The MPV segment is going to rise with new launches from Maruti Suzuki with Ertiga, U321 from Mahindra and Renault is developing a new MPV for India
SUV and Compact SUV segments are the popular choice for the customers in India and across the world. We already reported that sedan segment sales are rising with the launch of newer models as same thing is going to happen with MPV segment also. The people mover segment sales went south as customers moved to frugal compact SUVs as they don’t want bigger MPVs.
The sales of MPV went down by 2 percent in the last 5-6 years. At the same time, SUV segment has grown three times with a total of 7.5 lakh units per annum compared to 1.6 lakh units of MPV at the same time. The back bone of MPV market is Toyota Innova as it is the best selling MPV in the country for many years. Even though Toyota increased price of Innova with new generation model, people still prefer the people mover from the Japanese brand.
Also Read : All-New 2018 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Launching This August In India
Like sedans, the MPV segment is going to rise with new launches. Maruti Suzuki is going to launch new generation of Ertiga later this year in India. The second generation of Ertiga was officially revealed at Indonesia International Motor Show and it is longer than the current model as it will offer more space for the passengers. The Indo-Japanese brand is looking at both personal and fleet buyers to increase sales.
Mahindra was one of the dominant forces in MPV segment when they introduced Xylo but the company moved to compact and full size SUVs over the time. But they are coming back to MPV segment with a new model which is codenamed as U321. The upcoming model is spacious and luxurious than Xylo as the company is pitching it as a direct rival for Toyota Innova.
Also Read : Mahindra U321 MPV India Launch Expected In November
From the spy images of interior, we can see that the Indian manufacturer has moved a long way with U321 and the exterior is also going to be more modern. Mahindra will introduce U321 later this year. Renault introduced Lodgy with great expectations but the product failed. Now the French manufacturer is working on a new MPV model and we can expect the market launch to be in 2019.