Every sedan on this list offers at least 160mm of ground clearance.
Published on Sep 25, 2025 06:15:00 PM
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Follow usIndian car buyers have made a significant shift. From sedans and hatchbacks, many prospective buyers have made the switch to SUVs. SUVs, known for their muscular looks and especially high ground clearance, now dominate the Indian car market. However, the sedan market is still alive with many models on offer and now possesses the required ground clearance to tackle gigantic speedbreakers and uneven road surfaces.
For sedan purists, here’s a ranking of every mass-market sedan in India with the highest ground clearance, listed in ascending order.
At a respectable 163mm, the Maruti Suzuki Dzire has sufficient ground clearance to deal with most road conditions. Although bigger-than-normal speedbreakers will need skilful manoeuvring to avoid scraping the underside.
Our long term review of the Dzire stated that it comes with a well composed ride along with being good at soaking bumps. We found its 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine to be lively enough. Prices for the compact sedan leader begin at Rs 6.25 lakh for the LXi manual variant and go all the way up to Rs 9.31 lakh for the ZXi+ variant. The Dzire also comes with CNG-powered variants.
Maruti Suzuki Dzire powertrain specs Engine 1.2-litre, 3 cyl, petrol / 1.2-litre, 3 cyl, petrol-CNG Power (hp) 82 / 70 Torque (Nm) 112 / 102 Gearbox 5-speed MT, 5-speed AMT / 5-speed MT
The Hyundai Verna should be able to tackle road condition insecurities in a similar manner like the Dzire. It’s no stranger to the Indian market, with generational upgrades over the years. The current gen comes with a long list of features, polarising styling, and a choice of naturally aspirated and turbo petrol engines with manual and automatic transmissions on offer.
Our long term review of the Hyundai Verna noted that its soft suspension setup translates to soaking up broken roads with ease in comparison to its predecessors. It’s also the most powerful sedan on the list, with a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine producing 160hp. Pricing for the Verna begins at Rs 10.69 lakh for the naturally aspirated base EX variant with a manual and goes all the way up to Rs 16.97 lakh for the top-end SX(O) turbo petrol DCT variant.
Hyundai Verna powertrain specs Engine 1.5-litre, 4 cyls, petrol / 1.5-litre, 4 cyls, turbo-petrol Power (hp) 115 / 160 Torque (Nm) 144 / 253 Gearbox 6-speed MT, CVT / 6-speed MT, 7-speed DCT
Like the Verna, the Honda City has also been a long contender in the midsize sedan category. A former leader in its segment, it now faces competition in terms of its sales from popular Korean and European rivals. In its fifth-gen avatar, the sedan comes sharply styled, with a packed feature list and a pliant ride setup. Despite similar ground clearance to the Verna, our CVT variants comparison noted that the City came across as the better offering in terms of ride and handling.
Pricing for the Honda City begins at Rs 13.95 lakh for the SV variant, powered by a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder VTEC petrol engine, and goes up to Rs 19.48 lakh for the hybrid variant, which comes only in a fully loaded ZX trim.
Honda City powertrain specs Engine 1.5-litre, 4 cyls, petrol / 1.5-litre, 4 cyls, petrol-hybrid Power (hp) 121 / 126 Torque (Nm) 145 / 253 Gearbox 6-speed MT, CVT / eCVT
Hyundai Aura is the Korean carmaker's compact sedan offering that is well-balanced in its class. Along with having 165mm of ground clearance, it also comes with a good range of features and comes with 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol and CNG powertrain options.
While our review of the Hyundai Aura mentions that its ride is fairly comfortable, its ability to absorb bumps isn’t as good as the competition. Pricing for the Aura begins at Rs 5.98 lakh for the base E variant, while its top-of-the-line SX (O) variant comes at Rs 7.99 lakh.
Hyundai Aura powertrain specs Engine 1.2-litre, 3 cyls, petrol / 1.2-litre, 3 cyls, petrol-CNG Power (hp) 83 / 69 Torque (Nm) 114 / 95 Gearbox 5-speed MT, 5-speed AMT / 5-speed MT
The Tata Tigor is the oldest sedan in this list, being on sale since 2017. Over the years, The Tigor has also received minor facelift updates, along with an EV-based model on sale since 2019. While the 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol variants come with 170mm of ground clearance, while the CNG-powered variants are slightly lower at 165mm
While our review of the Tata Tigor mentions that it comes with excellent ride quality, we noticed some vertical movement due to road undulations. The entry-level petrol manual XM variant starts at Rs 5.48 lakh, while the top end XZ+ AMT variant is priced at Rs 7.82 lakh.
Tata Tigor powertrain specs Engine 1.2-litre, 3 cyls, petrol / 1.2-litre, 3 cyls, petrol-CNG Power (hp) 86 / 74.5 Torque (Nm) 113 / 96.5 Gearbox 5-speed AMT, 5-speed MT
The Tata Tigor EV happens to be the only mass-produced EV on this list. At 172mm, the ground clearance is higher than its petrol-powered version. This is due to the 21.5kWh battery pack of the sedan being mounted under the vehicle floor, thus reducing its chances of scraping its underside on speedbreakers.
While reviewing the Tata Tigor EV, we noted its suspension setup being firmer in comparison to its ICE counterpart in order to deal with the battery packs’ extra weight. While this lets the sedan take corners confidently, bumps are absorbed less pliantly. The EV is priced from Rs 12.49 lakh for the XE variant and goes up to Rs 13.75 lakh for the XZ+ Lux top variant.
Tata Tigor EV powertrain specs Battery and motor 21.5kWh, single motor Power (hp) 75 Torque (Nm) 170 Gearbox 1-speed AT
The Honda Amaze is the Japanese brand’s Honda's offering for the compact sedan segment already consisting of rivals like the Dzire, Aura and Tigor. In its latest generation, it comes with a powerful 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with 89 hp.
While the 172mm ground clearance may be one of the highest in its class, our Amaze vs Dzire comparison stated that the Honda’s suspension does not deal with sharper potholes as well as the Dzire. Moreover, we also noticed a fair amount of vertical movement at highway speeds. Prices for the Amaze begin at Rs 7.40 lakh for the V variant and go up to Rs 9.99 lakh for the ZX top variant CVT automatic. Honda also sells the second-gen Amaze, but it still comes with a high 170mm of ground clearance.
Honda Amaze powertrain specs Engine 1.2-litre, 4 cyls, petrol Power (hp) 89 Torque (Nm) 110 Gearbox 5-speed MT, CVT
The VW Virtus’ combination of powerful engines and good suspension setup has made it the best-selling sedan in the midsize segment. With a segment-best 179mm ground clearance, it makes it to the top of the list among mass-produced sedans, along with its well-built exterior and interiors.
Long-term reviews of the Virtus have been proof of the fact of the sedan's capabilities over uneven roads. Though its suspension may be on the stiffer side, the high-speed stability is superb. Priced from Rs 11.16 lakh for the Comfortline NA petrol manual, the top-of-the-line Turbo petrol GT Plus automatic comes at Rs 18.48 lakh.
Volkswagen Virtus powertrain specs Engine 1.0-litre, 3 cyls, turbo-petrol / 1.5-litre, 4 cyls, turbo-petrol Power (hp) 115 / 150 Torque (Nm) 178 / 250 Gearbox 6-speed MT, 6-speed AT / 6-speed MT, 7-speed DCT
The Skoda Slavia comes with everything that the Volkswagen Virtus offers under a Skoda skin, including the ground clearance (except a 1.5-litre petrol manual). But the Skoda gets a crucial price advantage over its VW sibling, starting at Rs 9.99 lakh for its entry-level ‘Classic’ variant, which is over a lakh cheaper and goes up to Rs 18.81 lakh.
Skoda Slavia powertrain specs Engine 1.0-litre, 3 cyls, turbo-petrol / 1.5-litre, 4 cyls, turbo-petrol Power (hp) 115 / 150 Torque (Nm) 178 / 250 Gearbox 6-speed MT, 6-speed AT / 7-speed DCT
All prices ex-showroom, India.
Also see:
Most affordable cars, SUVs with DCT gearboxes
Here are India's most affordable hybrid cars, SUVs
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