[josepeter]

I have owned sedans and SUVs while living in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and now Hyderabad. I am yet to come across a city where you could use a sedan in total peace i.e without scraping the vehicle's underbelly on our less than perfect roads - Everyday!

Now I miss my Bolero everyday - while I soldier around in a borrowed car navigating the craters in Hi-tech city. I see the agony in my collegues face when his civic bottoms out yet again - several times every day!

So...till our country ( or atleast the city where I live) have decent roads; I will stick to an SUV.

I hope to get back into Sedans someday.....

[baz_303]

I beg to differ with the Junta here.

In years to come a whole new segment of super hatches will get created ( this has already started with cars like i20, Polo, Fabia etc. cars that can genuinely stand in for a sedan).

With roads getting congested and families getting smaller, the consumers will start looking at the big boot as an infrequently used liability.The Super Hatches ( SH for short) will replace sedans.

SUV's, for their snob appeal, machismo and Highway safety will remain in the market.

I predict - 2030 - sedans will become extinct...

[BurningHeart]

That's a very safe prediction!

We may be transmogrify our transport by then, going by Calvin, eh?

The concept of Sedan will be on till we need to move ourselves and immediate environment in comfort. Unless we can throw all that into a box which will reproduce our reprint our biological, anatomical, physiological, etc reprints somewhereelse instantaneously. Till then cars will live on, so will be the concept of sedans.

BH.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

My colleague and several pals of mine own Skoda Laura vehicles.

2 -3 of these cars have gone through the rough roads of Kerala, Ooty and Coorg several times. No problems at all provided one drives them carefully.

Skoda Laura any day of the week scores over the Yeti in terms of effective, comfortable, enjoyable passenger space + more than sufficient luggage space.

Where the Yeti Scores is its higher GC, 4x4, Hill Descent Control and so on.

Thats my submission - because I went again last Saturday along with my Dad and re-evaluated the Yeti and the Laura.

Thanks Shankar for the detailed response

[mooza]

Originally Posted by baz_303

The Super Hatches ( SH for short) will replace sedans. SUV's, for their snob appeal, machismo and Highway safety will remain in the market. I predict - 2030 - sedans will become extinct...

Also, I feel that mini SUVs and MUVs (like the proposed Mini XYLO) would be the SUV /' MUVs having a good future, with the roads getting more congested and cratered, requiring more and more ground clearance. This will retain the "Macho image", albeit at a Mini level

[agbenny]

I owned an Aveo with an FE of 10/11 Kms for Petrol. Bow my Scorpio gives 12-13 Kms/L of diesel. FE was one important reason why I moved to an SUV, apart from space, road presence etc.

[mooza]

The floor space occupied by my Scorpio (Length 4435mm x Width 1800mm) is almost the same as some of the C segment sedans. Personally I do not find any problems in parking related maneuvering, especially with my parking sensors, which I see fitted on so many of the sedans like SX4 and Honda City as well.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by agbenny

I owned an Aveo with an FE of 10/11 Kms for Petrol. Bow my Scorpio gives 12-13 Kms/L of diesel.

Apples to apples, Agbenny. Compare the petrol Aveo to a petrol SUV, or a diesel sedan to a diesel SUV. Example : If your Scorpio gives you 12 - 13 kpl, a diesel Dzire would give you atleast 17 (if not 18 kpl) in the same driving conditions.

[roy_libran]

Originally Posted by GTO

Apples to apples, Agbenny. Compare the petrol Aveo to a petrol SUV, or a diesel sedan to a diesel SUV. Example : If your Scorpio gives you 12 - 13 kpl, a diesel Dzire would give you atleast 17 (if not 18 kpl) in the same driving conditions.

Not really! Instead of comparing kmpl across Diesel and Petrol Sedans and SUVs, it is perhaps better to compare the running cost per kilometer as:
((fuel cost / kilometers run) + (annual maintenance cost / annual kilometers)), across all the segments being compared here.

If you look at the above figures for any average usage, you'll find that SUV's (especially from M&M) are surprisingly cost-effective, even more so than a lot of sedans, whose maintenance costs shoot up due to more sophisticated and expensive spares.

With this, it is not too difficult to compute a payback period of an SUV, over an alternative sedan.

Now, add to this equation, some money, for the flexibility and peace of mind that an SUV can give you, and you might see for yourself, why owning an SUV makes Horse-sense in India.

(Recent Example - Sometime back I had to drive my sedan with 4 occupants, through some corn-fields on a semi-brick track in the rainy season, and I was scared of my sedan getting stuck somewhere. I did not have an alternative, because the only other way to reach my destination had become flooded.
I passed a NHC and surprisingly, a Fusion, that were stuck on the same track, on my way, and consider myself very lucky to have crossed the 8-10 kilometers with nothing more than a scraped belly. If I had, unfortunately been stuck there, I'd have had to spend about 5K bucks in getting myself out. Not something, that was very likely to happen to a SUV.)

[motorworks]

At about 10-12 lakh we just have the scorpio and the safari , and with so many sedans around from 6-12 lakhs, a SUV is a requirement only if you travel in more numbers or if the terrain that you travel in is pathetic.
I somehow felt that the ride in a scorpio was very bumpy and not something that you would enjoy daily in a city. Safari is ruled out for every day driving in the city and is too dated now. I learnt to drive in a Turbo Sierra and I felt that was better than both the scorpio and the safari in terms of driving pleasure, ride and it was even very easy to use in the city. At this point of time, it has to be the sedan as we do not have any serious options in SUVs in 10-12 lakh category.

Maruti, please get us a JIMNY with a DDIS at about 8 lakh. And M & M please do not launch any 'downscaled' version of the xylo please!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by motorworks

Maruti, please get us a JIMNY with a DDIS at about 8 lakh. And M & M please do not launch any 'downscaled' version of the xylo please!

M&M will bring the Korando (Part of the Ssangyong acquisition) right in there.
Power, GC, diesel, AWD and a compact X-Over (In the Yeti space).

NDTV claimed the prices would be around 12-13 for the highest end!

Now that should be good if it happens!

[sen2009]

The General tone of the thread is heavily biased towards SUVs and I too fall on that side.
Other than the remarks made on this thread (assuming some of these might be academic and not from real buyers), if we browse the "what car" threads - the chance of spotting a sedan owner checking out an SUV purchase is far higher than vice versa.
That clearly tells us that SUV makes more sense and only reason that they are outsold by sedans is the starting price.
The stellar success of bolero (albeit its not a full blown SUV) is a living proof of this. Many city dwellers have chosen this vehicle over smoother, quieter, more refined and more fuel efficient C segment Diesel Sedans. If a safari/ scorpio quality vehicle was available at this price point, C sedans would definitely have felt the heat.

Any Indian sedan owner can cite more instances of belly scraping than instances of enjoying a smooth high speed turn. And, given the rate at which Indian Highways are evolving, complete peace of mind with sedans is no less than 15 years away. All the present buyers will anyway upgrade out of their SUVs by then.

So, for todays India, SUV is the vehicle of choice.

[akaush]

I own a Honda City for just last 6.5 months. I love the interiors, handling and the comfort of the car. However I am already planning to buy myself something different (hopefully an SUV). The reasons.

1. The underbelly takes a hit at 80% of the speed breakers in Haryana. (I love riding the City in Delhi though). Every time I go outside the town, I don't feel like taking my Honda City. I usually borrow a car from my in-laws or my cousins. However not always an extra car is available, and it hurts to hear the noises from the underbelly.

2. The car cannot handle even small hits and repair costs are very high, I think all car companies use the rule "car repair prices are directly proportional to car prices for the same job".
A cycle walah hit my parked car while turning and the bumper came down half an inch. I didnt even see the gap for a day. The car cleaner showed me that the next morning.
I go to the Honda showroom and they are able to lift it by .25 inches, but not perfect. I ask them what do I need to do to get this perfect. The body shop guy tells me its some kind of plate which is bend, and which needs to be changed. "The price" 200-300 bucks for the plate, and 2 days of work for removing the bumper and changing the plates etc, work charges of just about 4-5K. What the Heck?? My cousin who owns a Scorpio took a hit from an Alto (At low speed), while I was sitting next to him and he didn't even bother looking at the bumper. Even if something would have happened the cost would be still less than 1K for repair.

3. At just 7300 kms on my honda city in last 6 months, with no major accidents. (just scrathes) I have spend about 15 K on paint jobs for my scrathes and one bumper replacement (ah and the insurance guys also paid some additional 7K for the bumper replacement). So that really makes it a very costly car to maintain, specially in India where, you can find so many people driving rashly and your car getting scratches for almost no fault of yours.
I stay 6 months a year in Singapore or US and find people keeping their cars extremely clean and scratch free. I used to keep my car the same way a few months ago and spend a lot of money getting the scratches off my car, but now I am used to these scratches. I guess its a part of car's life in India.

I have to take care of my present car as if its a baby, extremely slow on the bumps, giving way to small car, bike and even cycle guys. City traffic everyone knows the sedan guy will give way to smaller cars and bikes as he doesn't want a scratch. Monster Speed breakers on the outskirts. I think its time for me to leave the sedan for Delhi Rides and take a SUV for real driving.

[Ash_vtec]

Leaving aside factors like image,looks, traffic parting making you feel like moses etc

Practically, for a country like India, a powerful diesel SUV is the perfect highway tool.

1. Makes family journeys comfortable with cabin space/luggage space
2. Performance Diesel SUV's rival some sports cars/sedans in straight line performance, which equates to overtaking power on the highway. (refer autocar Q7 vs A4) (price is a moot point)
3. Such performance with the frugality of diesel and practicality of ground clearance is an almost perfect package.
4. The bulk of an SUV makes it lose on the handling front. But HONESTLY on a family vacation are we really negotiating chicanes or just cruising.
5. Rough roads, no roads, slush are taken in the stride.
6. Cabin is as well appointed as luxury sedan counterparts if not better in some cases.
7. Almost all modern SUV's today are pretty refined.

PROS The grace of the sedans cabin the pace of a sports car and the space for the whole family.

CONS
Handling, parking in town.

CONCLUSION

An SUV is a must for a family that makes frequent road trips. If planes/trains are the chosen modes, pick up a nice sedan and sit at the back.

It boils down to usage which can decide b/w
Cruze or Captiva
Civic or CR-V
5 series or X5
XF or Range Rover
Kizashi or Grand Vitara

[motorworks]

Originally Posted by sen2009

The stellar success of bolero (albeit its not a full blown SUV) is a living proof of this. Many city dwellers have chosen this vehicle over smoother, quieter, more refined and more fuel efficient C segment Diesel Sedans. If a safari/ scorpio quality vehicle was available at this price point, C sedans would definitely have felt the heat.

So, for todays India, SUV is the vehicle of choice.

Bolero?? Really??? You cannot call bolero a success just because it does 5-6k per month. Just look at the combined figures of 6-9 lakh sedans and they will be well over 30-40k every month. Bolero is best when driven on bad roads and can never qualify as an SUV. Its an 'UV' and UVs are built to handle some of the worst terrains. So why would an average joe buy a bolero, drive it in the city and take if for long drives in the 4 lane roads that we have now? In metro cities people drive 20-30km every day and spend a good 2 hrsin traffic , just imagin driving a bolero in these conditions. And the best part would be if you tried pushing it on the highways!
Im for sedans as long as we dont have enough options under 12 lakh{ which is 95% of the market} and unless the terrain doesnt demand one.