Maruti is trying to move up the segment by focusing on premium cars, SUVs and even trucks.
Like last year, this year too smartphones dominated the most successful launches taking the top three slots, with two auto brands completing the top 5 line-up.
The country's biggest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India, has raised concerns about the continuing slide in small car sales.
The new year will see a line of hatchbacks (including compact SUVs) hit the Indian roads. Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com offers a peek.
Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors reported decline in wholesales in August as the companies curtailed vehicle dispatches amid drop in demand and to cut inventories at dealer level. Market leader Maruti Suzuki India said its total domestic passenger vehicle wholesales were at 143,075 units last month as compared to 156,114 units in the year-ago month, registering a dip of 8 per cent. Sales of mini segment cars, comprising Alto and S-Presso, declined to 10,648 units last month as against 12,209 units a year ago.
Among these will be all-new Swift and Dzire.
MSI in January increased prices by up to Rs 31,600.
Passenger vehicle wholesales saw a marginal growth of 4 per cent in June on account of high base effect and muted demand due to severe heatwave conditions in several parts of the country. Overall passenger vehicle dispatches last month stood at 340,784 units, a growth of 3.67 per cent compared with 328,710 units in June 2023.
The company had introduced the AGS technology in India with Celerio and it currently offers it in Alto K10 and WagonR also.
Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors on Friday reported robust sales for February as demand for sports utility vehicles continued to remain strong. Mahindra & Mahindra, Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Honda Cars also witnessed higher vehicle dispatches to dealers last month. February turned out to be the third-best month for sales for the industry ever.
Maruti's 7 models in India's top ten selling passenger vehicles in 2016-17
The company had sold 1,58,076 units in March last year, Maruti Suzuki India said in a statement. Domestic sales declined by 46.4 per cent at 79,080 units last month as against 1,47,613 units in March 2019, it added.
Seeking to make a mark in the big car segment, the country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India will open bookings of its upcoming mid-sized sedan Ciaz from Wednesday.
Maruti is expected to post double-digit growth on product launches and good demand for entry-level cars.
However, compared to August, vehicle sales increased by 15.25 per cent on the back of discounts. Maruti led the market in offering heavy discounts and incentives for buyers and dealers, reports Arindam Majumder.
Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) and Hyundai posted single-digit growth in domestic sales in June, even as the overall passenger vehicle segment crossed the 20 lakh units sales mark for the first time-ever in the first half this year. Toyota Kirloskar Motor reported a double-digit growth in dispatches to dealers, while Kia saw a dip in wholesales last month. MG Motor India also reported a double-digit increase in retail sales in June 2023 compared to the same month last year.
Sales of mini cars comprising Alto and WagonR were at 11,577 units as compared to 37,710 units in July last year, down 69.3 per cent.
With an AMT system, the car's price will no doubt increase, but it will also have its own identity as a spacious city car with the low-tech AMT box.
The protection to the driver's chest due to high chest compression was poor and the passenger's chest received weak protection
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Country's largest car-maker Maruti Suzuki India continues its dominance on the Indian roads, with its four models, led by entry-level small car Alto.
The country's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Friday reported a 4.5 per cent increase in total sales at 1,53,435 units in October.
Passenger vehicle wholesales in India witnessed a marginal growth in May on account of high base effect and muted demand due to general elections. The overall passenger vehicle dispatches from companies to dealers stood at 350,257 lakh units last month as compared to 335,436 in the same month a year ago, registering a growth of 4 per cent.
'It leads to more investment, more money put in R&D, expansion and modernisation.'
The company cut production of its mini cars comprising Alto, and S-Presso by 98.32 per cent at 401 units as against 23,874 units in the year-ago month.
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.
Maruti's Alto retained the top position in June with 14,856 units, as against 15,750 units in June last year.
Demand rising for Maruti Celerio, Honda City, Hyundai Xcent, Nissan Terrano and Datsun Go, most of which were launched in 2014.
Driven by strong demand, the overall passenger vehicle dispatches crossed 3.35 lakh units in February as automakers, including Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, reported robust sales during the month. The dispatches of more than 3.35 lakh units last month marked an 11 per cent over February 2022. It was also the highest ever overall wholesales in the month of February. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India on Wednesday said its domestic wholesales rose 11 per cent to 155,114 units in February as compared with 140,035 units in the same month last year.
Dealers across brands are slashing prices by Rs 20,000 to over Rs 1 lakh, depending on the car model.
Passenger vehicle wholesales in India rose to a record high in October as companies pushed dispatches to dealers to cater to the enhanced demand in the festive season. The overall passenger vehicle wholesales in October rose to 391,472 units, up 16 per cent from 336,679 units in the same month last year. Last month witnessed the highest-ever dispatches of passenger vehicles in the domestic market by Maruti Suzuki India and Mahindra & Mahindra.
While Hyundai Motor India reported a marginal growth, Toyota Kirloskar Motor witnessed a dip in sales last month.
The car is expected to hit the road on October 23 and is being launched as Hyundai celebrates two decades in the country. Industry sources say that it will be priced at Rs 3,70,000 to stay competitive with its biggest competitors, Tata Tiago and Maruti Suzuki Celerio.
'We are seeing one of the highest discounts in recent years across companies.' 'October is a crucial month with several festivals coming up.'
Auto firms have reported a good jump in sales for the month of December
While sales of compact cars, including models such as Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno and Dzire declined, sales of utility vehicles, including Vitara Brezza, S-Cross and Ertiga, increased 26.3 per cent to 19,177 units as compared to 15,178 in the year-ago month.
According to the latest data from SIAM, in the top 10 best passenger vehicles, Maruti's Alto retained the top position last month
7 Maruti models among top 10 best selling passenger vehicles in April
The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Thursday reported a 30.8 per cent increase in total sales at 1,60,442 units in September. The company had sold 1,22,640 units in September last year, MSI said in a statement.
Bajaj Auto's margins are expected to expand 100 basis points, as volumes have recovered.
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