BANGALORE: After lagging behind in sedan sales for many years now, India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki’s latest offering in the sedan class, Ciaz, comes almost 7 years after it launched the SX4 in 2007.
The timing of the launch could not have been better with the festive season round the corner. According to industry experts, ‘pent up’ demand from the previous years is likely to be realised this Diwali season with better investor confidence returning to the country with the new government at the Centre. Since the car was opened for booking last month, Ciaz is reported to have already received 10,000 orders; a much needed boost for the company as lack of options in the segment drove hard core Maruti loyalists to other brands.
The car will compete against segment leader Honda City priced between Rs 7.19-11.05 lakhs and Korean car major Hyundai’s Verna priced between Rs 7.39-Rs 11.72 lakhs. Though MSL’s compact range, which include Dzire, Swift and Dzire Tour (Super compact), has been faring well in recent times, its only offering in the mid-size segment SX4 sales continued a downward spiral as it fell close to 40% in FY14.
SX4 reportedly sold only around 3,000 units per month (at best) while Honda City averages around 5,000 units sale a month since its launch. According to reports, cumulative sales in the segment of all players is around 15-16000 cars per month.
