
7-seater models riding high on boost from Indian families
Indians increasingly prefer vehicles with more seating. Seven-seaters are becoming the default choice for SUVs and MPVs. Data shows a significant rise in seven-seater SUV sales. Even nuclear families opt for these vehicles for flexibility. Young buyers are also choosing MPVs. The average age of Ertiga buyers has decreased. MPVs are gaining popularity with feature-rich models.
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Mumbai: Seating capacity matters when Indians choose their sport or multi-utility vehicle.Whether it's for accommodating visiting grandparents, planning weekend getaways with the extended family, or simply enjoying extra comfort during long commutes, Indians are increasingly looking for space and flexibility in their personal vehicles. And seven-seaters are often the default choice when they are shopping for a large SUV or an MPV.In the segment for SUVs that are 4.5 meters or longer, seven-seaters now account for 78% of sales, up from 58% in 2022, even as the share of five-seater SUVs shrank to 18% from 43%, show data from auto-motive analytics and intelligence firm Jato Dynamics In MPVS longer than 4.0 meters, seven-seaters command 86% of the market. It's not just the big joint families that are buying these vehicles that can accommodate more people. Even smaller, nuclear families are now choosing seven-seaters for their flexibility, whether it's accommodating guests or embarking on long road journeys, said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, chief executive of the Automotive Division at M&M, the manufacturer of the Scorpio and XUV 700 SUVs.Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer at Maruti Suzuki , said young buyers are increasingly choosing MPVs for evolving family needs and versatility.'The average age for one of our highest selling MPVs, Ertiga (a seven-seater), has fallen from 40 years to 37 years as per internal data in the last five years,' he said.The seven-seater models make up nearly the entire MPV portfolio for Maruti Suzuki with Ertiga leading the segment. The seven-seater trend reflects a deeper lifestyle evolution, said Ravi Bhatia, president Jato Dynamics. 'This shift in configuration demand is not cyclical, it's structural.'While SUVs continue to dominate sales, consumers, especially families, are also increasingly considering the space and flexibility that MPVs offer. They now account for 11% of the auto industry sales volume compared with 8% in FY22.MPVs are also becoming more feature-rich, attracting younger buyers too.Hardeep Singh Brar, senior vice president and national head of sales and marketing at Kia India, said its MPV Carens offers features typically reserved for SUVs, like connected car technology, ventilated seats and a sunroof. MPVs now account for 25-27% of Kia's sales in India, he said.
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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
maruti suzuki: 7-seater models riding high on boost from Indian families
ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Mumbai: Seating capacity matters when Indians choose their sport or multi-utility it's for accommodating visiting grandparents, planning weekend getaways with the extended family, or simply enjoying extra comfort during long commutes, Indians are increasingly looking for space and flexibility in their personal vehicles. And seven-seaters are often the default choice when they are shopping for a large SUV or an the segment for SUVs that are 4.5 meters or longer, seven-seaters now account for 78% of sales, up from 58% in 2022, even as the share of five-seater SUVs shrank to 18% from 43%, show data from auto-motive analytics and intelligence firm Jato Dynamics In MPVS longer than 4.0 meters, seven-seaters command 86% of the market. It's not just the big joint families that are buying these vehicles that can accommodate more people. Even smaller, nuclear families are now choosing seven-seaters for their flexibility, whether it's accommodating guests or embarking on long road journeys, said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, chief executive of the Automotive Division at M&M, the manufacturer of the Scorpio and XUV 700 Banerjee, senior executive officer at Maruti Suzuki , said young buyers are increasingly choosing MPVs for evolving family needs and versatility.'The average age for one of our highest selling MPVs, Ertiga (a seven-seater), has fallen from 40 years to 37 years as per internal data in the last five years,' he seven-seater models make up nearly the entire MPV portfolio for Maruti Suzuki with Ertiga leading the segment. The seven-seater trend reflects a deeper lifestyle evolution, said Ravi Bhatia, president Jato Dynamics. 'This shift in configuration demand is not cyclical, it's structural.'While SUVs continue to dominate sales, consumers, especially families, are also increasingly considering the space and flexibility that MPVs offer. They now account for 11% of the auto industry sales volume compared with 8% in are also becoming more feature-rich, attracting younger buyers Singh Brar, senior vice president and national head of sales and marketing at Kia India, said its MPV Carens offers features typically reserved for SUVs, like connected car technology, ventilated seats and a sunroof. MPVs now account for 25-27% of Kia's sales in India, he said.


Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
VP Dhankhar urges rural youth to become agri-entrepreneurs
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, while interacting with the students at the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, on Saturday stressed on use of Artificial Intelligence in agriculture. He remarked, 'Nowadays, when we talk about Artificial Intelligence, the younger generation is indeed fortunate because they can journey from Agriculture Intelligence to Artificial Intelligence.' He further added, 'You can travel from Agriculture Intelligence (AI) to Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence, Agriculture Intelligence is the medium that will bring revolutionary changes in the rural system. The life of the farmer will change.' Speaking on the roadmap to a developed India at the university, the Vice-President stated, 'The path to a developed India goes only one way — through the farmer's field. And that will happen only when you hold the farmer's hand.' He described farmers not only as annadata (providers of food) but also as bhagya vidhata — shapers of our destiny. Expressing concern over the export-oriented mindset, Dhankhar said, 'I find it very troubling when people say — 'this is export material, this is for export'. Why? Shouldn't we eat the best, wear the best?' He proudly pointed out how Indians are now leading major global institutions and lauded the rising participation of women in leadership roles. On the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, the Vice-President urged the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to revise the current ₹6,000 payout in line with inflation. He said, 'If support is given directly to the farmer… If the indirect financial support being given to the agriculture sector is routed directly to farmer families, then, based on my assessment, and that assessment comes after study — where they now get ₹6,000 annually, they will end up receiving ₹30,000 a year.' Highlighting the benefits of direct subsidies, he said, 'If the fertilizer subsidy is given directly to farmers, the farmer will decide — do I want to buy that fertilizer, or raise livestock and use cow dung manure instead? The farmer will think — should I do organic farming, natural farming? The farmer will make that decision himself.' Emphasizing rural entrepreneurship, the Vice-President said, 'Boys and girls from the farming community in rural areas must be trained to become entrepreneurs, agri-entrepreneurs. A force must be raised.' Citing the example of the United States, he noted that the average income of farming families there is higher than that of average households because government support goes directly to farmers. Underscoring the need for value addition, Dhankhar remarked, 'Today we must pay attention to the rural system. Vegetables come to the village from cities, fruits come from cities — how can we tolerate this in our country? That when tomatoes are in surplus, they are dumped on the streets?' He called for value addition and food processing to be done at the farmland level. The vice President also planted a sapling in memory of his mother Kesari Devi and also visited the exhibition on the campus by various farmer producers organizations and start ups. 'Success of Op Sindoor has given different identity to country' 'Success of Operation Sindoor has given a different identity to the country', said the Vice-President at Dr YS Parmar Horticulture and Forestry University Nauni in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh on Saturday. Talking about the valour of the Armed forces of the country, Dhankhar said, 'This is the first occasion when no one is asking for proof of this'.


Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
7-seater models riding high on boost from Indian families
Indians increasingly prefer vehicles with more seating. Seven-seaters are becoming the default choice for SUVs and MPVs. Data shows a significant rise in seven-seater SUV sales. Even nuclear families opt for these vehicles for flexibility. Young buyers are also choosing MPVs. The average age of Ertiga buyers has decreased. MPVs are gaining popularity with feature-rich models. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Mumbai: Seating capacity matters when Indians choose their sport or multi-utility it's for accommodating visiting grandparents, planning weekend getaways with the extended family, or simply enjoying extra comfort during long commutes, Indians are increasingly looking for space and flexibility in their personal vehicles. And seven-seaters are often the default choice when they are shopping for a large SUV or an the segment for SUVs that are 4.5 meters or longer, seven-seaters now account for 78% of sales, up from 58% in 2022, even as the share of five-seater SUVs shrank to 18% from 43%, show data from auto-motive analytics and intelligence firm Jato Dynamics In MPVS longer than 4.0 meters, seven-seaters command 86% of the market. It's not just the big joint families that are buying these vehicles that can accommodate more people. Even smaller, nuclear families are now choosing seven-seaters for their flexibility, whether it's accommodating guests or embarking on long road journeys, said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, chief executive of the Automotive Division at M&M, the manufacturer of the Scorpio and XUV 700 Banerjee, senior executive officer at Maruti Suzuki , said young buyers are increasingly choosing MPVs for evolving family needs and versatility.'The average age for one of our highest selling MPVs, Ertiga (a seven-seater), has fallen from 40 years to 37 years as per internal data in the last five years,' he seven-seater models make up nearly the entire MPV portfolio for Maruti Suzuki with Ertiga leading the segment. The seven-seater trend reflects a deeper lifestyle evolution, said Ravi Bhatia, president Jato Dynamics. 'This shift in configuration demand is not cyclical, it's structural.'While SUVs continue to dominate sales, consumers, especially families, are also increasingly considering the space and flexibility that MPVs offer. They now account for 11% of the auto industry sales volume compared with 8% in are also becoming more feature-rich, attracting younger buyers Singh Brar, senior vice president and national head of sales and marketing at Kia India, said its MPV Carens offers features typically reserved for SUVs, like connected car technology, ventilated seats and a sunroof. MPVs now account for 25-27% of Kia's sales in India, he said.