Bengaluru: In a significant and potentially risky move in an Indian market that global automakers use as a test-bed for smaller, no-frills cars, Toyota Motor Corp is betting on pricier premium models offering better safety and quality. The Japanese automaker has been in India for almost two decades, but has failed to displace rivals Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motor, which together control around two-thirds of a market skewed towards cars costing less than $7,000. Now, Toyota aims to buck that trend by focussing on quality over quantity. Naomi Ishii, managing director of the firm's India unit Toyota Kirloskar Motor, reckons providing dual air bags as standard features will sell core...
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