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Following the global trend, Indian moms take to SUVs for ferrying children around and going grocery shopping as these rugged vehicles add a sense of security.
In the United States, they've been dubbed the 'soccer moms'; in China they are the 'tiger moms'. In India, you could call them — mothers ferrying their kids and groceries in rugged sports utility vehicles (SUVs) — the 'M Class maas.' And they're doing their bit to contribute to double-digit growth in this segment even as sales in the overall passenger vehicle market remain sluggish.
"The trend is catching on and more women - many of them mothers - are opting to drive SUVs as they become easier to manoeuvre and steer," says Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director, Toyota Kirloskar. Along with Toyota, Mahindra & Mahindra, BMW, Audi and Mercedes are some carmakers that are seeing an increased demand for SUVs from moms. One such mom from Mumbai is 42-year-old Hemal Sawant, who recently traded in her Santro for a flaming red Scorpio.
The diminutive Sawant, whose husband travels 15-20 days a month, uses the SUV to drop her ninth standard daughter for classes and purchasing groceries on weekends. On the wilder side, she's taken part in the Lavassa Women's drive — a 225 km drive from Mumbai to the hill city — and is now gearing up for the more gruelling Himalayan rally. "It's a mindset that SUVs are heavy vehicles that are difficult for women to manoeuvre. It literally makes me feel on top of the world and gives me a feeling of power," says Sawant.
Sawant represents the growing number of Indian mothers who, automakers hope, will fuel the next spurt of growth for the industry in India. Like Sawant, Kavita Vij (47) has traded her Hyundai Accent mid-size sedan for a Toyota Fortuner. "We do outdoor trips most weekends and need a spacious vehicle for my two kids (a 20-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter) and my dogs," says Vij. SUVs combine safety, elegance with power, and is for people who enjoy driving, she adds.
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