MEET THE ONLY SEDAN THRIVING IN SUV ERA, IT IS BEATING GERMAN, KOREAN RIVALS MONTH AFTER MONTH

Although the sedan segment is facing headwinds, one model is thriving despite all kinds of challenges. It is none other than the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, which has emerged as the largest-selling car in India from January till September in the calendar year 2025 (CY25).

The Dzire was the second largest-selling car in the country in September at 20,038 units, only behind Tata Motors' Nexon SUV, which garnered its highest-ever monthly sales of 22,573 units.

So far in CY25, the Dzire is the overall leader in terms of sales among all the cars at 1,53,543 units. It is closely followed by Hyundai Motor India's Creta SUV at 1,52,243.

But why is the Dzire so popular when other sedans like the Hyundai Aura, Hyundai Verna, Honda Amaze, Honda City, Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus are witnessing an underwhelming performance?

According to industry analysts, the Dzire is liked by buyers for its practicality, reliability, fuel efficiency and low running costs. The Dzire combines the comfort of a sedan with the affordability of a compact car, an analyst said, adding that it is also trusted because of Maruti Suzuki India's wide service network.

In the GST 2.0 regime, the Dzire received a price cut of up to Rs 87,700. It is now priced between Rs 6.26 lakh and Rs 9.31 lakh (ex-showroom). You can get the top-spec variant of the sedan for an on-road price of around Rs 10.50 lakh.

The Dzire's engine options suit the Indian driving needs well. Its 1.2-litre petrol motor is known for being smooth, reliable and very fuel-efficient. Buyers can choose between a manual gearbox, an AMT, or even a CNG version, depending on their preference and budget. This flexibility has helped the Dzire appeal to a wider audience, one of the analysts said.

Maruti has kept the model up to date with regular upgrades. The current generation looks modern with LED lighting, alloy wheels and a smart dashboard. It comes with features such as a touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control and several safety features, including six airbags, ABS with EBD, and hill hold assist. Built on Maruti's lightweight Heartect platform, the Dzire has scored a 5-star safety rating at Bharat NCAP.

Another major factor behind its long-term popularity is Maruti's strong brand and service network. The company's reach in both urban and rural areas ensures that spare parts and servicing are easy and inexpensive. The Dzire also enjoys high resale value, which adds to buyer confidence.

The Dzire is sold from over 4,000 Arena showrooms nationwide. Additionally, Maruti has over 5,500 service touchpoints across 2,764 cities in India.

2025-10-06T01:32:27Z