Maruti Ertiga outsells Wagon R in first 11 months of CY2024

Maruti Suzuki India, the market leader and bellwether of the Indian passenger vehicle as well as utility vehicle industry, has registered total dispatches of 1.62 million units (16,25,308 units) in January-November 2024, which marks marginal 1% year-on-year growth (January-November 2023: 16,02,890 units). The surging demand for the company’s utility vehicles compared to the flagging sales of its passenger cars and sole sedan is now reflected in its specific model-wise performance at the top.

A deep dive into the company’s sales statistics for the first 11 months of CY2024 reveals that the Ertiga MPV, with 174,035 units, has outsold the longstanding Maruti Suzuki best-seller, the Wagon R (173,552 units) by 483 units. Whether the Ertiga holds onto the lead in December to be the company’s new No. 1 model for a calendar year remains to be seen albeit given the trend of the last month of the year, it should. 

The Ertiga, which has outsold the Wagon R for five out of 11 months this year, currently has a slender lead of 483 units over its hatchback sibling. 

In CY2023, the Wagon R had sold 201,301 units, while the Ertiga had sold 129,968 units – a difference of 71,333 units, which puts the two models’ performance this year in a different perspective, and representative of the trends in their respective segments. While the Ertiga’s UV segment continues to thrive, the Wagon R’s hatchback market has seen a marked decline.

MARUTI ERTIGA – 174,035 units, up 49% YoY (January-November 2023: 116,993 units)
The Ertiga – Maruti Suzuki India's first crack at the MPV segment – has been on a roll this year. Its wholesales of 174,035 units in the first 11 months constitute handsome 49% YoY growth (January-November 2023: 116,993 units). The MPV’s best sales month in this year to date has been the festival-laden October (18,785 units).

Strong and sustained demand, particularly for the CNG variant, means that this model has already sold 44,067 units more than its entire CY2023 sales of 129,968 units (when it was UV No. 5), with December sales still to be counted.

The Ertiga, which drove past the million-unit sales milestone in February 2024, has accumulated cumulative sales of 1.15 million units till end-November 2024 and benefits from clever packaging. Despite being a seven-seater, it is still compact in dimensions, and its light controls and good all-round visibility make it very user-friendly and easy to drive. The interiors are spacious and feel plush, and the well-cushioned seats take cabin comfort up a few notches.

Between January and November 2024, the Ertiga has outsold the Wagon R in five months – May and from August through to November (see 11-month wholesales data table below). The Ertiga sold 69,956 units in August-November compared to the Wagon R’s 57,693 units. This makes for a sizeable difference of 12,263 units which has helped the Ertiga bridge the sales gap of the preceding seven months.

MARUTI WAGON R – 173,552 units, down 10% YoY (January-November 2023: 192,723 units)
The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R, which recently completed 25 years in the Indian market and is one of the longest-surviving nameplates, has been India’s bestselling car for the past three fiscal years in a row – FY2022 (188,827 units), FY2023 (212,340 units / up 12%), and FY2024 (200,177 units / down 5.73% YoY). In the first eight months of FY2025, the Wagon R has sold 120,016 units, down 13% YoY (April-November 2023: 138,063 units).

The Wagon R, which is built on Suzuki’s Heartect platform (shared with the Celerio, Swift and Baleno models) has two engine options comprising a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol which develops 68hp and 90 Nm of torque, and a more powerful 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol with 83hp and 113 Nm. Both engines have the options of manual and AMT gearboxes. The Wagon R 1.0 is also available with a factory fitted CNG kit, and this variant has become a strong growth engine for the model.

Like the Ertiga, the current-generation Wagon R has also gone past a million unit sales since its launch on January 23, 2019 and, at end-November 2024, has clocked 1.07 million units. This spacious and practical urban runabout is an easy to live with hatchback for reasonable money. At present, there are nine variants, starting with an on-road (Mumbai) price of Rs 658,000 and going upwards to Rs 869,000.

The decline in the Wagon R’s sales can also be attributed to strong consumer shift from passenger cars towards SUVs and MPVs. This is amply reflected in Maruti Suzuki’s segment-wise sales performance for the first 11 months of CY2024.

UV SHARE OF PV SALES JUMPS TO 40% FROM 32%, CAR-SEDAN SHARE DROPS TO 52% FROM 60%

As the segment-wise split of Maruti Suzuki India’s total passenger vehicle sales (11-month data table below) shows, UV sales have helped buffer the sharp decline in the company’s hatchback and sedan sales. Combined sales of hatchbacks (Alto, S-Presso, Baleno, Swift, Wagon R, Celerio, Ignis) and sedans (Dzire and Ciaz) at 843,261 units are down 12% YoY (January-November 2023: 956,326 units). This has also impacted their share of total PV sales – currently at 52% from the 60% they had in the first 11 months of CY2023. And the Wagon R is part of that story.

Meanwhile, in sharp contrast and in line with the overall industry trend, demand for Maruti Suzuki’s UV model range has grown stronger with every passing year. Between January and November 2024, a total of 655,020 UVs were dispatched to dealers across India, making for robust 26% YoY growth (January-November 2023: 520,588 units). This performance has seen the UV share of Maruti Suzuki’s overall PV sales jump to 40% from 32% a year ago – making up the same 8% decline in car sales.

HOW MARUTI SUZUKI’S 17 MODELS STACK UP IN JANUARY-NOVEMBER 2024
Of the 655,020 UVs sold in the January-November 2024 period, four models with six-figure sales stand out. The Ertiga leads with 174,035 units, just 3,212 units ahead of the Brezza (170,823 units), and Fronx (145,484 units) compact SUVs, and the Grand Vitara (115,564 units). The fifth model in Maruti Suzuki’s UV pecking order is the XL6 MPV (38,199 units), followed by the Jimny (7,634 units) and the premium Invicto MPV (3,191 units).

Meanwhile, the Wagon R (173,552 units) leads the rest of the 10-model Maruti Suzuki portfolio. At No. 2 is the premium Baleno (162,982 units) just 595 units ahead of sibling Swift. The Dzire sedan (151,415 units) is the No. 4 passenger car model, followed by the Eeco van (127,027 units). The Alto (98,512 units), Celerio (35,299 units), S-Presso (26,172 units), Ignis (26,111 units) and the Ciaz (6,831 units) make up the rest. 

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