While the Slavia comes in eight different variants, it's the base model that starts at around Rs 10.7 lakh that is most likely to take a bite out of the market share of its competitors, says Pavan Lall.
With only a handful of models by a few manufacturers including Tata Nexon, MG ZS, Hyundai Kona, among others, the segment has remained under tapped.
Major automobile manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors and Toyota Kirloskar on Tuesday reported decline in domestic passenger vehicle sales in May compared to the previous month as a spike in COVID-19 cases and lockdowns across various states hit production and dispatches. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI), which shut production from May 1 to May 16 so as to divert oxygen from industrial use for medical purposes, reported domestic dispatches to dealers at 35,293 units last month, down 75 per cent from 142,454 units in April. The company said sales of its mini cars, comprising Alto and S-Presso, declined by 81 per cent to 4,760 units in May as against 25,041 units in April this year.
The electric vehicle evolution in India's passenger vehicle market has remained frozen in time and may see limited adoption over the next decade, experts say.
With the new Verna, Hyundai takes on Honda. Beating the Honda City is something the country's second-largest car maker has taken upon itself with its new launch. Will it succeed?
Major automakers, including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Kia, Toyota and Honda, on Thursday reported healthy growth in passenger vehicles sales in June, recovering from the disruptions induced by the second wave of COVID-19. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) posted total sales of 1,47,368 units in June, up from 46,555 units in May. Its domestic dispatches to dealers last month stood at 130,348 units, up from 35,293 units in May, as easing of COVID-related restrictions helped the auto major to dispatch more units to dealerships.
Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors on Thursday reported robust sales in March as a shift towards personal mobility and pent up demand continued to help companies push dispatches to their respective retail partners. Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Honda Cars and Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) also reported strong sales last month as compared to the year-ago period, when dispatches were adversely impacted due to the impending transition to BSVI from April 2020 and the nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India said its domestic sales stood at 1,49,518 units last month. The auto major had reported sales of 76,976 units in March 2020.
The strike, however, had no impact on production of auto majors Maruti Suzuki India, Hero MotoCorp, Honda Cars India, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors and Hyundai Motors India as their plants in various parts of the country functioned normally.
While Maruti leads with 30% volume growth, Hyundai sold 18,337 vehicles in rural markets during April-June
Hyundai got two stars for Grand i10 Nios and Kia got three stars for Seltos.
Auto experts from CarJasoos answer all your questions related to buying, selling or maintenance of new cars.
Market leaders saw good traction for new cars, including the electric ones.
With 15 models and a market share of close to 50 per cent, it rules the Indian market, selling almost 1.5 million units every year, rolling out one model every ten seconds.
Tata Motors, India's third largest passenger vehicle maker, took pole position in the competitive sport utility vehicle (SUV) market in October, reveals the data from industry sources. Riding high on the Punch - the sub-compact SUV offering launched on October 18 - the Tata group flagship sold a record 23,381 units in October, higher than 20,022 units sold by archrival Mahindra & Mahindra, 18,538 units sold by Hyundai Motor India, and 15,931 units sold by Kia Motors India. Utility vehicles - that include SUVs and multipurpose vehicles - accounted for almost one in every two passenger vehicles sold in India in the first seven months of the current financial year, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.
Shahrukh Khan is one of India's most loved "human brands", and while the drug controversy may have paused his endorsement engagements, it has not dented the superstar's popularity among corporate, as per industry experts. Right after the controversy around his son's arrest in an alleged drug case broke out, many companies halted ads featuring King Khan. Many of them are now back on screens.
The Tata group flagship has sold more sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in the domestic PV market in the past four months than any other automotive manufacturer, cementing its no.1 spot. It first grabbed pole position in the SUV segment in October 2021 after the launch of the Punch - a sub-compact SUV offering.
Right now, the 'Lower D' or LD segment -- which the industry defines as a sedan that costs between Rs 1.5 million and Rs 2 million, is longer than 4.5 metres, and powered by an engine of 1.8 litre or larger -- has barely three cars, all of which have been around for over a decade in India. Nevertheless, at least one foreign auto player is looking to bet big on the segment.
Automobile exports from India recovered in the first quarter with all vehicle segments, including passenger vehicles and two-wheelers, witnessing growth following an improvement in the pandemic situation across various international markets. As per the latest SIAM data, total vehicle exports during the April-June quarter this fiscal stood at 14,19,430 units as compared with 436,500 units in the same period of 2020-21 which saw massive disruptions due to the COVID lockdowns across the country, hampering sales as well overseas shipments. SIAM director general Rajesh Menon told PTI that while two-wheeler shipments were better than previous three years, passenger vehicles, three-wheelers and commercial vehicles export numbers were yet to catch up with numbers in the first quarter of 2018-19 fiscal.
Close to 60 per cent models that Kia sells in India are top trims of the models. In line with its global strategy, the India arm of South Korean major Kia has dropped 'Motors' from its name. This is to reflect the transition from an automaker to a provider of advanced and eco-friendly mobility solutions, the company said. With a new brand identity and slogan, the fourth-largest car maker in India by sales aims to accelerate growth and strengthen its premium positioning.
The company had sold 115,433 units in the corresponding month last year, MSI said in a statement.
Maruti's compact segment comprising New WagonR, Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno, Dzire, and utility vehicles, including Gypsy, Ertiga, XL6, S-Cross and Vitara Brezza saw robust sales, while the mini segment comprising Alto, S-Presso and Old WagonR saw negative growth.
Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com brings you some of the innovative cars presented at the latest edition of the Consumer Electronics Show.
The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Monday reported a 11.8 per cent increase in wholesales to 164,469 units in February. The company had sold 147,110 units in February last year, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said in a statement. Domestic sales increased 11.8 per cent to 1,52,983 units last month, as against 1,36,849 units in February 2020, it added.
Top 10 vehicles, value-wise, is dominated by the two players in the market, Maruti Suzuki & Hyundai
The models from Hyundai and Maruti, which might go on sale in October 2018 and February 2019, respectively, are set to revive a segment that had lost sheen to the compact SUV segment, lately
Exports during the month rose 4.4 per cent to 7,077 units as compared to 6,779 units in April last year, MSI said.
Compact SUVs have caught fancy of Indian buyers as they have all features of a full-fledged SUV - higher ground clearance, spacious, and high seats.
It's a zippy, well-engineered ride that offers comfort, quality, low cost of ownership and fuel efficiency at affordable prices, says Pavan Lall.
Hyundai has now given the hatchback a mid-life facelift that brings in refreshed exteriors, additional features on the inside and a revamped diesel engine.
India wasn't applying widespread crash testing like foreign countries do, so manufacturers didn't see the need for an investment focus on safety. Customers rarely walked into showrooms asking for the safest car. They wanted the cheapest or the most fuel-efficient or the best-looking car.
World Archery said that the dates if any event will be announced no later than two months in advance to allow athletes time to prepare.
After years of giving free passes to counterparts from Korea, Japan, US in the Indian auto market, Chinese automakers had planned a major push to grab the fifth largest car market in the world. But the shutdown of factories and logistics hubs in the country following the outbreak of coronavirus is slowly constricting the business of Chinese auto majors which have recently entered India.
Ford is among several multinational automobile companies in India for whom exports now bring bigger volumes than local sales.
Korea's second-largest automaker and Hyundai's sister company showcased a line-up of 16 models from its global portfolio at the ongoing Auto Show
Tata Motors is looking at various measures, including direct buying from stockists and making changes in the product configurations, to offset the impact of semiconductor shortage on its production activities and sales, a top company official has said. The auto major, which sells models including Nexon, Harrier and Safari in the domestic market, is also looking at different kinds of chips which could be used in components where the supply situation is severe. The automaker expects the situation to remain challenging in the ongoing quarter and some improvement in supplies only in the second half of the fiscal.
Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors and Tata Motors reported sales growth in the domestic market in November, aided by robust offtakes amid the festival season. While Maruti Suzuki India reported marginal growth, Hyundai logged in its highest ever monthly sales in November. Others like Honda Cars India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Mahindra & Mahindra and MG Motor India also reported sales growth in November as compared with the same month last year.
While the overall passenger car industry is expected to grow at around seven per cent a year in the next five years, SUV growth is expected to be over 10 per cent.
If it splits now, who takes what away and leaves what behind? asks Shekhar Gupta.
Why Kia is keen to drive into India? The Korean automobile maker plans to carve out a niche for itself in the crowded Indian market with its compact sedans and SUVs.
Seven years after it announced Nexa, there's no mistaking the seriousness with which Maruti wants the segment to grow, says Pavan Lall.
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