Hot wheels: Dzire topped car buyers' desire in 2025, defying SUV wave

Maruti Suzuki's Dzire reclaimed the top spot after eight years, outselling SUVs and hatchbacks in 2025 even as utility vehicles accounted for more than half of India's PV market

Maruti Suzuki’s sedan Dzire has emerged as the top-selling car of calendar year 2025 (CY25) at a time when sports utility vehicles (SUVs) have cornered more than 55 per cent of the passenger vehicle (PV) market in India. It is after seven years that a sedan has claimed the top spot — Dzire had last achieved the No.1 position in 2018. 

The Dzire sold around 214,000 units during the year, beating popular SUVs such as the Creta and Nexon, which sold roughly 201,000 units each. Maruti’s Wagon R and Swift hatchbacks also featured among the top-10 highest-selling cars of the year. In fact, Maruti Suzuki had six models in the top 10 list of India’s best-selling cars in 2025. 

In 2024, Tata Punch had taken the top spot, followed by Maruti’s Wagon R and Ertiga. Wagon R has been a consistent performer, emerging as the highest-selling car in both 2021 and 2022. In 2023, Maruti’s hatchback Swift was the top-selling model. 

Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer – marketing and sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said: “Even as SUVs continue to grow, a sedan emerging as the number-one model in the calendar year is big news for the industry.” He added that higher variants ZXI and ZXI+ now account for nearly 31 per cent of the model’s sales, underlining how the revised positioning has significantly strengthened its appeal. 

SUVs continued to gain ground in 2025, with their share of the PV market rising from 53.8 per cent to 55.8 per cent, Maruti said, adding that the share of SUVs has increased within its own portfolio as well. From 25.9 per cent in the first half of 2025-26 (H1FY26), the share has now inched up to 30.7 per cent at the end of the third quarter of the financial year (Q3FY26). The share of sedans in the PV industry, on the other hand, stands at around 7 per cent, down from about 8 per cent in the previous year. 

Maruti Suzuki’s repositioning strategy helped redefine the Dzire’s image, expanding its relevance beyond an older customer base to younger families. The company launched the fourth-generation Dzire in November 2024, and took a strategic decision to sell it exclusively in the personal segment while the third-generation Dzire Tour continues to be offered in the taxi segment. The car is also priced aggressively starting at ₹6.25 lakh. 

A minor update and refreshed positioning, supported by the association with brand ambassador Bollywood actor Siddharth Malhotra, further reinforced the sedan’s contemporary image. Traditionally seen as a fleet vehicle alongside models like the Innova, the Dzire has now witnessed a clear rise in personal segment buyers, reflecting the success of its repositioning and feature-led strategy. 

Maruti said earlier perceptions that sedans lacked appeal among first-time or young buyers have changed markedly following the launch of the new version. The share of first-time buyers has increased from 41 per cent to 48 per cent while the average age of customers has also come down, indicating a growing preference among younger households. 

“After the repositioning, the Dzire is no longer seen as a car for an older audience — its appeal among young families and first-time buyers has gone up sharply,” Banerjee said. 

Feature enhancements such as a sunroof and a richer overall package have also played a key role in driving demand. “Features like the sunroof, richer equipment, and fresh styling have made a decisive difference, along with the trust that comes from a 5-star Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) rating,” he said. 

The model is performing strongly across regions, with production being ramped up to the maximum feasible levels to meet demand, Maruti said.