New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India inched closer to controlling half of the domestic passenger vehicle market after grabbing an over 48 per cent share in April, driven by sales of its premium models such as Vitara Brezza, Baleno, Ciaz and S-Cross.
The country’s largest carmaker, which closed last fiscal year with a seven-year high market share of 46.8 per cent, saw the four models accounting for over 25 per cent share of its total domestic sales in April.
“Our growth from new models has been 17 per cent more than what we received with new models in same period last year,” Maruti Suzuki India executive director-marketing & sales R S Kalsi told PTI.
New premium offerings – Ciaz, Baleno, Vitara Brezza and S Cross – have been the primary growth driver, he added.
The company’s entry into new segments has brought in additional sales volume with the leading four sellers from the company’s stable – Alto, DZire, Swift and WagonR – continuing to hold top positions, he added.
Last month, the four premium models – Vitara Brezza, Baleno, Ciaz and S-Cross – sold 25,603 units, accounting for a 25.42 per cent share in the company’s total domestic sales of 1,00,709 units.
In April, the company’s utility vehicle sales including models like Gypsy, Ertiga, S-Cross, Vitara Brezza surged 260 per cent to 16,044 units compared with 4,452 units a year ago.
The compact sedan segment sales grew 8 per cent last month to 45,700 units mainly driven by Baleno, which outpaced rival Hyundai’s i20 by selling 9,562 units.
While the mid-segment sedan Ciaz sold 5,702 units in April, just 91 units short of segment leader Honda City.
“The sales growth of 16.2 per cent in April and market share of over 48 per cent in the domestic passenger segment is in line with our overall target of achieving double-digit growth in the current fiscal,” Mr Kalsi said.
“Bookings for Vitara Brezza have crossed 55,000 mark while Baleno continues to excel in its segment,” he said, adding that S-Cross sales continue to be in the region of 2,500 units a month.
In comparison, sales of the mini segment cars like Alto and WagonR declined 9.9 per cent to 31,906 units in April compared with 35,403 units in the year-ago period.
The company had sold a total of 1,17,045 units in domestic market last month, up 16.2 per cent from 1,00,709 units in the year-ago period.
For fiscal year 2015-16, Maruti Suzuki India had posted its best-ever annual sales of 14,29,248 units, a growth of 10.6 per cent.
This comprised the highest ever domestic sales of 13,05,351 units and 1,23,897 units of exports.
PTI