Good for all seasons, except when there's flooding<\/p>\n
Hendarsyah Tarmizi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
People have different reasons for buying a particular car. It
\ncan be due to the popularity of the car's marque, its safety
\nspecification, eye-catching design or sophisticated technology.<\/p>\n
The sedan is one of the most popular vehicles for those who
\nput safety and convenience above all. The sedan is also often
\nreferred to as a car for all seasons, of course, when there are
\nno floods, which have caused many people in the capital to suffer
\na lot during the past few days.<\/p>\n
Compared with other vehicles, sedans, which have a lower
\nground clearance, are more vulnerable than other cars when
\ntraveling along flooded roads. But of course not all of them.<\/p>\n
Despite such a shortcoming, the sedan is one of the most
\nfavored car types here. People not only buy the cars for their
\nsafety, marque, or convenience, but also to show off their
\nstatus. Sedans are all about the status of their owners.<\/p>\n
Senior government officials, for example, use expensive sedans
\nto show respect to their foreign guests. Businesspeople have
\nexpensive limousines to gain the confidence and trust of their
\nbusiness partners.<\/p>\n
At a wedding ceremony, it is quite unusual if the newlywed
\ncouple rides in a car other than a limousine.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is one of Asia's most lucrative markets for such a
\nvehicle. Although the sedan market suffered a drop last year in
\nline with the fall in overall automobile demand, the prospect
\nremains promising, according to a car market analyst.<\/p>\n
According to data provided by the association of Indonesian
\ncar producers (Gaikindo), total sales of passenger cars (which
\ninclude sedans, 4 X 2 cars such as Kijang vans, and 4 X 4 cars
\nsuch as the Land Cruiser,) dropped by about 25 percent to 35,203
\nunits last year, from 46,876 in 2000.<\/p>\n
The figure contributed about 11 percent of total automobile
\nsales in 2001, which reached 299,629 units. The sales of other
\nvehicles, including commercial cars, totaled about 244,441 units,
\nor about 88.5 percent of total automotive sales.<\/p>\n
Long-established players such as Toyota, Honda and Suzuki
\ncontinue to dominate the local sedan market despite the entry of
\nseveral new names, following the government's decision to allow
\nimports of completely-built-up sedans two years ago.<\/p>\n
Previously the government only allowed the importation of cars
\nin completely-knocked-down (CKD) form in a bid to promote local
\nassembly activities.<\/p>\n
In the mini category (1,500 cc), the Toyota Soluna, which was
\nonly introduced to the market in early 2000, dominated last year,
\nwith a market share of 37.4 percent.<\/p>\n
Tailing behind were the Suzuki Baleno, with a market share of
\n22.6 percent and the Honda City, at 14.6 percent.<\/p>\n
The three cars, which sell at Rp 140 million to Rp 175 million
\n(about US$16,600), became the best-selling cars in the domestic
\nmarket last year.<\/p>\n
Market analysts contributed the Soluna's robust sales to
\ndistributor PT Toyota Astra Motor's decision to allow sales of
\nthe car to taxicab companies.<\/p>\n
But TAM's marketing communications manager Hendrayadi Lastioso
\nsaid that sales of Solunas to taxicab companies were only a small
\npart of the total.<\/p>\n
\"Sales to taxicab companies were about 1,500 units, while
\ntotal sales reached 7,545 units,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The market segment for small sedans is also dominated by
\nToyota, with its Corolla car brand. Last year the Toyota Corolla
\nmanaged to book a market share of 52.1 percent in that category,
\nfollowed by the Honda Civic and Mitsubishi Lancer, with market
\nshares of 33.5 percent and 11.5 percent respectively.<\/p>\n
Although Toyota has been quite successful in maintaining its
\ndominance in the two market categories, it failed to compete with
\nBMW and Mercedes in the medium and luxury sedan category.<\/p>\n
In this market segment, the BMW 3 Series was the market leader
\nlast year, with the Mercedes C series tailing behind at second
\nplace, followed by Honda Accord.<\/p>\n
Toyota Camry, which is also competing in the same class only
\nbooked a market share of 9.4 percent.<\/p>\n
\"The newly introduced Camry, the replacement for the Toyota
\nCorona, is in the process of establishing its name. But the
\nmarket response has been quite good lately,\" Hendrayadi said.<\/p>\n
The two European car makers also dominated the luxury sedan
\nmarket. The Mercedes E Series was the market leader in its class
\nlast year, with a market share of 38.2 percent, followed by the
\nBMW 5 Series in second place at 33.73 percent. The Toyota Crown
\noccupied third position, at 6.22 percent.<\/p>\n
Hendriyadi believed that the established market players would
\ncontinue to dominate the sedan market, although there was fierce
\ncompetition from new names, either from new car powerhouse South
\nKorea or European and American producers.<\/p>",
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