Even as auto makers slug it out for market share in a difficult economic environment, Honda Siel Cars India has slapped a legal notice on Maruti Suzuki India over an advertisement that they say 'falsely' compares the company's sedan, the new Honda City, with the latter's SX4.

Taking exception to an advertisement by Maruti Suzuki India in November last year in one of the newspapers published in Chandigarh, HSCI's notice said a comparison between SX4 and the new Honda City was made, which had 'given completely false figures of the new Honda City in order to show superiority of your product SX4.'

When contacted, an MSI spokesperson said, 'We have received the legal notice. We are examining it and will respond to it appropriately.'

The comparison relates to height and length of the new Honda City as well as the 'absence' of integrated stereo systems.

'The comparison drawn in the advertisement and published in the newspaper as 'SX4 bigger than expensive City' itself (is) bad and the same cannot be sustained in law as well as well as facts. The above unfair method and deceptive practice of promoting the product by you is illegal,' the notice said.

HSCI accused MSI of intentionally making a 'false projection' in order to bring down its reputation and cause adverse effect to the sale of the new Honda City.

It said MSI was indulging in 'unfair trade practice' by giving false projections about HSCI's product to the people at large.

Asking MSI to withdraw the advertisement immediately, HSCI's notice demanded an apology from the country's largest carmaker, failing which it said it would initiate legal proceedings.