I was reading reviews of cars, and one reviewer says one car underwent a complete MMC while the competing car in this class had yet to complete a MMC (and the reviewer wishes the rating group would have waited for the MMC to complete to compare apples to apples). What is MMC? I can’t find it googling it as an acronym.
My best guess is that it stands for “mid model change” or similar. This means that while the car in general is the same, the manufacturer has updated things like bumpers, lights, interiors, options etc. This is done about halfway through a vehicle’s lifespan to give consumers a feeling of newness when sales start to wane.
Thanks, Kazo! Does the car industry count this as a 1/2-yr model? If not, do they have some nomenclature to recognize the MMC? Or, do most choose NOT to recognize the MMC to a perspective buyer?
That’s generally right, but MMC is usually translated as “minor model change” since it usually is a change from one model year to another, not within a model year. The more common term for it is a “facelift.” Usually they’ll refer to the time between major revisions as a “generation” of a car. A facelift (or MMC) is when there’s some changes from one model year to the next, usually aesthetic, but not enough actual mechanical changes to warrant calling it a new generation.
I’ve translated a lot for Honda over the years. MMC is indeed “minor model change.” Then for the true generational change they call it an FMC: “full model change.” I am pretty sure FMC is a term that originated in Japan (as it is slightly odd English), and thus my guess is that MMC is also a term from Japan.
An MMC might be artistic, or to fix problems.
The competitor may not have had any problems to fix, and may be the preferred “look” already
MMC is for Minor Model Change and generally happens a year or two after the initial launch of a vehicle. Sometimes at half year, but usually not. Most of the time the public isn’t even aware of the change except for some increase in advertising. Perhaps they changed some plastic trim or changed the seats. Most of the time it’s for cost reduction activities; they swap out expensive parts for cheaper parts and don’t change the selling price. Allows them to sell less cars and maintain a steady profit.
I always tell people to not but a new car until 9 months after the initial launch and to not buy one after it’s been out two years. You wait initially for them to debug the car and make corrections, most people would be shocked as to how many “corrections” are made the first few months after launch. At the two year mark they start putting cheaper parts in the car or may dumb down things like the stereo system by using lower grade speakers.
European marques and writers use the term “facelift” for minor model changes.
Interesting, thank you!
I’m pretty sure it was one of the premium Japanese makers - Lexus, Infiniti? - that tried a few years ago to get away from specific model-year updates. I don’t think it succeeded very long, because sales for “old” models dropped like a rock in the face of other makers’ “new” models. Never mind that the existing model needed no changes and the other guys just restyled the grille again. It’s in the very DNA of the auto industry and the market isn’t going to let it go easily, if ever. So it sounds like the practice of keeping exactly the same model for several years has been replaced with the MMC/FMC subterfuge.