Sedans stage fightback against SUVs in the US. Can challenge come in India too?

The growing popularity of SUVs in major automobile markets across the world has been in motion for some time now. The US, where sedans like Honda Accord, Hyundai Elantra and Sonata, and Toyota Corolla have been power players, has also seen SUVs and pick-up trucks race ahead. But there may be some life left yet as sedans staged a sales comeback of sorts in the 2023 Q1 report.

Of the around 3.6 million passenger vehicles delivered to American customers in the first three months of this year, data from Automotive News Research & Data Center reveals a significant 21.4 per cent was from non-SUV body types like sedans, hatchbacks, convertibles, coupes and performance cars. This is up from a 19.1 per cent share in all of 2021.

It may still not seem quite an impressive turnaround story just yet but considering that many models have been taken off lineups in favour of larger vehicles, the uptick in non-SUV sales could be an indication that no preference is a permanent preference.

SUVs still remain a dominant force in the US car market, followed by pick-up trucks that have fared strong in recent times. But there still is a great degree of interest in sedans which is now translating into sales.

Closer home in India, SUVs of all shapes, sizes and at various price points have flooded the market. Such is the demand that even a Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is marketed as a micro SUV while the list of sub-compact and mid-size SUVs is constantly rising. Maruti is rapidly expanding its SUV portfolio and recently launched Fronx and will next drive out Jimny. Hyundai has confirmed plans for Exter, a small SUV. Honda is readying Elevate, a mid-size SUV to rival Creta and Seltos. Tata Motors has popular models like Nexon, Harrier and Safari. Mahindra has an SUV-only portfolio while Volkswagen and Skoda restarted their India efforts with the launch of Taigun and Kushaq, respectively.

Watch: Maruti Suzuki Fronx SUV: First Drive Review

But in recent months, there have been big-ticket launches in the sedan space as well. Honda City was updated earlier this year while Hyundai Verna 2023 was also driven out with substantial updates. These established sedans, along with Maruti Ciaz, have to compete against the likes of Volkswagen Virtus and Skoda Slavia, the relatively new kids on the block. Clearly, manufacturers are not giving up on the sedan body type and there is still potential for these models to make a deep mark that is reminiscent of better days gone by.