has 20mm more ground clearance. That explains the slightly taller profile compared to the Starlet. Also I suppose 20mm extra ground clearance on SA's roads is a good thing.
 
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