April 2017, the first month of the new fiscal year, brought cheer to most carmakers with passenger vehicle sales growing 14.78 percent to 277,602 units on upbeat buying sentiment. Importantly, it was after a long time that passenger car sales (190,788 / +17.36%) saw higher growth in percentage terms than the continuously surging demand for SUVs (70,691 / +13.71%).
The pecking order for the Top 10 best-sellers for April 2017 sees a major change as the Maruti Swift (23,802 units) drove past longstanding chart-topper Alto (22,549 units) to clinch the top spot. Maruti is set to launch the new Swift in early 2018.
At No. 3 is the Maruti Baleno which sold 584 units each day in April as sales hit a record 17,530 units, up 83 percent from April 2016, and helping it stay ahead of sibling Wagon R (16,348) and key rival, the fifth-placed Hyundai Elite i20 which sold 12,668 units. Deliveries across the country saw an uptick as the first phase of production began earlier this year at Maruti's Gujarat plant.
At No 6 is the Hyundai Grand i10 (12,001 units) which continues to see demand and retains the same position it had a year ago.
The Maruti Vitara Brezza, which went home to 10,653 buyers, remains the best-selling SUV and is No. 7 on the Top 10 list, closely followed by the Hyundai Creta which sold 9,213 units last month.
At No. 9 is the Maruti Dzire with sales of 8,797 units, having slipped from No. 4 position it had in April 2016 with sales of 13,256 units. With the third-generation Dzire having been launched, and over 33,000 online bookings even before the launch on May 18, expect the Dzire to climb up the Top 10 rankings in the coming months.
Wrapping up the Top 10 list for the month is the Maruti Celerio with sales of 8,425 units.
What’s common between April 2017 and April 2016 is the dominance of Maruti with a total of seven models in the Top 10. In fact, over the one-year period, the carmaker has increased its passenger vehicle market share to 51.90 percent from 48.35 percent.