The soon-to-start Auto Expo 2012 seems to give prominence to SUVs as there will be an array of these adrenaline machines on display at the show commencing from January 5. It seems that car companies including Audi, Ford, Renault, Mercedes, and domestic SUV makers including Tata and Mahindra will be giving a fabulous display to their new SUV offerings for India.

Among the SUVs to be for preview of the Indian and international audience will include Audi Q3 mini SUV which is planned to be assembled at Audi’s Aurangabad plant in India. Besides, Ford’s small SUV Ford Ecosport will also be unveiled at the Auto Expo. In addition to these Renault Duster SUV which is a full grown SUV will also be unveiled at the show apart from Tata Safari’s new avatar Tata Merlin. The German carmaker Mercedes has also lined up the new Mercedes Benz M Class for display here. Homegrown SUV maker Mahindra on the other hand will be unveiling the recently acquired Ssangyong’s makes Mahindra Ssangyong Rexton and Mahindra Ssangyong Korando SUVs in India. Furthermore, there will also be a fleet of makeover unveils viz. Force Motors' Force One, Toyota Fortuner and Chevrolet Captiva.

If some layman is given the above statistics, he would conclude that it is the SUVs that will be in limelight at the Auto Expo 2012. Why a section of the domestic and international car companies are focusing on this segment? Is it just inflating the product list in India or is there a real market emerging for SUVs in India? Experts believe that there is a recent rise in preference for SUVs in India and the promising numbers in SUV sales supports this. Thus, it can be said that India too now will prefer big cars despite being dominated by small cars.