Maruti Suzuki sells 134,036 cars in June, Q1 numbers up 25% to 458,967 units

Maruti Suzuki India has announced its domestic market sales numbers for June 2018. At 134,036 units, they mark a 44 percent year-on-year growth (June 2017: 93,057) albeit on a low year-ago base (for Maruti). Meanwhile, for the first quarter of FY2019 (April-June 2018), the carmaker has sold a total of 458,967 units (+24.9%), which puts it on line to achieve sales of over 1.9 million units for the fiscal and tantalisingly close to its sales target of 2 million annual sales by 2020.

Q1's domestic market and export sales combined add up to 458,967 units (including CVs).

Nonetheless, compared to April and May 2018 sales, Maruti's numbers are somewhat down in June. In May 2018, the carmaker registered total sales of 161,497 units, posting notable growth of 24 percent on a year-on-year basis (May 2017: 130,248). While it had put out its best-ever performance in April 2018, selling 164,434 units (+13.40%).

High fuel prices sees demand grow for passenger cars 
In June, Maruti’s sales numbers have received a robust charge from its range of compact cars, which includes the Swift, Baleno, Dzire, Celerio and the Ignis. These five cars collectively went home to 71,570 buyers, registering growth of 76.7 percent (June 2017: 40,496). Of these, the Swift and the Dzire remain the top grossers with the hatchback and the compact sedan siblings in their latest third-generation avatar having become hot customer favourites in their respective segments.

In Q1 FY2019, these 5 cars have sold a total of 232,667 units, marking handsome 49.8 percent growth and indicative of the fact that demand has returned to the passenger car sector, in light of the sharply rising petrol and diesel prices.

The entry-level Alto and Wagon R posted combined sales of 29,381 units, posting growth of 15.1 percent (June 2017: 25,524), bouncing back from the sales decline in May 2018. For the first quarter of FY2019, these two cars see flat growth of 1.5 percent to 105,039 units.

Sales of the premium Ciaz sedan, however, continue to decline. The domestic market sales of the Ciaz, which is sold through the Nexa channel, have hit a new low of 1,579 units in June (-60%) compared to sales of 3,950 units in June 2017. In Q1 FY2019, the Ciaz has sold a total of 10,719 units, down 31.7 percent over a year ago.

With competition already fierce in the C-segment space, which just became fiercer with the recent entry of the Toyota Yaris, the Ciaz needs a sales accelerator to regain its lost sheen in the market.

While sales of Maruti vans - Omni and Eeco - grew 32.3 percent to 12,185 units (June 2017: 9ay 2017: 12,593); the quartet of UVs - the Gypsy, Ertiga, Vitara Brezza and the S-Cross sold a total of 19,321 units, posting YoY growth of 39.2 percent (June 2017: 13,879).

In Q1 FY2019, Maruti UVs were bought by 65,754 new owners, up 15.1 percent.

The Vitara Brezza compact SUV, which has been leading the charge of driving the company's growth in the UV segment has also been recently updated by Maruti, giving it a breath of fresh air with a new Orange paint scheme, blackened alloy wheels, and the option of an Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) as well in its mid- and top-spec trims.

Also read: Top 10 Passenger Vehicles – May 2018 | Alto supreme, Dzire, Baleno and Swift close in on 20,000 mark

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