General Motors’ Indian subsidiary hasn’t been doing well with the company still running at losses since its Indian entry. Chevrolet’s sales have been sliding down a constant gradient which isn’t a good sign at all. The company’s sales have dropped down by 22 percent in a couple of years. Though the American brand launched three new models belonging to different segments, it lost some volume because of the Tavera issue. During this tenure, the company stopped the production of Optra, Aveo sedan and Aveo U-VA. Poor marketing strategy has been blamed for its dismal performance as the company lost its ground. It’s not that Chevrolet has got a bad built; everything is fine but the management has been failing to strike the right chords.
Spark – The mini car has probably been a bad omen as the numbers fell by a mind boggling 96 percent when compared to January 2011. In June 2014 only 146 units of the Spark were sold. A couple of years like this and the mini hatch can well be a part of a museum.
Beat – The best seller of Chevrolet which has been the most economical car in the country for sometime has seen topsy-turvy days; unfortunately the figures tell that the car is not doing well. The vehicle is currently doing 40% of what it was in mid 2011. The baby Chevy has taken a good beating from the Wagon R and Alto of Maruti. Though it got decent figures on its board, the Beat is struggling to find its feet in the overcrowded entry level segment.
Sail – Replacing the Aveo, Chevrolet launched the Sail sedan in 2012 which got a lukewarm response. The car did become the best seller for Chevrolet for a few months but it’s nowhere near its competitors. This car has created a mini world for itself and we believe that it still has to show its mettle to sustain in this market. It is fairly difficult for any product to become a hit unless it’s something special; unfortunately this one isn’t. The Sail is just another sedan in the market.
Sail U-VA – This hatchback has been following the path of its sedan sibling, but the figures have mostly been poor. The car has hardly stated its presence in the market as it did not cross even the 2000 unit mark since its commencement. People are hardly aware of this car; If you go to someone and say “I bought a U-VA”, they may ask “you what?”. Even though the hatchback is decent enough, we still wonder why this Chevy hasn’t kicked off. Maybe the launch price was too optimistic.
Enjoy – Chevrolet’s latest offering has been on the better lot for the company. The MPV has been doing at par in the market. The Enjoy sales have been loitering around 2000 units a month. This car would have sold more if it had been handsome, at least a design inclination towards that of the Ertiga and Mobilio would have helped sales.
Cruze – The lion of General Motors in India, the Cruze has always been a driver’s car. The Cruze is the only car from Chevrolet which comes under the ‘irresistible’ category. It’s sad to see that a car like this has been selling only few hundred in numbers. The car lost good market since 2011 and we can only blame Chevrolet for this.
Tavera – The MPV was the headlines during the second half of 2012 for the biggest recall in the country. From violation of pollution norms and not adhering to gross weight criteria, Chevrolet has certainly been the bad boy in this matter. Though sales took a hit after the issue, the Tavera still manages to sell in decent numbers; thanks to the solid build and trust of travel agencies.
Captiva – After very dismal performance in the market; we still wonder what it is doing in the market? This SUV lost plenty of market share, especially to the Toyota Fortuner. The American SUV is not charming at all when compared to its counterparts. No wonder the sub-continent population has avoided it. Only 35 units of the Captiva have been sold so far this year (till June). Sorry Chevy, your SUV didn’t captivate the market.
