Maruti Suzuki is India's biggest car brand, something that can be quantified by both statistics and public opinion. For many years now, the Suzuki owned company has been manufacturing cars that have gone on to achieve great success in the Indian market. Its current portfolio includes some of the most successful vehicles in India, such as Alto 800, Swift and WagonR. This company has been present in the country for around three decades and understands market dynamics better than any other firm. Over the years, many brands have tried to compete with Maruti Suzuki but no one has managed to come close. One such brand is American auto giant Ford, which, despite being present in India for a long time, does not boast of a sizeable market share. However, it has made good progress in recent times due to the good show of EcoSport. Because of this, many analysts have tried to draw a comparison between cars of Maruti Suzuki and Ford.
The hatchbacks present in Indian market are much more than other segment cars, be it in terms of sales also. Another fact that is known to almost everyone is that Maruti Suzuki rules the hatchback segment. Ford, on the other hand, has one model in this category, Figo, which has performed reasonable well. Alto 800 has been one of the Maruti Suzuki's best cars in this segment and has registered excellent sales figures consistently. Both Alto 800 and Figo are hatchbacks that are different in many ways, especially in their exteriors. Alto 800 comes with a unique 'Wavefront' design, which is characterised by smooth long curves, a prominent wheel arch and a wide lip. Other features present at the exteriors of Alto 800 are sloping window lines, jewel finish rear combination lamps and petal shaped headlamps.
Ford Figo, on the other hand, boasts of an aggressive design with many style enhancing features. The highlight of appearance of this car is the front chrome grille, which looks quite bold. This model comes with wide-eye headlamps and sleek tail lamps that add elegance to its stance. Front bumper of Figo has an eye-catchy shape and is quite upright. In addition, the style quotient is further enhanced by the incorporation of alloy wheels.
The mid-size sedan segment is fairly competitive as far as Indian market is concerned. Both Maruti Suzuki and Ford have one model each in this segment, namely SX4 and Fiesta, respectively. Although this vertical is dominated by the likes of Hyundai Verna and Honda City, Fiesta and SX4 have definitely carved niches for themselves. According to Ford, the Fiesta model has a kinetic design that makes it look bold and athletic. This model comes with stylish curves and elongated headlamps with a dynamic design. On the other hand, the SX4 has been marketed by Maruti Suzuki as a masculine vehicle, giving it a punch line that says, 'For boys who grow up to be men'. According to experts, this model is one of Maruti Suzuki's best cars in terms of appearance. Featuring a superb posture, SX4 has a sporty chrome grill, electronically foldable outer rear view mirrors and dual coloured front bumper.
Also, the demand for compact Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) has risen sharply in India off late. One of the biggest indicators of this has been the success of Ford EcoSport, which is among the best selling models in the country right now. Due to the performance of cars like EcoSport and Renault Duster, several other manufacturers have decided to enter this segment, which includes Maruti Suzuki as well. According to reports, India's largest passenger car manufacturer is going to launch the XA Alpha model in 2014. Many industry experts feel that XA Alpha is going to provide tough competition to the dominance of EcoSport.
Ford EcoSport features a modern-day design with a bold grille, stylish headlamps, attractive fog lamps and high ground clearance. Apart from its efficiency and affordability, experts have appreciated Ford for the balance it has maintained while designing exteriors of this compact SUV. Maruti Suzuki, according to sources, is working quite aggressively to ensure that XA Alpha is right up there in terms of style. The concept vehicle that was showcased at 2012 Auto Expo featured a design inspired by Indian martial arts. Headlamps of the vehicle displayed resembled the muscles of wrestlers. Experts believe that XA Alpha, when launched in India, could prove to be a game changer in the respective segment.
