India is one of the largest car markets in the world and also one of the most populous countries in the world. Every person has a different taste for each and everything, including cars. However, in recent times, we have seen that the Indians generally prefer SUVs over sedans or hatchbacks and so more and more companies are launching SUVs in the country. Whether it be a true full-size 4x4 SUV or a pseudo compact or a mid-size SUV, people love them all. The demand for sedans has now drastically reduced in the Indian market, especially the D-segment sedans. We now have only two D-segment sedans on sale in India. They are the new Skoda Superb Facelift and the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Today in this article, we will tell you why the new 2020 Skoda Superb Facelift outsells the Toyota Camry Hybrid BS6.
Now, as we have already mentioned earlier, most of the people nowadays generally prefer the SUVs over sedans and so there are already a very few people who will walk into the showroom to look for a premium D-segment sedan. But, as there are still a few people who don't want to follow the herd and instead want to experience the exceptional ride quality and plush feel of a premium sedan, they will either walk into a Toyota dealership or a nearby Skoda dealership to have a look and to test drive the Camry or the new Superb Facelift. Both these sedans are truly very good but as you all know, we Indians always make the last decision of our car purchase after judging the price and this is where the Superb truly shines. We explain how.
So, the recently launched new 2020 Skoda Superb Facelift BS6 is available in two variants. They are Sportline and Laurin & Klement. The Sportline trim is priced at Rs. 29.99 lakhs while the Laurin & Klement variant is priced at Rs. 32.99 lakhs. All prices are applicable to Ex-showroom Pan-India. Now, the new Skoda Superb Facelift doesn't have any direct rivals in India, but the Toyota Camry Hybrid is its only indirect rival. The new 10th generation Toyota Camry Hybrid was first launched in India in January 2019 and it was priced at Rs. 36.95 lakhs, Ex-showroom. Then, earlier this year, the company launched its new BS6-compliant version and it was priced at Rs. 37.88 lakhs. Upon launch, the BS6 Camry Hybrid was around 93,000 rupees dearer than the outgoing BS4 model and all these prices stick to Ex-showroom Delhi.
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The new Toyota Camry Hybrid BS6 was already a very pricey car but if that wasn't enough, the company recently hiked the price of this premium sedan by 1.14 lakh rupees. So, the current price of the new Toyota Camry Hybrid is Rs. 39.02 lakhs, Ex-showroom Delhi. Moreover, the new Pearl White colour variant of the Camry Hybrid demands around 15,000 rupees more than the other colour variants. The main reasons behind the high price of the Camry Hybrid are that firstly it is a hybrid car which attracts high taxation by the Indian Government. Also, it is imported to India via the CKD (completely knocked down) route and is then assembled in India at Toyota's Bidadi plant in Karnataka. The Skoda Superb Facelift, on the other hand, is not a hybrid car. Also, this premium sedan is locally manufactured in India at the company's Aurangabad facility in Maharashtra.
Since the new Skoda Superb Facelift is very affordable compared to the BS6 Toyota Camry Hybrid, it garners comparatively more sale numbers than the Camry. For reference, in October this year, around 184 units of the Superb Facelift were sold in India while Toyota managed to sell only 38 units of the Camry in the month of the festive season. Talking about their powerplants, so the Toyota Camry Hybrid is powered by a BS6-compliant 2.5-litre petrol engine that churns out 178 PS of power and 221 Nm of torque. The engine is assisted by a 160kW electric motor that pumps out 120 PS of power and 202 Nm of peak torque. The combined power output of this powertrain system stands at 218 PS and it is coupled to a 7-speed e-CVT. Also, what's interesting is that the Camry Hybrid can be driven in pure EV mode, in pure ICE mode like a regular car or even as a combination of both.
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The all-new 2020 Skoda Superb Facelift, on the other hand, is powered by a BS6-compliant 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine with direct injection system. This motor churns out 190 PS of maximum power at 4200-6000 RPM and 320 Nm of peak torque at 1450-4200 RPM. The engine comes mated to a 7-speed DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) and it also gets Tiptronic manual gear changing functionality. So, now you all know why the all-new 2020 Skoda Superb Facelift outsells the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Now, between these two premium sedans, which will be your pick? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below. You can also join our 91Wheels Auto Enthusiast Telegram group (click via mobile to join) curated exclusively for the fans, enthusiasts and the owners. Further, do subscribe to our YouTube channel for more such amazing motoring updates.
