Maruti Alto drives past 3.5 million sales landmark

Maruti Suzuki India has announced that its entry-level Alto hatchback has surpassed cumulative sales of 35 lakh units. The Alto has been the best-selling car in India for 14 consecutive years. 

The Alto has two engine options on offer – 800 cc and K10 – along with a CNG fuel variant. In 2014, Maruti Suzuki introduced its two-pedal technology (Auto Gear Shift) transmission in the Alto K10. Today, about 18 percent of Alto K10 sales come from the AGS variants.

Commenting on the landmark, R S Kalsi, senior executive director (Marketing & Sales), Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Brand Alto continues to remain fresh, relevant and as exciting as it was in 2000. Since 2006, every two years, the Alto is adding 500,000 new customers. In 2008, we clocked 10 lakh units. In 2010, it touched 15 lakh units and today in 2018, we have crossed 35 lakh cumulative sales.”

“Maruti Suzuki has systematically upgraded the Alto to meet the ever-evolving customer aspirations and strengthen the Alto brand. In 2017-18, nearly 55 percent of customers selected Alto as their first car purchase. Also, 25 percent of Alto buyers are buying it as an additional car,” Kalsi added.

The Alto has clocked a growth rate of 6 percent in 2017-18 (April 2017-February 2018) and a market share of 33 percent in its segment. Between April 2017 to December 2017, the car had sold a total of 196,342 units. 

Maruti Suzuki says nearly 44 percent of Alto sales come from buyers less than 35 years old. This contribution has grown by 4 percent in the past three years.