Maruti Suzuki's sub-compact SUV - XA Alpha or iV-4?

The sub-compact SUV is one segment that every automaker is eyeing at, specially after a great response Renault Duster and Ford EcoSport has received in the market. India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki too is working on a sub-compact SUV, which many believe will be based on the XA Alpha, unveiled at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo. But the confusion arose when the company unveiled a more evolved and above 4-metre version of the XA-Alpha in the form of iV-4 at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. (Also read: Below Rs 10 lakh SUVs coming to India by 2015)

Everybody expected iV-4 to come at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo, but what came instead was the SX4 S-Cross, which is almost production ready and might come even before the sub-compact SUV, but at a higher price point. But, the question still remains the same - will Maruti bring the iV-4, when it already has the XA Alpha, which being below 4-metre in length will be more competitive in price? Interestingly, Maruti has been able to price the above 4-metre Ertiga at below Rs 6 lakh; so, going by that logic, MSI might bring the iV-4 instead of the XA Alpha, and still price that competitively, thus get a competitive edge over the below-4 metre Ford EcoSport.

Also, when Hyundai and Honda are planning to launch their respective sub-compact SUVs, launching the iV-4 based product will fasten the process for MSI. But, there is one more possibility that MSI might bring both the XA Alpha and iV-4 based crossovers, and price the latter as a more premium offering than the former. However, nothing on this has been officially said by the company yet, we expect more details to be revealed at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, where the production-ready version of the iV-4 is expected to be revealed.