Sales in the compact sedan segment (above 4m) have continued to shrink for another straight year. Industry data for the first seven months of CY2025 (Jan to July) reveals that sales in the segment have shrunk 12 per cent over the previous year, with 37,575 units sold as of end-July. The figure for the same period in 2024 stood at 42,703 units.

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Virtus sales in first 7 months of 2025 were up 9 per cent year-on-year.

Nevertheless, the Volkswagen Virtus looks set to become the best-selling sedan again for a second calendar year with 12,455 units sold in the first seven months. This marks a 9 per cent uptick over the previous year where sales stood at 11,572 units. Its sister model, the Skoda Slavia, meanwhile, managed to leapfrog the Hyundai Verna in terms of sales with 7,901 units sold compared to 7,622 units. Both figures, however, mark a decline in sales over the previous year, with the Verna’s sales in particular declining 33 per cent from 11,365 units.

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The Honda City, once the leader of this segment, also witnessed a sharp decline, down 29 per cent year-on-year, with 5,076 units sold in the year. Most customers visiting Honda showrooms seem to be opting for the Elevate SUV instead. The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, now at the end of its lifecycle, surprisingly posted a 7 per cent gain with 4,521 units sold so far, this year. Interestingly as per manufacturer data, Maruti has not made any wholesale shipments of the Ciaz for the last couple of months now, with the sedan likely to retire after stocks finish.

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Verna witnessed a sharp 33 per cent decline in sales compared to CY2024.

Part of the Virtus’ strong sales could also come down to VW’s pricing strategy for the sedan. The carmaker has been offering the car with a range of discounts and benefits all year round. The sedan is currently being offered with discounts and benefits valued at over Rs 1.50 lakh, depending on the variant selected. But to be fair, others are doing the same too.

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Ciaz posted a 7 per cent sales growth over last year; Maruti has reported zero wholesales of the sedan for past few months.

The Virtus is offered in two model lines in the Indian market, Sport and Chrome – each offering a slightly different look (eg. black alloys on Sport)  to the Virtus to meet the buyer’s taste. Both lines are available with either a 1.0-litre TSI or 1.5-litre TSI turbo-petrol engines both with manual and automatic (DSG/Torque Converter type) gearbox options.

Model-wise prices of the compact sedan segment: