Leading automakers in India, including Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Hyundai, reported increased vehicle dispatches to dealers in February, driven by sustained domestic demand.
Maruti Suzuki India on Friday said it is recalling 7,213 units of its Baleno RS model due to a suspected defect in vacuum pump, which assists brake function. The recall will impact vehicles manufactured between October 27, 2016 and November 1, 2019, Maruti Suzuki India said in a regulatory filing. "It is suspected that there is a possible defect in vacuum pump, which assists the brake function.
In the domestic market, the car has been well accepted and currently the company has over 80,000 bookings for the model.
The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday announced a reduction in vehicle prices by up to Rs 1.29 lakh effective September 22 to pass on the GST rate cut benefit to customers.
Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India cut production of its passenger cars by 16 per cent last month but increased those of utility vehicles by 33 per cent compared to October 2023, according to a regulatory filing by the company. Its passenger cars production stood at 89,174 units last month against 1,06,190 units in October 2023, down 16 per cent, Maruti Suzuki India said in the filing.
The Baleno is among the top selling cars with unserviced bookings of 55,000 units.
Maruti Suzuki India's production in December 2022 was lower by 17.96 per cent at 124,722 units, according to a regulatory filing by the company. The company had a total production of 152,029 units in the same month a year ago. Production in mini cars and compact segment, comprising models such as Alto, S-Presso, Baleno, Celerio, Dzire, Ignis, Swift and WagonR, was lower at 83,753 units last month as compared to 106,090 units in December 2021.
Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday said it will hike prices by up to Rs 32,500 across various models from February 1 to partially offset the rise in input costs. Due to rising input costs and operational expenses, the company plans to increase car prices, starting February 1, 2025, Maruti Suzuki India said in a regulatory filing.
Speaking after the meeting, Maruti Suzuki chairman R C Bhargava said the company will export 'Baleno' at the moment
Leading carmakers Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai on Thursday reported a dip in wholesales in July as companies reduced vehicle dispatches to dealers amid moderation in demand. Maruti Suzuki India said its total domestic passenger vehicle sales stood at 137,463 units in July against 152,126 units in the year-ago month, down 9.64 per cent.
Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday reported a 28 per cent rise in exports at 263,068 units in 2022, its highest ever overseas shipments. The company's previous highest exports was achieved in 2021 with 205,450 units. The highest exported models in 2022 were Dzire, Swift, S-Presso, Baleno and Brezza, the company said in a statement.
Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Hyundai Motor India posted higher sales in January riding on the growth momentum ushered in by the GST reforms in the festive period last year.
Maruti Suzuki India and Hyundai reported single-digit sales growth in July with the sports utility segment continuing to drive overall demand in the market. Mahindra & Mahindra witnessed a 29 per cent increase in passenger vehicle dispatches while Tata Motors saw a marginal increase in the wholesales last month. Maruti Suzuki on Tuesday said its total domestic passenger vehicle sales stood at 152,126 units last month as compared to 142,850 units in the year-ago month, a growth of 6 per cent.
Priced at Rs 754,689, this is the sixth model from the company's portfolio after Alto, WagonR, Swift, Baleno and Dzire to be BS-VI compliant.
High price, combined with the decision to go only for diesel and position it as a crossover, resulted in its limited success
The slowdown in growth is an industry-wide trend and companies are adjusting production to bring down the inventory levels at plants as well as dealerships.
Indian automakers are reviving legacy nameplates to leverage brand recall and stand out in a crowded market, as classic badges like Sierra, Safari, Baleno and Scorpio return to attract buyers.
The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) witnessed a 3 per cent drop in production last month. In a regulatory filing, the auto major reported total production of 145,560 units in November compared to 150,221 units in November 2020. "The shortage of electronic components had a minor impact on the production of vehicles during the month," it noted.
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL), the largest passenger vehicle manufacturer in India, has set a road map to expand its global presence by targeting exports of 800,000 units by the end of this decade -- almost double the approximately 280,000 units sent abroad in 2023-24, Rahul Bharti, executive director, corporate affairs, told Business Standard. The company's upcoming electric vehicle (EV) strategy is expected to play a crucial role in its global ambitions.
Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday said it has commenced export of its sports utility vehicle Fronx to Japan. The first consignment of over 1,600 vehicles left for Japan from Gujarat's Pipavav port, the country's largest carmaker said in a statement. Fronx will be the first SUV from Maruti Suzuki stable to be launched in Japan, it added.
The Baleno cars covered in the recall include 17,231 export units.
Amid challenging market environment, Maruti Suzuki India and Mahindra & Mahindra reported an increase in vehicle dispatches to dealers last month while Tata Motors and Hyundai saw a year-on-year drop in sales.
For hatchbacks and sedans, offers range between Rs 40,000 and Rs 80,000 while SUVs and multi-purpose vehicles carry benefits exceeding Rs 1 lakh.
The Glanza is clearly a rebadged Maruti Suzuki Baleno, however, Toyota has given it a longer warranty and a lower starting price to make it more attractive. Are there other compelling reasons to consider it over Baleno?
Between April and August this financial year, passenger car exports rose 8.5 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y), while domestic sales fell by 8.5 per cent.
The recent currency volatility - rupee's depreciation against international currencies - may have given heartburns to automakers that rely on imports or pay royalty to parent companies abroad. But for Maruti Suzuki India, favourable movement of the yen - the currency that matters the most - against the Indian rupee, has given it reasons to cheer. The yen's sharp fall against the rupee and the rupee's depreciation against the US dollar, which in turn will bump up export realisations, are set to give a margin boost to the maker of Baleno and Brezza, said analysts. The softening of commodity prices and slew of new SUV launches in the coming months will also aid margins, they said.
Maruti Suzuki had discontinued the mid-sized sedan Baleno in 2006, which was replaced by SX4 later on.
Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motor India on Monday reported a dip in passenger vehicle dispatches to dealers in the domestic market last month as the companies tried to adjust vehicle inventory amid slowing demand. Maruti Suzuki India said it "calibrated supplies" to the dealers, aligning with the industry's retail sales projections amid India-Pakistan conflict and a dip in sales of entry-level cars.
Auto majors Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra reported robust sales in September as reduced price tags owing to GST rationalisation led to record demand in the Navaratri period. The month also saw Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra settling at number two and three positions, respectively in vehicle wholesales ahead of Hyundai Motor India.
Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Mahindra, and Tata Motors saw a dip in dispatches to dealers in August amid dip in demand with many prospective buyers postponing their buys anticipating a reduction in vehicle prices on account of the new GST framework. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India reported an 8 per cent year-on-year dip in dispatches of passenger vehicles in the domestic market last month.
The Baleno is a runaway hit for Maruti Suzuki with delivery wait extending to six months.
The company is voluntarily undertaking a recall for WagonR (1 litre) manufactured between November 15, 2018, and October 15, 2019, and Baleno (petrol) manufactured between January 8, 2019, and November 4, 2019, MSI said in a regulatory filing.
After a successful tie up in traditional ICE and strong hybrid models, Suzuki and Toyota are now set to take their partnership to the next level: the electric vehicle segment. Both the Japanese auto giants recently announced a plan to produce Suzuki eVX-based SUV which will be sold under Toyota brand across the globe. This electric SUV, bearing Toyota's logo, will go for production at Suzuki Motor Group (SMG) facility in Hansalpur, Gujarat beginning the spring of 2025, marking the first EV launch for both companies in India.
India's used car market, which has been growing steadily at 10-12 per cent over the last 2-3 years, is expected to reach $40 billion in FY26.
Leading passenger vehicle maker Maruti Suzuki on Saturday reported marginal growth while Hyundai and Tata Motors posted a decline in their sales in February as a slowdown in the market continued with demand remaining muted. On the other hand, Mahindra & Mahindra and Toyota Kirloskar Motor posted double-digit growth riding on their SUV and MPV models.
Maruti launched the Baleno in May 2016 and the new Swift in February this year
'The customer is fast changing, and she demands newer experiences that wealth can buy.'
Auto majors Maruti Suzuki India and Hyundai reported muted sales performance in October as the companies curtailed dispatches to dealers in order to cut inventory build up.
Toyota's India unit will also source two cars manufactured by Maruti Suzuki, the Baleno and Brezza, including their hybrid variants, and in return Toyota will offer its Corolla sedan to Maruti.
The new year will see a line of hatchbacks (including compact SUVs) hit the Indian roads. Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com offers a peek.
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