After decades, a sedan was India’s bestselling car in 2018

几十年后，一款轿车终在2018年成为印度最畅销汽车

NEW DELHI: India's love for its smallest cars seems to be waning. In 2018, Alto, which was the number 1 car for 14 straight years, lost its crown to Dzire, Maruti's compact sedan. Not only was it beaten by the bigger car, it sold around a thousand fewer units over the year. In rival Hyundai's stable, too, sales of Grand i10 fell by about 13%, while its bigger siblings, i20 and Creta, saw robust sales growth of about 10% and 15%, respectively.

新德里：印度人对小型车的喜爱似乎正在减弱。2018年，连续14年排名第一的奥拓输给了玛鲁蒂铃木的紧凑型三厢版雨燕（Dzire）。奥拓不仅被更为大型的轿车打败，而且全年销量减少了约1000辆。竞争对手现代表现稳定，Grand i10的销量下降了约13%，然而i20和Creta的销量则分别实现了约10%和15%的强劲增长。

Although Dzire and its hatchback version, Swift, have outsold Alto for a few months in past years, this is the first time that a sedan has been India's biggest-selling car for a whole year. With disposable incomes and aspirations rising, is this a sign of the times?

尽管在过去几年中三厢版雨燕及两厢版雨燕的销量曾连续几个月超过了奥拓，但这是轿车首次成为印度全年最畅销车型。随着可支配收入逐渐提高，这会成为一个时代的标志吗?

"The Indian car buyer is upgrading, and he wants the best for what he can afford," said industry analyst Jnaneswar Sen, who has earlier worked with Honda Cars India and Maruti. The trend also shows first-time buyers are not increasing as quickly as those who are upgrading, or buying another car, he added. "So, the upper segment is growing, but the entry car market is shrinking."

行业分析师Jnaneswar Sen称，"印度汽车买家正在升级换代，希望在力所能及的范围内买到最好的车型。这一趋势还表明，首次购车者的增长速度不及那些正在升级或购买第二辆汽车的人。因此，高端市场正在增长，但入门汽车市场正在萎缩。”

Social scientist and advertising professional Santosh Desai said the trend is here to stay. "This shift has been in the making for a while... Incomes are rising, and you have gone through the cycles of the first car," Desai said, adding, "The Indian customer has begun to value comfort and some higher-order needs, and is willing to pay for them."

社会科学家兼广告专业人士Santosh Desai称：“这一趋势将持续下去。这种转变已经酝酿了一段时间……收入在增加，印度客户已经开始重视舒适性和一些更高层次的需求，并愿意为此买单。”

Sales of Dzire grew by 18%, Alto fell 0.5%

三厢版雨燕销售额增长了18%，奥拓则下降了0.5%

Industry officials said buyers now value safety and comfort as much as design. "Features like airbags and ABS are turning out to be very important as buyers get more safety-conscious," a top official with a leading carmaker said.

业内人士表示，买家现重视安全性和舒适性就和重视设计一样。一家领军汽车制造商的高管表示:“随着买家变得更加重视安全性，安全气囊和ABS等功能变得非常重要。”

Dzire, a sub-4-metre sedan launched in 2008, has been one of the strongest models for Maruti from the very begng. It is priced Rs 5.7 lakh onwards, as against Alto’s Rs 2.6-lakh starting price. While Dzire’s sales grew by 18% in a year when overall passenger vehicle sales grew by 5%, demand for Alto — the so-called “people’s car” — fell by 0.5%, numbers accessed by TOI show.

三厢版雨燕是2008年推出的一款不足4米长的轿车，从一开始就是玛鲁蒂最强大的车型之一。起价为57万卢比，而奥拓的起价为26万卢比。《印度时报》获取的数据显示，在乘用车总体销量增长5%的一年里，三厢版雨燕的销售额增长了18%，而对被称为“人民的汽车”的奥拓却下降了0.5%。

Desai said people desire a car with a boot not only as a status symbol but also as a practical need. “We carry enormous amounts of luggage when travel, thus option of adding a boot is legitimate. It is a significant factor.” Easy access to finance may also explain the robust demand for bigger vehicles, experts said. Dzire’s more expensive stablemate Brezza took fifth position, ahead of WagonR. It had finished seventh in 2017. Hyundai Creta, which retails upwards of Rs 9.5 lakh, was the ninth-largest selling model.

Desai称，人们想要一款带后背箱的车，这不仅是身份的象征，也是一种实际需要。“旅行时我们会带很多行李，所以选择带后背箱的车型是合理的。这是一个很重要的因素。”专家们表示，易于申请贷款也可能解释了市场对大型汽车的强劲需求。比Dzire更贵的Brezza排在第五位，超过WagonR。Brezz在2017年排名第七。现代Creta的零售价高达95万卢比，是销量第九大的车型。

印度时报读者评论：

译文来源：三泰虎 http://www.santaihu.com/46921.html  译者：Jessica.Wu

Debasish Bhattacharya - 6 hours ago -Follow

It isn''t a good news that India is opting for bigger cars. The trend is exactly reverse in western countries. The better option would be a market demand for hybrid compact cars with decent head and leg room and high road clearance. Hybrid compact SUVs are ideal for Indian roads and causes less congestion and are more eco-friendly. The government should rein in the large/mid sized sedans by increasing road tax and surcharges based on fuel consumption.

印度选择大型轿车并不是一个好消息。西方国家的趋势正好相反。更好的选择是混动力紧凑型汽车，这种汽车的头部和腿部空间足，底盘高。混动力紧凑型suv是印度道路的理想选择，它可以减少交通拥堵，而且更加环保。政府应该通过增加道路税和燃油附加费来控制大中型轿车的销量。

Shasti Brata - 4 hours ago -Follow

Really proud to read about such things which were once the exclusive domain of the wealthy nations!

看到这些曾经只发生在富裕国家的事情，我真的很自豪!

Indian Abroad - 7 hours ago -Follow

Looking at current traffic congestion in most cities in India, at least for now it is wise to strive for small cars with safer body, better engine and luxurious interior than seeking big cars like the ones in the US.

目前，印度大多数城市的交通拥堵。至少就目前而言，选择拥有更安全的车身、更好的发动机和豪华内饰的小型车，要比美国路上那样的大型车更明智。

Abhijit - Hyderabad - 5 hours ago -Follow

We are crying for roads and parking space. The more the cars the worst the problem.

我们迫切需要更宽的道路和更多的停车位。汽车越多，问题越严重。

vempati Ratna Joshi - 7 hours ago -Follow

Maruti had played a key role in controlling Indian population for decades.Tata, ford and Hyundai will definitely pip maruti sales in future

几十年来，玛鲁蒂在控制印度人口方面发挥了关键作用。塔塔、福特和现代未来的销量肯定会超过玛鲁蒂。

Krazy - Kolkata - 2 hours ago

It also seems dzire sales are boosted because it''s the no. 1 favorite for UBER and OLA.

三厢版雨燕的销量大幅提升，因为它是打车巨头优步和Ola的最爱。

Manu - New Delhi - 4 hours ago -Follow

Cars have become a menace in cities. No free space to walk. Roads are constantly clogged. Drivers don't respect pedestrians. Add to that pollution. I guess a time will come when there won't be any car accidents, because there won't be any space left for these cars to move!!!

汽车已成为城市的一大威胁。没有行走的空间，道路经常堵塞。司机不尊重行人，还产生污染。

shashank bhide - Boston - 5 hours ago -Follow

Look at the cost of fuel in India, India needs innovative vehicles, not big vehicles, but guess what, it''s trillion dollar game, oil companies will never let that happen, remember 5% people control 90% wealth of the planet

看看印度的燃料成本，印度需要创新型汽车，而不是大型汽车，但这是一个万亿美元的游戏，石油公司永远不会让这种情况发生，记住，5%的人控制着地球上90%的财富。

Doc - 1 hour ago -Follow

the worst looking car among all cars is dzire. but Indians need car which save money on petrol and cheaper maintenance.... so it's obvious.

最难看的汽车就是三厢版雨燕了。但印度人显然需要省油、保养更便宜的汽车……

Tutu - Bengaluru - 6 hours ago -Follow

for any city in India, small cars are more viable option than sedan. If there would be real aspiration, people will buy those model which are different from tax. No one buys indica other than tax owners. Jump in Sale of dzire is probably due to uber n olas

在印度的任何一个城市，小型车都比轿车更可行。如果真要买车，人们会买那些不同于出租车的车型。除了出租车老板，没人买印迪卡（塔塔汽车公司自己设计并生产的轿车）。三厢版雨燕销量的跃升可能要归功于打车巨头优步和Ola。

YS - 29 mins ago -Follow

Maruti cars SAFE ????LOL these cars are getting 2 stars in safety rating than how these cars become safe???

玛鲁蒂安全吗??哈哈，这些车的安全等级是2星，怎么称得上安全??

Pranav Iyer - Location - 37 mins ago -Follow

I think its because a lot of cabs are Dzire cars.

我想这是因为很多出租车都是三厢版雨燕。

Swastik - 43 mins ago -Follow

Is the sale reported inclusive or exclusive ofUber and Ola Sale?

销量是否包含卖给优步和Ola的?

Same Old - India - 44 mins ago -Follow

too many cars too little road

车太多，路太少

Raise Your - 52 mins ago -Follow

This only shows how Indians level of expenditure and the economy of India is rising..!

这表明印度人的消费水平在升级，表明印度经济在发展！

Sarada P Samantaray - Mumbai - 1 hour ago -Follow

significant sign of development !!

这是发展的显著标志!!

Deepak - Karnataka - 1 hour ago -Follow

Masterstroke by Modiji!!!

莫迪的杰作！

Omer Farook - 1 hour ago -Follow

All credit to the good governence ..... people financially better

一切都归功于称职的政府，人们手头更宽裕了。

Anurag - 1 hour ago -Follow

proper sedan is Honda city

本田锋范还更好。

Anurag - 2 hours ago -Follow

better to buy amaze than dezire

买雨燕还不如买马自达。

Amitosh - Patna - 6 hours ago -Follow

Traffic condition is turning very bad day by day. There is no space left on road for even waking.

交通状况一天比一天差。路上都没有行走的空间了。

KR Nair - PUNE - 52 mins ago -Follow

It shows that there is amazing growth in the economy and more people are afford to buy sedan, Great job Modi

这表明经济有惊人的增长，越来越多的人买得起轿车，莫迪干得好。