WagonR takes the lead, Nexon emerges as best-selling SUV, Auto News, ET Auto

New Delhi: Selling over a lakh units in the April-September period, Maruti Suzuki’s tallboy hatch WagonR emerged as the best-selling car in India for the first six months of the current financial year. It took the crown position in four out of six months, with the exceptions being Baleno in August and Alto in September.

At No 2 is the carmaker’s premium offering Baleno which is sold via its retail channel Nexa. Last month, the model outsold WagonR.

Standing strong amid the market leader’s domination is Tata Motors’ Nexon, which stood on the Top 3 spot being the best-selling model in the SUV category. It was also the only SUV to find a space among the Top 5, leaving behind competitors like Hyundai’s Creta and Maruti’s Vitara Brezza.

Fourth and fifth positions were taken by the country’s favorite small hatchbacks Alto and Swift respectively. Alto has a history of standing high at No 1 position for close to 16 consecutive fiscal years until FY20, when it was displaced by Swift in FY21 and WagonR in FY22. Maruti managed to take up 4 out of the Top 5 positions.

In the Top 10 PV list, the country’s largest carmaker contributed over 70% share. This was followed by Tata Motors contributing about 20% and Hyundai 10% share.

One may also note that even though the semiconductor shortage is gradually easing, most carmakers are still sitting on waiting orders. This may also be the reason that models which are equipped with comparatively lesser number of chips find more buyers.

Domestic sales in H1 FY23 (April – September 2022)

Hyundai was represented in the Top 10 list by its best-selling model Creta. The mid-size SUV sold over 75,000 units during the first six months of the fiscal year. The only sedan to enter the list was Maruti’s Dzire, followed by the Eeco van on number 8 spot. Vitara Brezza, Maruti’s representative in the sub-4 meter category of SUVs, sold close to 70,000 units and took the ninth spot in the list. The company launched the second gen Brezza in June this year and omitted the moniker Vitara.

Tata’s Punch, launched just about a year ago, marked its presence in the Top 10 list by selling an average of 11,000 units in the six months of this fiscal year.

SUV-styled models take up 50% share in September, Alto emerges as top seller for the first time in 2022

Alto, which sold close to 25,000 units, has emerged as the best-selling car in the calendar year 2022 for the first time in September. Last month, Maruti re-introduced the Alto K10 in the Indian market.

WagonR was on No 2, just about 5,000 units behind. Baleno, which took the No 1 position last month stood at the third spot, followed by Maruti’s entry level model in SUV category, Vitara Brezza.

The only model to break the market leader’s monopoly in the Top 5 list was Tata’s Nexon again.

Domestic sales in September 2022

The gradual increase in interest and demand for SUV-style vehicles reflected in the list of Top 10 PVs in September which saw 50% contribution of these models, namely Vitara Brezza, Nexon, Creta, Punch and Venue. Moreover, two of the top 5 best selling models in September were from SUV category.

Tata’s Punch which is not even a direct competitor to Hyundai’s Creta sold just about 600 units less than the latter in the last month.

In the Top 10 PV list for September, majority of 60% share was taken by Maruti Suzuki, with 20% each from Hyundai and Tata Motors.

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For the first time in calendar year 2022, Maruti’s premium offering Baleno took a lead over WagonR, which has been the top selling model for 6 out of first 8 months. Interestingly, 2 out of top 5 models in August came from the SUV badge. Overall, Maruti occupied a 70% share in Top 10, followed by 20% from Tata Motors and 10% from Hyundai, making an entry with each of their SUVs.

Halfway through the current financial year, the automobile sales graph is looking up owing to the previous low base, the easing of semiconductor shortage, narrowing supply-demand gap, exciting new launches and the consumer enthusiasm of a COVID-free festive season after two years.