Maruti Dzire, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent, Ford Aspire and Tata Tigor have been the most popular C-segment models, here’s how they compare on the sales charts of last month
In spite of a prolonged sales slowdown that the Indian auto sector has been going through, the C-segment sedans have continued to bring some respite to their respective manufacturers.
That said, it’s not like these cars haven’t borne the brunt of the slowdown, with every model facing the heat of the sales slump. Still, the entry-level sedans have been selling in decent numbers and here is how the Maruti Dzire, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent, Ford Aspire and Tigor, the most popular models in this class, fare against each other on the sales charts.
1. Maruti Dzire
The Maruti Dzire has been the undisputed leader of its segment ever since its first-generation model replaced the Esteem in 2008. In its third generation now, the sub-4-metre compact sedan enjoys the highest popularity in its segment, thereby outclassing models like the Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent, Tata Tigor, Ford Aspire and more.
In August 2019, the small sedan sold 13,274 units, which is a massive 40 per cent fall from the 21,990 units sold in August 2018. In spite of the de-growth, however, the Maruti Dzire retains its crown of being the largest selling car in the market.
2. Honda Amaze
If there is one car that has successfully dented the popularity of the Maruti Dzire, it has to be the Honda Amaze. In its second generation now, the Amaze has become more spacious, more comfortable and even feels a tad more premium than before.
In spite of all the improvements, however, it has not been able to displace the Dzire from the top spot. Anyway, last month, the Honda Amaze found only 4,535 units, which is a massive 53 per cent drop from 9,644 units that were sold in August 2018.
3. Hyundai Xcent
The Hyundai Xcent is the compact sedan derivative of the second generation i10 and has been a direct rival to the Maruti Dzire and the Honda Amaze. While the Xcent was off to a decent start, it quickly lost out to its Japanese rivals, especially after there latest generation models stepped in.
Last month, the Hyundai Xcent sold 1,316 copies, which is a whopping 74 per cent fall from the 4,981 units sold in August 2018. Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) recently introduced the Grand i10 Nios, the third generation of its popular tallboy. By 2020, the company will launch an all-new Xcent that will be based on the Nios. The next-gen Xcent will likely find a better response from the market than the current model.
4. Ford Aspire
If there is one compact sedan that has hardly faced any loss of popularity, it’s the Ford Aspire. However, this isn’t something that should be seen in a good light as the demand for the Aspire has been perpetually low. Last month, the Figo-based compact sedan sold 521 units, which is a marginal fall from 523 units sold in August 2018.
It may be noted that the Ford Aspire received a slew of updates around a year ago. However, these upgrades have hardly worked as the Figo-based compact sedan lags behind its Japanese and Korean rivals.
5. Tata Tigor
The last car on our list here is also the smallest of the lot. The Tata Tigor is essentially a sub-compact-sedan version of the Tata Tiago and comes with a segment-first notchback styling. Last month, the Tigor found 833 buyers, which corresponds to a huge 49 per cent drop from the 1,646 units sold in August 2018.