IT'S DZIREABLE

A LOOK AT HOW MARUTI SUZUKI'S ALL-NEW DZIRE FARES IN TODAY'S MARKET SATURATED WITH SUVS

- LEKSHMI C PILLAI

Nowadays, in India, a car means an SUV. However, there remains a sizable population whose cherished childhood dreams were knit around a toy sedan—the three-box car with a clearly identifiable bonnet, cabin, and boot.

Around 55% of cars sold in the Indian market today are SUVs. Though by definition these are Sports Utility Vehicles, the majority of the so-called SUVs in Indian markets are just raised hatchbacks, taking account of the pathetic road conditions.

At the same time, there is a perception that the popularity of the traditional status symbol, the sedan, is fading. Roughly, just 10% of the car market is held by sedans now.

It's to this market that the all-new Dzire from Maruti Suzuki rolled in. When sedans are "on the way out," why is Maruti reintroducing another one? The answer is simple: Dzire has been selling more than many SUVs since its introduction in 2008.

Though this time, the hype is considerably less, there is a fan base for sedans, still in India. Last year, 1.57 lakh Dzires were sold; a figure many Compact SUVs couldn't match. And, this December, the new Honda Amaze is also coming to the compact sedan category. These two new cars will definitely bring a lot of attention to the sedan market.

This fourth-generation Dzire is miles ahead of the previous versions. I was able to test drive the car in Goa a couple of days ago. Here's how the experience was.

The safety