On December 21, Toyota Vietnam released an official announcement on suspending the shipment of Toyota Avanza MT (manual transmission) while waiting more information for the Vietnamese market, following the safety testing and emission scandal committed by Daihatsu in Japan.

The business has been going as usual at Toyota’s sales agents since the announcement. A salesman at Toyota Ha Dong in Hanoi said the sales of MT version accounted for 80 percent of total Toyota Avanzas sold.

“At this moment, we don’t have cars to deliver to clients, which will, to some extent, will affect our sales. If clients ask for Avanza MT, we will advise them to buy AT (automatic transmission) model instead, which is VND30 million more expensive,” he said.

A salesman at Toyota Phap Van said the agent won’t take new orders for this version, because it is unclear when the manufacturer (Toyota) will resume delivery.

Meanwhile, a Toyota dealer in Hai Phong said the market has been quiet for a long time, while Avanza has not been selling well, so the dealer hasn't stored the model in large quantity. This helps the agent remain unaffected by the decision on temporarily stopping the delivery of Avanza MT.

He said this is good news that the shipment suspension is applied to only Avanza model, not to Toyota Veloz, which has been selling very well.

Toyota Vietnam affirmed that all Toyota Avanza models observe the regulations on testing and all have certificates on meeting Vietnamese standards. The information about the scandal has not affected the sentiments of Toyota Avanza owners.

Tran Quang Huy in Ba Dinh district in Hanoi, who owns a Toyota Avanza MT, told VietNamNet that the problem just lies in the figures about emissions, but safety requirements still can be met.

“I receive information selectively, so I don’t find the problem too serious,” he said.

Tu Quang Thai in Ha Dong district in Hanoi, who just bought an Avanza MT some months ago, said he is still driving the car every day.

“If the problem is serious, the manufacturer will launch a recall campaign. If it doesn’t, this means the car is safe,” he explained.

While clients affirmed that there is no problem, branding experts believe that because of the scandal, many Vietnamese may lose their desire for the brand.

Le Kim