Maruti Suzuki is planning to launch a brand new entry level sedan that could be placed between the luxurious sedan SX4 and the compact-sedan Swift Dzire. Initially, the Maruti SX4 Sedan used to be a good seller, but gradually; due to the increasing competition among several other branded sedans like Hyundai Verna Fluidic, Volkswagen Vento, Honda City 2012, Skoda Rapid etc., Maruti Suzuki began to lose its top position in the auto-market.
Hence, with a view to grab more and more car buyers, Maruti Suzuki has decided to offer an additional option in the sedan segment. Most probably, the new sedan will be launched for the European markets first and then followed by the Indian car market in the year 2013.
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The 2012 version of Maruti Swift Dzire has a smaller boot capacity and at the same time the SX4 sedan has a full boot. Hence, we can expect that the new Maruti A-Star Compact Sedan will sport a full boot with price less than the SX4. Plus, it is also been estimated that the length of this new Sedan will measure less than 4 meters only.
Moreover, the manufacturer will make sure that the A-Star sedan does not compromise on fuel efficiency and for this they will select the best suitable engine. As Maruti does not have any diesel engine smaller than the 1.3 Liter Fiat Multijet turbodiesel unit, most likely the A-Star sedan will use petrol engine for its working. At the same time, it is also been said that Maruti is developing a new small diesel engine measuring less than 1 liter.
Generally, large number of car buyers prefer to buy an entry level sedan rather than costlier hatchbacks, because for them space & affordable price is much more important than features & convenience. Hence, it seems that the new A-star sedan will definitely become the top choice for sedan enthusiasts.
However, there is no info about whether the new A-star sedan version would be sold through collaboration with the latest Suzuki partner, Volkswagen or with Nissan Motors. Such joint venture will bring a better result in the international markets. Certainly, the new Maruti A-Star Compact Sedan will have to compete against some of the leading players in sedan segments like Mahindra Verito, Mahindra Verito, Toyota Etios sedan, etc.
