In a development likely to spark interest among sedan enthusiasts across Pakistan, Honda Atlas Cars Limited (HACL) has announced significant price reductions for its highly sought-after Honda City models.

Effective March 15, 2024, the automobile manufacturer has implemented noteworthy price cuts on two of its City variants, signalling a strategic move amidst a dynamic market landscape.

This decision follows a similar initiative by the Indus Motor Company, which recently reduced prices for its Toyota Yaris lineup.

Under the revised pricing structure, the Honda City MT 1.2L now boasts a new price tag of Rs4.649 million, reflecting a reduction of Rs50,000.

Meanwhile, the City CVT 1.2L has seen a substantial price drop of Rs140,000, bringing its revised cost to Rs4.689 million.

Of particular interest is the narrowing price gap between the manual and automatic variants, with a mere Rs50,000 difference observed between the two models.

This adjustment is anticipated to significantly influence consumer preferences, potentially tilting the scale in favour of the automatic transmission option.

The decision to revise prices comes in response to the recent imposition of a 25 per cent sales tax on automobiles priced above Rs4 million.

This tax hike has prompted various automotive giants to recalibrate their pricing strategies to remain competitive in the market.

Notably, Toyota also initiated price reductions for its Yaris sedan lineup, ranging from Rs73,000 to Rs133,000, in alignment with the prevailing market dynamics.

However, it’s worth mentioning that while sedan manufacturers have navigated the tax increase by implementing price adjustments, SUV manufacturers producing vehicles below 1400 cc were unable to circumvent the tax hike.

Advocating for the inclusion of a Rs4 million price cap, these manufacturers have found themselves subject to the augmented sales tax regime, impacting certain Toyota, Honda, and Suzuki models.

With these strategic manoeuvres, Honda Atlas Cars Limited aims to not only cater to evolving consumer demands but also maintain its competitive edge in the dynamic automotive market of Pakistan.