In the 2021 auto market, GAC Toyota Racing can be regarded as a "net red" model. Before the price of imported Xena remained high, and the media predicted that the starting price would be within 300,000 when the domestic Sai Na pre-sale was launched, which really harvested a wave of attention. In addition, in Toyota's MPV field, Alpha is difficult to find, and car buyers will naturally transfer this love house and U to Sai Na.
But the problem may also lie in this, obviously GAC Toyota overestimated this consumer enthusiasm, with the official listing of Xena, the product attention to the heat does not rise but falls, in the words of netizens: the exhibition car came out to dissuade a batch, the pricing came out to dissuade a batch, and the car was increased and disgusting to go a batch.
Although GAC Toyota advertised orders exceeding 10,000 when it was listed on the Xena, the actual sales data was somewhat unsatisfactory, with wholesale sales of 2,791 vehicles announced by car companies in December, but only 932 vehicles in December given by the emperor of understanding cars. In November, car companies did not announce actual sales, and some media speculated that there were more than 500 units. Coupled with some of the feedback information from GAC Toyota dealerships, Sai Na from the original price increase of 50,000 or 60,000 sales to the current increase in price of 20,000 or 30,000, comprehensive judgment, the possibility of "high open low walk" in the Sai Na market is extremely large, of course, the need for subsequent months of data to verify, and for car buyers, patiently waiting for a period of time, affordable car purchase is not impossible.
The look and feel of the Xena real car does not match the "flagship"
In the MPV market, GL8 has always been the benchmark, commercial and home-friendly, and those who are fond of Japanese reliability will choose Odyssey and Alexand. After the listing of Volkswagen Weiran, it is believed that it is most likely to break the balance of the MPV market in the United States and Japan, but after a period of verification, it has not. Therefore, the GAC Toyota Sai Nazi, which has the highest media voice this year, is naturally pinned on high hopes. But since the product was unveiled at the Guangzhou Auto Show, the sound of disappointment has obviously overshadowed expectations. GAC Toyota has always flaunted its flagship with "big", but in terms of actual configuration, materials and details, it does not have the reality of the flagship.
In terms of body size, Xena is indeed a well-deserved flagship product, with a length, width and height of 5165 * 1995 * 1765mm, a wheelbase of 3060mm, and its own Elfabi can be said to be more than that, but in the body height than the 1945mm Alpha inferior. At the same time, it is a tie compared with the GL8 in terms of vehicle size.
But at other levels, Xena can hardly take on the name of flagship.
The first thing to be complained about is Toyota's plastic interior as always. Taking the starting price of the Xena Comfort Edition as an example, counting the cost increase, you can at least buy a Buick GL8 2022 ES Luzun Premium, the latter 2.0T power is significantly more than Xena, the configuration of the Xena is not a level compared to it. Xena uses plastic steering wheel plus fabric seats, GL8 is leather steering wheel plus leather seats, Sai Na is a 4.2-inch LCD instrument + 8-inch central control screen, GL8 is a double 12.3-inch full LCD instrument panel. In addition, like the very practical front and rear seat heating, automatic heating of the rearview mirrors, automatic folding, etc., Xena is all omitted. This configuration at this price point, if it is not out of faith, is really a bit difficult to start.
If the configuration is not Toyota's strength, then the NVH vehicle details are obviously not up to the flagship requirements. For example, the height of the car that has been widely complained about can be compared with Highlander, as an MPV product for the whole family to travel, obviously does not take into account the actual car use scenario of this part of the group. In addition, even if the top model is equipped, the aviation first-class seats are not provided, and the third row of slightly straight seat angles makes it impossible to talk about comfort.
Selling cars at a markup is subject to IQ tax
Before the sale of Sai Na, the pre-sale starting price promoted by the media was within 300,000 yuan, and many car buyers were indeed ordered at a lower price than the imported Sai Na, but the price announced on the day of the listing was 30.98-40.58 million yuan, if you remove the low-end entry-level chicken ribs, there are few purchases, basically the volume model to 333,800 yuan luxury version and 352,800 yuan premium version of the model. Of course, if you count the cost of the price increase, the landing price will run to more than 400,000, obviously this price, for most car buyers, is indeed a bit of a "leek" taste, then, Toyota Xena, in addition to the big, is it really worth this price?
Above we look at it from the configuration level, Xena is more than a little bit worse than the "flagship" compared with the MPV models of the same level in the market, so in terms of internal literacy, is it worth this price point?
First of all, from the perspective of three major pieces, Xena and its own Highlander sharing platform share power, the same choice of the same 2.5L oil-electric hybrid system, all produced from Toyota's TNGA platform, the two are completely consistent in power parameters, matching the same E-CVT stepless gearbox. Then the price of Highlander can be said to have a certain reference significance for Xena, in fact, in the North American market, the starting price of Xena is lower than that of Highlander Twin Engine, which also appears on two Canadian models.
The US version takes the low-end LE version as the benchmark, the configuration of highlander dual engine and xena is basically similar, and the guide price of highlander is $4175, and the same situation also appears on the product of taking the large version of both.
The US version of Highlander and Xena are priced
So in China, why did Sai Na not only raise the starting price, but even increase the price to sell the car? With the 309,800 Xena Comfort Edition compared to the Highlander's Elite Edition, where is the gap of more than 40,000 yuan between the two? The power and platform architecture of the two can be said to be no difference, then more may be found in the configuration, in fact, in addition to the addition of a TSS active security system, the other differences are not large. Therefore, the pricing level of the domestic race is believed to be beyond description.
There is also a comparable model is FAW Toyota's Crown Land Release, which is equipped with a TSS active safety system at a price of 275,800, which is also significantly lower than Xena.
In summary, for more and more rational car buyers, the era of brainlessness has long ended, and the pricing itself has a brand premium, on this basis, I don't know where gac and Toyota's confidence comes from?
Write at the end
The market is dynamic, and in the current automotive industry, which is fully competitive, any solidified thinking will eventually bring about the abandonment of car buyers. Moreover, the current market has appeared this variable of new energy, and Toyota, which does not have an advantage in this regard, only relies on the residual reliability reputation, arbitrarily increases prices, obviously has come to the moment of consuming the reputation of the Toyota brand, and hopes that the highlight moment of Xena will not only stay in the highlight moment at the time of pre-sale.