The introduction of the Honda Civic and Accord, two exceedingly popular cars in Pakistan, captivated consumers with its luxury and class. Until the release of these models, car buyers were restricted to the same standard features available in most models in each segment. The
Honda promised far more in terms of value and even status for affordable and comparable prices.
Prior to Honda’s introduction to the automotive market, Toyota was predominantly the market leader in terms of share and loyalty. It had models for most consumer segments with well-known and established models like the Corolla, Corona, Mark II and Crown. Other manufacturers like Suzuki, Mazda, Nissan and a few European companies like Fiat and Mercedes had a few models but lacked presence unlike Toyota.
Car buyers and corporation saw Honda as an opportunity to own both reliability and class. Honda’s models had extra trims and features like map reading lamps and power steering, which at the time other competing models did not. Suddenly Honda had a substantial presence on the roads of Pakistan’s urban centers and became a widely accepted and sought after automobile. Although Toyota saw a drop in sales, it still managed to retain a big chunk of the market unlike the other manufacturers who were struggling to remain afloat.
Year after year Honda’s beautifully crafted exterior and interior provided it with a substantial lead over the competition. It had a spacious interior, which enhanced the consumer’s driving experience by providing a more comfortable ride for short and long trips alike. To compete effectively in the 1300CC engine capacity market, Honda introduced the City, once again providing features that no other car at the time was offering. To stay competitive in terms of price, Honda opened up production in Pakistan in partnership with a well known firm.
Honda’s quality remained a notch above the rest and it earned a reputation of being fuel efficient and highly dependable. The engines provided the impression of driving a bigger car and in a short time Honda’s reliability ranked closely to Toyota’s. Maintaining a Honda proved inexpensive apart from the regular oil change and tweaking common to all cars and makes. These factors contributed largely to the growing demand for these cars in Pakistan’s used car market and the rise in its resale value.
Honda has rapidly developed an impressive reputation for reliability, fuel efficiency and a classy look and feel. With a spectacular track record and highly respected models like the
Civic, it looks like Honda will be leading the new and used car market for a substantial period of time, despite efforts by competitors to introduce a variety of new models. And rightfully so.
