On October 16, FAW Toyota's new medium-sized SUV Lingfang opened pre-sale, with a pre-sale price range of 220,000-310,000 yuan. Many public opinions have compared this SUV to SAIC Volkswagen Tiguan L, Oncovy, and even some people have linked LingFang with GUANGC Honda Guandao. In my opinion, the evaluation of the Lingfang may not be as simple as a simple comparison with these mid-size SUVs. In order for consumers to understand Lingfang, and even to understand Lingfang, it is necessary to re-outline the image profile of FAW Toyota to consumers.
On the same day of the pre-sale, we walked into the FAW Toyota terminal dealer store to try to listen to the consumer's judgment of this product. During the two-hour observation, several consumers entered the store to inquire about Lingfang's listing and product information.
Who exactly does LingFang sell to? This is a question that must be made clear, but it is also something that is difficult to say clearly. How to define the mid-size SUV market has always been a problem in itself. In order to misplace competition, some car companies have classified compact SUVs as medium-sized SUVs, and some companies have divided their own products into the comparison of the medium-sized SUV market in order to strengthen the cost performance of the seven-seat medium and large SUV. In this case, if you find Lingfang's competitors, you will also find Lingfang's consumer population.
Unlike the medium-sized SUV models on the market that are "pressed up and down", Lingfang has a historical heritage, which means that the positioning of this car is continuous. Don't underestimate this, in China's mid-size SUV market, there are not many models with historical accumulation. Most of the products are special models built for China, and there is a deviation from the global model in terms of driving experience. Compared with other companies, Lingfang is a replacement model for Toyota's global products, although it was introduced to China for the first time, but it has been tested in the global market. In particular, Japan's successful experience in the Asian consumer market has become a product suitable for the Asian consumption scenario in the mid-size SUV market. This is the first feature of Lingfang.
In addition to tracing the origin of the product, another hashtag of Lingfang is the Lexus RX. Since its inception, the two models have been known as "twins". From the exterior interior to the power quality, there is no major difference between the two models. Toyota once sold the Lexus RX in the United States and Ling Fang in Japan to distinguish between the two products. From this point of view, Lingfang is not only an authentic medium-sized SUV, but also brings the cross-level driving experience of luxury cars to the medium-sized SUV market from the product quality. This is the second characteristic of Lingfang.
The most worth mentioning is the product pedigree of Lingfang. As we all know, Lingfang is from the TNGA-K platform, and the Toyota models born from this platform include the RECENTLY LAUNCHED FAW Toyota Crown Lufang and the earlier familiar Asian Dragon and Lexus models. In terms of manufacturing quality and craftsmanship, Lingfang represents the latest technology of FAW Toyota. As a medium-sized SUV, Lingfang not only strengthens the FAW Toyota SUV product family, but also becomes the most important strategic product of FAW Toyota's product lineage, allowing the joint venture car company to form a 4+4 product matrix (4 core SUVs + 4 core cars), laying the foundation for the impact on the head camp of the joint venture car companies. This is the third feature of Lingfang.
For a long time in the past, medium-sized SUVs inherited the power genes of mid-size cars, basically based on 2.0 or 2.0T engines. LingFang is equipped with a 2.0L naturally aspirated + CVT gearbox and a 2.5L hybrid system. This hybrid technology is composed of a 41% thermally efficient TNGA 2.5L Dynamic Force engine and a new generation of three-electric system (that is, the fourth generation of high-efficiency nickel-metal hydride batteries, the fourth generation of high-speed motors, the fourth generation of power control unit PCU), equipped with the fourth generation of nickel-metal hydride batteries, not only extend the use of life, but also through the improvement of electrode materials, so that the battery pack volume is reduced by 67% compared with the first generation, improve the input and output performance of the battery, so that the vehicle weight reduction and better acceleration performance. This means that Lingfang organically combines power and fuel economy, and solves a series of contradictions in this market segment, such as product handling, driving setbacks and fuel economy. This is the fourth feature of Lingfang.
For consumers, good products need to be paired with good services. Whether FAW Toyota has the ability to provide services that match Lingfang products is critical to consumers' final purchase decisions. From the sales staff of FAW Toyota dealers, it was learned that in order to improve the quality of service, FAW Toyota has set up a service improvement team to improve the service process, service details and vehicle life cycle services, which has been carried out for thirteen years. Every quarter, FAW Toyota inspects and supervises the improvement of relevant service personnel and more than 700 dealerships, grasps the basic management of services every year, and links relevant service conditions with internal performance. This is the fifth feature of FAW Toyota Lingfang.
Combining these five characteristics, and then looking for lingfang opponents, you will find that every product in the medium-sized SUV market has more or less some regrets: the power of the space is not strong; the quality of the power is not good; the quality can not be configured... Perhaps, the purpose of FAW Toyota's launch of Lingfang in the mid-size SUV market is to copy the "Corolla" brand effect of the A-segment car market to the Chinese mid-size SUV market, so that consumers can buy a mid-size SUV with no regrets in this segment.