Car manufacturers are betting big on compact sedans and this is more than evident at the 2014 Auto Expo. Tata, Ford and Hyundai have each shown their upcoming compact sedans that will take on the Maruti Swift Dzire, Honda Amaze and Tata Indigo eCS. This means, in a matter of just a few days, the number of models in the segment has doubled to six.
Currently, compact sedans constitute a whopping 81 percent of all mid-size saloon sales. The potential of massive sales has drawn manufacturers to bring out their own sub four-metre sedans, and fast. Hyundai’s smart and feature-packed Xcent goes on sale in March. Tata Motors, that pioneered the segment in 2008 with the Indigo CS is pinning its hopes on its Zest that will be available in the second half of the year. Ford, too, has made its intention to make a mark in the segment clear with the unveiling of the Figo Concept that will go on sale only in 2015.
While success in this segment does guarantee a shortcut to big sales, it’s not all that easy to get right. Carmakers have to really innovate to address the packaging challenges of a sub-four metre three box sedan. Indian buyers essentially want the cabin space and luggage-carrying capability of a larger car in their compact sedans and meeting these opposing requirements is a tough ask. But as Honda Amaze and more recently the Hyundai Xcent and Tata Zest have shown, designers and engineers have reached a happy compromise between aesthetics and practicality. Little wonder then, that compact sedans have gained importance with manufacturers.