[niky]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

I didn't forget it, but anyway there are different perspectives. Uruguay had been more welcoming for small European cars even when the Philippines were still supplied mostly American cars, before Toyota started flooding the world with its econoboxes.

We haven't been an American car market for decades. The Japanese have held sway since the late 70's, when VW's Beetle started losing ground to more sophisticated Asian models. The last time the Americans had any prominent presence (with American-specific rather than European or Asian models) was in the 60's.

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Just to remind the 3rd-world Yaris is not the same as the Euro/Jap/USDM one, and I'm sure it might reflect in the price difference too.

Yes, the 3rd-world Yaris is cheaper. Which makes the price difference bigger and the lack of quality difference even harder to justify.

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Sure the buyer of a Prius C is not the same of the Yaris available in "emerging" markets, even though it might be closer to the Yaris buyer in the US, Europe or Japan. But anyway, in such a small car as the Yaris and the Prius C, hybrids seem to be taking over some market share which otherwise would belong to Diesels which are fading away on entry-level cars in Europe.

In Europe, yes. In emerging markets, I don't think so. The price difference is still too great. Diesels also have the same problem in Asia as in Europe, though this differs per country, and can be affected by how well-aligned local regulations are to stricter Euro regulations.

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

That's why I considered a Yaris hybrid to make sense in case the Prius C gets phased out, unless some buyers are looking for bragging rights as some regular Prius owners are pointed out to do.

I doubt it. Do you have it there? We don't get it (we get the C), but from what I can find online, the price difference between the Yaris Hybrid and the regular one is something like a 50% premium. Which is huge for budget buyers.

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Nowadays with start-stop and regenerative braking becoming widespread in normal cars too, the main advantage of a full-hybrid on heavy city traffic decreases, that's somewhat predictable. But the buyers of those are not the same as a Prius C buyer, just like you couldn't expect a Smart ForTwo cater to the same folks looking for a Piaggio MP3

Let's see when it becomes common on subcompacts like the Yaris and Fit.

But these are the cars the Prius has to compete against in the showrooms.

Also, the MP3 rocks. Yamaha has just released their own version, actually... called the TriCity. Interesting concept.

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

I remember when the Subaru Vivio and some version of the Daihatsu Mira were available in Brazil in the '90s. Even though the Vivio retained the same engine used in Japan, the Mira resorted to a 0.8L one for export markets. But anyway, microvans such as the Suzuki Carry and the Daihatsu HiJet have a broader international appeal, and nowadays DFSK is exporting some of their Suzuki-based microvans even to some European countries, not to mention the Piaggio Porter which is basically a facelifted older Daihatsu HiJet with a bigger engine.

Vans work (I love the Carry!) because inner city delivery doesn't require much more. But buyers of cars are typically fickle and irrational. As people start making more money, they want more car. Which is why the Tata Nano tanked so spectacularly, despite the Nano-based Ace Zip being a sales success.

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

I see those high-end kei cars as a niche product just like the Smart ForTwo, but I believe they're not so unsuitable to other markets as they might seem at a first glance.

I'd love to have them, but given how badly the ForTwo fared here, I'm not hopeful.