Rebadged Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Introduced In South Africa As Toyota Rumion | V3Cars

Oct 12, 2021, 10:12 AM IST
By Mahesh Yadav
0

Toyota has introduced the Rumion MPV in South Africa. This is a rebadged Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. This is the 4th rebadged Maruti Suzuki car after the Glanza, Urban Cruiser and Belta. Although the Belta and Rumion are not available in India. Besides the new Rumion, Toyota are also selling the Urban Cruiser, Starlet (rebadged Baleno) in the South African market. The Belta (rebadged Ciaz) may also be introduced soon in some foreign markets.

The Rumion retains the same 1.5-litre hybrid petrol engine. It also gets the same 5-speed manual and 4-speed torque converter automatic transmission options. Naturally, power and torque output also remains identical to the Ertiga’s at 105PS and 138Nm.

Just like the Baleno to Glanza and Vitara Brezza to Urban Cruiser, this transformation is also rebadge done to perfection. It literally has only different badges and nothing else. While we see a Maruti Suzuki car with a Toyota badge, the two Japanese carmakers see greater sales potential.

Rebadged maruti suzuki ertiga introduced in south africa as toyota rumion

With this partnership, Maruti Suzuki are able to sell more of their cars and expand their sales and service footprint. It’s not in vain for Toyota either. They get some customers who are willing to buy the same car from a Toyota dealer but not Maruti Suzuki. These customers are looking for Toyota’s trust and hoping for a smooth ownership experience. With customers who show up on Toyota’s dealerships, the carmaker also gets a chance to showcase other cars in their portfolio. If the dealer manages to upsell a different Toyota car, then that’s an instant win. Even if they don’t, at least a visit to the dealership and a quick experience with the Innova Crysta, Fortuner, or Camry creates a positive brand perception in the customer’s mind about Toyota.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mahesh Yadav

At V3Cars, Mahesh turns this lens into clear and engaging reports. He uncovers telling details, evaluates cars beyond the obvious and brings fresh angles to automotive conversations so readers learn to appreciate the charm of machines that deserve more attention.

Over the years Mahesh has built a keen eye for spotting vehicles that punch above their weight. His appreciation for clever engineering, value-driven design and inventive thinking shapes how he evaluates products and helps him surface stories others miss.

Mahesh wears the all-rounder hat at V3Cars, blending writing and motor vehicles — cars as well as motorcycles — into a single passion. He is drawn to compact, quirky and underrated machines that are full of character and a few lovable annoyances. It is no surprise that the Multix, Nano, Comet, Windsor and Navi rank high on his list of favourites.

Previous Next