Pre GST or post GST, the Maruti Alto remains king. Even as pre-GST jitters gripped automakers as well as consumers, the overwhelming favourite continued to rule at the top of the Top 10 best-selling cars for June 2017, despite the month hitting a new sales low after May 2013.

Coming on the back of healthy growth of 8.63 percent year-on-year growth in May 2017 (251,642 units), June’s sales of 198,399 passenger vehicles were a sharp YoY fall of 11.21 percent across all three segments – cars (136,895 / -11.24%), utility vehicles (49,547 / - 11.25%) and vans (11,957 / -10.72%).

For many vehicle manufacturers, all of June went into stock rationalisation, especially at the dealer end, with most dealers focusing on liquidating their existing inventory so as to not carry it forward into July. The key reasons for this was the upcoming drop in prices and a very grim clause from the government to credit only the excise duty paid on all vehicles procured before July 1, and not the entire tax and associated cesses being subsumed under the GST, which add up to about 6-7 percent in addition of the excise. 

Even while the cumulative numbers of the Top 10 in June (100,563) are considerably short of the cumulative Top 10 in May 2017 (130,847 units ), Maruti maintains its stranglehold with seven of its products with only one change – the Celerio comes in where the Ertiga has moved out.

Let’s take a closer look at the Top 10 in June 2017.

Maruti’s continued dominance
Maruti Suzuki India’s sheer dominance of the PV sector will be difficult to shake off. In the April-June 2017 period, the company further expanded its market share to 50.49 percent from 46.24 percent a year ago. Put these gains down to the Baleno and the Brezza, which continue to see a surge in demand even as the carmaker accelerates production of these two models.

Despite the overall slow offtake of PVs during the month, the Maruti Alto still went home to 14,856 owners, indicative of the fact that the little entry-level hatchback continues to see demand among buyers, helping it stay No. 1.

Unseating the Swift from No. 2 position in May is the Hyundai Grand i10, which moves up three positions with sales of 12,317 units. Year on year, the Grand i10 has also bettered its ranking by moving up one slot.

The Maruti Dzire, which is the sole sedan in the Top 10, is third on the podium with 12,050 units, reflecting the fact that even in a slow market the recently launched new version has what it takes to attract new buyers.

The Maruti Wagon R is fourth with sales of 10,668 units, retaining the same place as in June 2016 when it had sold 11,962 units.

The Hyundai Elite i20 drives in to take fifth position with 10,609 units, marginally being pipped by the Wagon R. Importantly, YoY, it has risen two spots and sold higher numbers.

The Maruti Swift stays glued to sixth spot, both in June 2017 (9,902 units) and June 2016 (9,033 units). 

Taking No. 7 position is the hard-driving Maruti Baleno, which sold a total of 9,057 units in June 2017 as compared to 6,967 units a year ago.

The Maruti Vitara Brezza, a regular in the Top 10 since its launch over a year ago, is at No. 8 with 8,293 units – this is its lowest monthly tally in the past six months after the 8,932 units in January this year.

Bringing up the rear at No. 9 and No. 10 are Hyundai Creta and the Maruti Celerio respectively.  

 Also read : INDIA SALES ANALYSIS: GST casts a shadow over sales in June  

INDIA SALES: Top 5 Utility Vehicles – June 2017 

INDIA SALES: Top 10 Two-Wheelers – June 2017 

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INDIA SALES: Top 10 Scooters – June 2017