Considering the substantial investments in highway projects and the development of new expressways, the quality of roads is progressively improving. In light of these advancements, do you foresee any possibility that, within the next five years, the era of sedans might experience a resurgence?

BHPian im_chandan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

In Indian auto industry, it's evident that SUVs currently dominate market with a substantial 53% share, and this dominance is continually expanding. On the flip side, sedan sales are consistently declining, with only a few models remaining on the market. This decline is causing a noticeable reduction in the driving pleasure that sedans traditionally offer.

Yesterday, within my office campus, there was a display for the Skoda Slavia. My friend and I decided to explore the Slavia, even though he had already booked the new facelifted Nexon's top model. The salesman suggested that if my friend test-drove the Slavia that day, he might consider canceling his Nexon booking.

Now, turning to the broader question: considering the substantial investments in highway projects and the development of new expressways, the quality of roads is progressively improving. In light of these advancements, do you foresee any possibility that, within the next five years, the era of sedans might experience a resurgence?

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Nope. And this isn't just for India, the sedan bodystyle is suffering a global decline. So much so that Ford abandoned it in USA.

For any bodystyle to make a "comeback", it has to offer significant advantages. But sedans lose out to crossovers in terms of GC, seating position and (arguably) styling. Because it's a dying segment, even the product choices get slimmer. Corolla, Civic, Accord, Teana, Elantra etc. are all dead.

While the Rs. 15 - 50 lakh sedan segment is either declining or dead, there are two exceptions:

• Entry level segment which is very price sensitive. Sedans will continue to sell here (I'm looking at you, Dzire). Plus, there is enormous demand here from Uber & Ola.
• Unbelievably, the high-end segment. Audi, BMW, Mercedes are all happily selling very healthy sedan volumes. Example, the S-Class is still the S-Class and the GLS isn't even close to it in luxury or opulence. The 3-Series is still the car of choice for enthusiasts.

Here's what BHPian CrazY_dRiVer had to say on the matter:

Also to add - sedans also take up significantly more real estate, causing parking challenges in apartments and city areas.

Height is less of a concern for most people than length.

Here's what BHPian dr.AD had to say on the matter:

I do not think the trend has to do anything with the road quality. For example, as GTO said in his reply, even in the USA, where the roads are excellent and sedan is never a problem from road quality point of view, the sedans are on a sharp decline. Further, even in India, many of the people who are buying these so called baby SUVs or crossovers usually just use those in city (office commutes or mall visits on weekends) and their decision to buy that vehicle is not because of highway qualities across India.

I think it is more of a style statement and a fashion to buy a SUV or a crossover. Something that has got an aspirational value today that the mainstream sedans lost.

Talking about road qualities, yes I agree with you that highway infrastructure is developing fast in India. Myself and many of my friends in my driving circle have done plenty of sedan driving all across India and none of us think there is much of an issue. We love driving sedans on Indian highways. But we are a minority. The general people do not look at these road surfaces to decide their vehicle purchases. That is decided by what is the current fashion, and that is SUVs and crossovers, not sedans.

The high-end sedans are still selling well (maybe even selling more than ever before), because they still have that aspirational value!

I think the mainstream sedans (Civics, Corollas etc) have lost that aspirational value globally. And that is the main reason for this trend. This aspirational value is very subjective and often driven by marketing campaigns, trends and peer pressure too.

And that is why I am hesitant to comment on the future. Who knows, if some smart OEM launches a beautiful mass-market sedan at affordable price and markets it well, and purposefully creates an aspirational value for that sedan, it may sell well and the sedans can come back! Fashion has a funny habit of repeating the trends after a few decades.

I would not be surprised if say over next 10 years, people just get bored of the SUVs and crossovers, and then some new sedan suddenly offers a breath of fresh air, and the sedan trend comes back. Hard to predict the future.

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say on the matter:

I believe there is always going to be a market for sedans. They may not be the dominant body style going forward, but plenty of people appreciate the low slung three box design. Just something organically appealing about it. It is timeless.

One must understand that automakers have deliberately favoured the crossovers over sedans, not updating sedans enough with time. It’s a strategy to get you spend more for a smaller product. Relevant and competent sedans like new Verna and Virtus have brought love back to what was a dying segment. It is up to manufacturers to provide an up to date and genuinely competent product. Honda City type laid back approach will only result in long term decline.

Here's what BHPian Kosfactor had to say on the matter:

I told a friend of mine a few years ago to pick up a sedan instead of a crossover because it's a visibly larger vehicle for the same price - Size Matters. Between a Sub4M crossover and a Sedan , I recommend the sedan.

However given how Rolls Royce had to make an SUV, there is no stopping this trend now. If anyone has been to Mysuru for Dasara , every vehicle with Sunroof had someone through the roof , looking happily at all the festivities and lighting all over the city, I have to admit it can only be enjoyed topless.

At one point we were counting the number of people who were through the 'roof' there was one car that had 6 kids! Winner. By the way they extended Dasara festivities to one more week, so don't miss it, drive down and enjoy it.

I think making SUVs allow the OEMs to go easy on driving dynamics, the expectations are already set , same goes for fuel efficiency etc, they spend less to make the vehicle , you spend more to run it but everyone is happy in the end.

Here's what BHPian bhodrolok had to say on the matter:

I maybe a dinosaur but even the most dynamically sorted SUVs are just not fun to drive as sedans; they are also unnecessarily bulky, heavy and generally ugly.

I don't think sedans will make a comeback as in take over the SUVs but I really hope that they continue to exist in a significant number for those like me to continue to drive them.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act has provisions for offences that are not particularly defined or described.

With more brands offering sunroofs in their cars, there has been a dangerous trend among car owners, who let their kids look out of the sunroof even when the vehicle is moving. Irresponsible stunts like these will now attract a fine in Karnataka.

The state police have announced that those found involved in this activity will be charged with a fine of Rs 100-300, under Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Alok Kumar, Additional Director General of Police, Traffic and Road Safety, said that though there is no specific rule prohibiting individuals from standing inside their car and looking out of the sunroof, section 177 enables the police to fine such offenders.

Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act has provisions for offences that are not particularly defined or described. Under this section, violators can be fined Rs 100 for the first offence, while repeat offenders can be fined Rs 300.

Source: TOI

85% of SUVs (including compact SUVs) in the market feature a sunroof.

Sunroofs have become quite popular among car buyers these days and is one of the most sought-after features. With more carmakers offering this feature in their products, sunroof's penetration in India has jumped five-fold in 5 years. It is said that 1 in 4 cars sold in India today comes with an optional sunroof.

According to Ravi Bhatia, President and Director, Jato Dynamics India, a sunroof is often seen as a luxury rather than a practical addition in Indian weather conditions.

As per data, 85% of SUVs (including compact SUVs) in the market feature a sunroof. In the last 3 years, penetration of sunroofs in hatchbacks and MUVs has also doubled to about 3.5%.

Webasto is the biggest supplier of sunroofs in India. The company expects the demand, especially that of openable panoramic roofs to grow in the years to come. To cater to the growing demand, Webasto plans to double its capacity to 9.5 lakh units this year.

Dutch company, Inalfa Roof Systems, is also setting up a manufacturing unit in India. The new factory, built in collaboration with Gabriel India, will have a production capacity of 2 lakh units.

Source: ET Auto

The electric sunroof is available from the XM+ S variant of the Altroz.

Earlier this month, Tata Motors launched the Altroz iCNG in India. The carmaker also rolled out several new features, including a voice-enabled electric sunroof, which is now available on petrol and diesel variants as well.

The electric sunroof is available from the XM+ S variant of the Altroz. It is priced at Rs 7.90 lakh (ex-showroom), making it the most affordable car in India equipped with this feature. The diesel XM+ S variant costs Rs 9.25 lakh (ex-showroom).

Besides an electric sunroof, the Altroz also comes with a wireless phone charger and an air purifier with an AQI readout on the infotainment system.

Powering the Altroz is a 1.2-litre petrol engine that makes 87 BHP and 115 Nm, a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 109 BHP and 140 Nm and a 1.5-litre diesel that puts out 89 BHP and 200 Nm. While a 5-speed manual transmission is offered as standard across all engines, the 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine gets a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic option.

The SUV was cruising on the Meerut expressway when suddenly there was a loud thud followed by shattered glass.

BHPian sacrust recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Today when returning from Kanatal, while I was driving on the Meerut expressway, all of a sudden there was a loud thud and shattering of glass and at that moment I knew my sunroof had shattered on its own.

I was cruising along at 80-90 kmph when this suddenly happened. I immediately stopped the car to check the damage and saw the shattered sunroof and pieces of glass inside the screen.

Luckily the screen was also covered. I slowly drove back home.

Has anyone faced this issue? Also what's the cost involved in replacement and is this covered under insurance?

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Shocked that a brand new car from Mahindra with 5-star safety ratings had its sunroof cracked, without any reason.

BHPian manja_92 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello BHPians,

I bought home my very first car XUV 700 on 23rd March (just 18 days ago). The joy filled my family and friends alike until the 7th of April Saturday. The sunroof of my car neatly parked in an enclosed basement had cracked all of a sudden (please refer to attached images)! The vertical cuts and cracked open from the inside show that there was no external impact at all. However, the service head of the India garage service centre concluded that it was due to an external impact, just by hardly looking at the sunroof for 2 mins and pointing to a dot which he presumes is the impacted place. But, I can show 10s of such minute marks on the shattered glass.

This was an absolute shocker for all of us because a brand new car from Mahindra with 5-star safety ratings had its sunroof cracked suddenly without any reason! The service head told me that he would send a mail to the Mahindra plant and wait for the response (Since it was a Saturday, he told that the response would only come on Monday or Tuesday). However, he refused to keep us in the loop or provide us with a copy of the rejection mail that he claims to have received on 11th April. This lack of transparency is concerning, and I am disappointed with the way this matter has been handled so far.

I understand that accidents can happen, and we are willing to get the sunroof fixed through insurance. However, I strongly believe that this is a manufacturing defect, and should not be held responsible for the cost of repair. Investing lakhs together only to find the sunroof getting cracked open all of a sudden is an ordeal no enthusiast should be facing.

I request suggestions and advice on how to proceed in this regard.

Update: I am attaching other pictures here. The supposed impact pic is with the pen pointed towards it. Thanks.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Thermal stress or manufacturing defect - a BHPian's BMW X5 had almost identical damage.

Don't lose sleep over it. You've bought a 30-lakh car, so enjoy it. Don't let an incident like this cause you any more anguish. Push the dealer for replacement or claim insurance and be done with it. Go for a long drive this coming weekend.

Here's what BHPian nirmaljusdoit had to say on the matter:

Inexplicable situation, the sunroof is made of toughened glass and it's not too easy to get a crack or shatter unless there is a proper visible impact, moreover definitely not a dot!

Here's what BHPian Newtown had to say on the matter:

Be calm. This is fairly common even in new cars. Happened to a brand-new Honda City we had as well. The rear glass just shattered for no good reason.

I would wager that this has nothing to do with the quality of the glass manufactured. This seems like a muck-up at the time of fitting on the assembly line.

Please have it changed and enjoy the wonderful vehicle you have bought.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

It is possible that the sunroof update was already in the pipeline and has nothing to do with the recent incident.

You may have seen the viral video of a Mahindra Scorpio-N’s leaky sunroof. Although we can’t confirm the authenticity of the claim, Mahindra did respond to it by recreating the same scenario. However, this time, there was no leakage.

We thought the controversy was finally laid to rest following the official response from the company. However, it seems, Mahindra has also updated the Scorpio-N’s sunroof by adding extra foam padding around the drain holes of the sunroof mechanism.

Looking at the images, it appears that the padding is supposed to fill in the gaps that might get clogged up with leaves, twigs and other materials. Whether it would complement the existing rubber seals to prevent water from seeping into the cabin remains to be seen.

It is also possible that the sunroof update was already in the pipeline and has nothing to do with the recent incident.

Source: Yash9W

The car was returned to me after multiple delays and in absolute filthy condition. Mechanically also they botched up the entire replacement.

BHPian adi58 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

There were some issues with the sunroof so BMW agreed to replace the entire rack. However they wanted me to send the car to their Infinity Cars Turbhe Navi Mumbai workshop since they have their so called “Experts” placed there. I was not ok with that workshop knowing their history and personal experience but I had no other option. The car was returned to me after multiple delays and in absolute filthy condition. Mechanically also they botched up the entire replacement, the sunroof is not aligned, makes terrible noise. How do I sort this mess?

As you can see they don’t have any concept of wearing clean gloves while working with interior trims and parts

The results

Their experts could not even get the basic alignment done properly

Motor does not sound right and the one touch switch too does not work properly. (Video)

Blinds not installed properly and are touching the frame towards the end of their cycle. (Video)

Here's what BHPian androdev had to say on the matter:

That sucks! You should give a formal complaint addressed to BMW. Only after getting a written assurance from someone senior, you should accept their offer to redo it. It absolutely needs to be redone.

Here's what BHPian Hayek had to say on the matter:

Quite shocking and disappointing. Most folks I know have had positive experiences with Infinity and prefer it to Navneet. So it is distressing that they botched this job up so badly. Hope the rectify it and compensate you for the pain value.

Here's what BHPian amit1agrawal had to say on the matter:

This looks like a roadside garage kind of workmanship. Even mass-market manufacturers are supposed to provide better workmanship. I can't imagine where is the premium-ness of this workmanship by BMW. The way the motor is winning makes me believe they either damaged it or did not use a genuine part to replace it. Definitely, escalate it higher-ups in BMW and don't let them go without fixing it just like its showroom condition.

BHPian adi58 had the following update to share on the matter:

The car has been sent to Infinity Lalbaug after contact with senior BMW personnel. Because the BRI expires in June and the sunroof frame alone costs approximately two lakhs, I have requested that the complete repair be redone using new components and that a two-year warranty be granted on the parts changed. Hoping BMW agrees!

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The ventilation advantages that a sunroof affords cannot be argued with.

BHPian IshaanIan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Starting this thread on behalf of a couple of friends of mine who are on the lookout for a used car. Their usage would be fairly low, so is their budget, and neither are enthusiasts but their sole requirement is that it must have a sunroof.

Obviously the ventilation advantages that a sunroof affords cannot be argued with. Now my question is which used car models in India came with a factory fitted sunroof? I am not interested in aftermarket fittings as I doubt their long-term reliability and quality unless anyone can convince me otherwise. All suggestions are welcome as I am hoping to gather a list of all possibilities and then deduce based on reliability, maintenance cost and price in that order.

Thanks in advance.

Here's what BHPian arnav17 had to say on the matter:

In the SUV segment, you will find plenty of used XUV500's with sunroofs, and considering the XUV's popularity, you can find some great deals.

Since running is low, am assuming that a hatchback would be a preferred choice. I think that the Old Hyundai i10 is an option as its top end had a sunroof.

Pic source : GoMechanic

Attaching a few links of some i10's in Bangalore :

Link 1

Link 2

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_jain had to say on the matter:

1. If a sunroof, it has to be a panoramic sunroof. Period. The basic small sunroof simply does not offer the sense of occasion or the airy cabin feel. The point about ventilation is mostly irrelevant though in typically dusty and polluted Indian conditions.

2. The sunroof craze started with the MG Hector, and was democratised by the Hyundai Creta. You’ll find plenty of examples of both in the used car market. Also, look for Tata Harriers. If you are open to it, look for used RR Evoques, early model cars. They had a fixed full glass roof.

Here's what BHPian swoosh had to say on the matter:

Here's the list of cars that I can think of with a sunroof:

Corolla never came with a sunroof as far as I know.

Here's what BHPian androdev had to say on the matter:

Hyundai i10, Fabia, Honda City come to my mind as cars with sunroof that have decent A.S.S service support and would come under 4L budget.

Here's whatc BHPian adi.mariner had to say on the matter:

Hyundai i10 was one of the first hatchbacks with a factory fitted sunroof. Also the top end i20 at that time had 6 airbags and a sunroof. This is around the year 2010. The craze for sunroofs is increasing day by day. One of the used car dealers had a 2012 i10 for sale at 3.75 lakhs only because it had the holy trifecta of Automatic, Sunroof and aftermarket CNG kit.

It would be advisable to buy a regular car and fit an aftermarket sunroof. IIRC Webasto used to install aftermarket sunroofs for Tata initially.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Never saw these features on my old 2020 Hyundai Creta.

BHPian RavenAvi recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Found out a new feature of the 7OO today - the panoramic sunroof comes with rain-detection sensors.

I was driving back home with the front windows slightly down and the sunroof opens in fresh air mode (slanted up from the back). It was drizzling very lightly. As soon as the drizzle got heavier and bigger raindrops started falling, an Alert inside a yellow box popped up in the MID display, saying:

"Rain detected. Please close the sunroof and power windows."

Never saw this alert in my 2020 Creta.

I closed the sunroof and the front windows and the alert disappeared. Icarus was in motion and I was wading through traffic so I couldn't take a snapshot. Next time it pops up, I shall post the pic here.

Found out another feature of the sky roof yesterday - it comes with a built-in speed sensor.

I was returning from a short trip and had the sky roof popped open backwards in fresh air mode. As soon as I crossed 60 km/h, the MID displayed an alert saying "High speed detected. Close sky roof immediately."

Here's what BHPian Highh5 had to say on the matter:

I think it will be there in most of the new cars which have a panoramic sunroof. In Harrier, as soon as automatic wipers detect rain and start working, the system checks if the sunroof is open and if it is open then it closes it automatically. But there is no pop-up on the MID screen.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.