Auto Expo 2012: Age of compact SUVs

If you think you have had enough of large fuel guzzling SUVs on the Indian roads, you will be in for a surprise. A new segment - compact SUV - is in the making and if the manufacturers are to be believed, they will soon outnumber their larger sized cousins. Ford Motor India on Wednesday launched EcoSport - an SUV built on the B-platform.

It has been built to satisfy the urge of small car customers who want more. A day later market leader Maruti Suzuki unveiled the prototype XA Alpha built on Swift platform and aimed at younger customers.

Experts tracking the sector say that compact SUV could well be a hit with the Indian market which aspires for luxury but at the same time looks for fuel efficiency and value for money. Ford seems to have understood this and has powered Eco Sport with turbo charged one-litre engine which provides the power of a traditional 1.4 litre engine while offering a superior mileage.

Arvind Saxena, director of marketing and sales, Hyundai Motor India, also feels this segment will grow. Hyundai has not launched a compact SUV in this auto show but looking from the interest this segment has been witnessing in the last two days, it will not be long before it begins work on such a product.