Maruti Suzuki India has reported improved numbers for December 2019. With total sales / despatches of 122,784 units, the country's leading carmaker has recorded 2.5 percent year-on-year growth (December 2018: 119,804). The company had last recorded growth in October 2019, which came after seven straight months of decline, but was down 3.3 percent in November 2019.

Sales in 2019
January: 139,440 (0.18%)
February: 136,912 (0.19%)
March: 145,031 (-1.45%)
April: 131,385 (-19.61%)
May: 121,018 (-25.06%)
June: 111,014 (-17.18%)
July: 98,274 (-35.52%)
August 2019: 93,173 (-36.1%)
September 2019: 110,454 (-27.1%)
October 2019: 139,121 (2.33%)
November: 139,133 (-3.3%)
December: 122,784 (2.5%)
Total: 1,487,739

How the sales stack up in December
The entry level hatchback segment comprising of the Alto, S-Presso and the old Wagon R saw despatches of 23,883 units, down 13.6% (December 2018: 27,649).

The six-member compact car lot – New Wagon R, Celerio, Ignis, Swift, Baleno and Dzire – which was down down 7.6 percent in November, has bounced back and how. At 65,673 units, this lot has saved Maruti the blushes with robust 27.8% YoY growth (December 2018: 51,346).

The premium Ciaz sedan continues to bear the brunt of the slowdown. At 1,786 units last month, its numbers are a massive 62% down on earlier-ago sales (December 2018: 4,734). Clearly, Maruti will have to do a strategic rethink on the marketing game-plan.

Overall, Maruti's passenger car portfolio, with the boost from the six-member compact cars, totals 91,342 units, up 9.1% YoY (December 2018: 83,729). This is also indicative that growth is gradually returning to the passenger car segment.

UV numbers improving month on month
With the UV market already in positive territory in April-November 2019, Maruti Suzuki too is benefiting from the wave of demand. It has been reporting a month-on-month growth in this segment, in line with the overall industry trend.

In December, the carmaker sold a total of 23,808 UVs, which is a 17.7% growth (December 2018: 23,204) and 604 units more than the 23,204 units sold in November.

The two vans, Eeco and Omni, are faring poorly. At 7,634 units, sales are down a substantial 51.8% (December 2018: 15,850).

Maruti Suzuki also sold a total of 1,360 units of the rebadged Baleno, sold as the Toyota Glanza to Toyota Kirloskar Motor, taking the total Glanza deliveries over the nine-month period to 17,950 units.