NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 1- Toyota East Africa has unveiled the 2010 Land Cruiser Prado model as it seeks to capture the growing Sports Utility Vehicle market.
Speaking at the launch, Toyota East Africa Managing Director Hylton Bannon said the 2010 Prado was ahead of its time, giving customers the reassurance of being able to go anywhere in comfort.
Mr Bannon pointed out that the demand for SUV’s has been steadily rising among customers looking for bigger cars, which can handle extreme off-road terrain while providing luxurious comfort. He further added the launch of the new model was as a result of consumer feedback and an initiative to keep up with global trends.
“The 2010 model combines the excellent maneuverability that is only possible with a mid-size vehicle with unrivaled interior space and a wide array of seating arrangements for maximum usability and comfort, plus technological innovations that allow the driver to drive on the same road but in a totally new way,” Mr Bannon said.
Toyota East Africa’s corporate, non-governmental organisations as well as individual clients have increased the demand for Sports Utility Vehicles that are easy to maneuver in rough terrain.
The improvement on the economic recession has seen an increase in regional funded projects, hence the increasing need for SUV’s.
Mr Bannon further emphasised the need for the company to keep ahead of the competition by being able to provide a vehicle for all market segments and enhancing its 24 percent market share.
“It is definitely a balance between making sure we have the right vehicle for each part of the segment for Kenya. The Kenyan market has got sedans, SUVs, multi purpose vehicles and for us we need to make sure we have a vehicle offering for our customers in each one of those segments,” Mr Bannon added.
With the introduction of Toyota EA leasing company, Tsusho Capital (T-CAP), the Managing Director expects the 2010 model of the Land Cruiser to have an edge over other manufacturers in the market.
With T-CAP’s payment plans most corporate clients and SME’s may use it to facilitate their supply of the 2010 model of the Land Cruiser, including other Toyota vehicles.
“I think there is a great opportunity in the Kenyan market for businesses and individuals to do off balance sheet financing. It is far cheaper to lease a vehicle than to buy it up front especially in the current economic environment and we see a great future for Tsusho Capital.”
Perfectly suited to the highly varied road conditions in East Africa, the advancement of Land Cruiser’s fundamental off-road capability is blended with enhanced on-road handling stability through technological and design innovations.
New features of the 2010 Land Cruiser Prado include multi-terrain select, crawl control, kinetic dynamic suspension system, as well as steering wheel angle display.
As well as enhancing the on and off-road driving experience, new technological enhancements have been incorporated to improve the active safety of the 2010 Land Cruiser Prado.
The 2010 Land Cruiser Prado is currently sold in 176 countries around the world.
