Top car companies like Maruti Suzuki, Honda cars, Toyota and Tata Motors have started new fiscal year with a bang posting high double-digit growth in their domestic passenger vehicle sales in April.
Market leader Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) recorded its best ever monthly domestic numbers in April, with sales at 1,44,492 units, a growth of 23.4 per cent compared to 1,17,045 units in April 2016.
The company had recorded its previous best monthly domestic sales in September 2016 at 1,37,277 units.
MSI’s April sales were driven by the compact car segment and utility vehicles (UV).
The compact car segment comprising Swift, Dzire, Baleno and Ignis grew 39.1 per cent to 6,35,84 units as against 45,700 units in the same month of 2016.
UVs, including Ertiga, S-Cross and Vitara Brezza, rose 28.6 per cent to 20,638 units in April, from 16,044 in the same month last year, it added.
However, the second-largest manufacturer in the segment, Hyundai Motor India ltd (HMIl) logged a growth of just 5.68 per cent in its domestic sales at 44,758 units in April as against 42,351 units in the year-ago month.
HMIl Director Sales and Marketing Rakesh Srivastava said the company continued its growth momentum “on a strong base of last year”.
Tata Motors reported 23 per cent growth in its sales of passenger vehicles in the domestic market at 12,827 units last month.
It was led by a strong pipeline for Tiago and a positive response for new lifestyle UV - Tata HEXA, Tata Motors President Passenger Vehicles Business Unit Mayank Pareek said.
Honda Cars India ltd (HCIl) reported a 38.1 per cent increase in domestic sales at 14,480 units in April. It had sold 10,486 units in the same period last year.
HCIl said it received overwhelming customer response to the newly-launched Honda WR-V and new Honda City.
On the sales performance, HCIl President and CEO Yoichiro Ueno said: “The new fiscal year has begun on a positive note and we hope to continue the growth momentum.”
Similarly, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) reported a 51.81 per cent jump in its domestic sales at 12,948 units as against 8,529 units in April last year. It was driven by its newly launched SUV Fortuner.
Nissan reported a 39.26 per cent increase in India sales at 4,217 units in April. The company had sold 3,028 units in April 2016, Nissan India said in a statement.
Commenting on this performance, Nissan India Managing Director Arun Malhotra said the company has started the fiscal on a robust note in terms of sales and sentiment.
The newly launched Terrano and Datsun redi-GO continue to get good response from customers, he added In the two-wheeler segment, niche bike maker Royal Enfield reported a 24.78 per cent jump in total sales at 60,142 units in April. It had sold 48,197 units in April 2016.
In the two-wheeler segment, Royal Enfield, the two-wheeler division of Eicher Motors, reported a 24.78 per cent jump in total sales at 60,142 units in April. It had sold 48,197 units in April 2016, Eicher Motors said in a statement.
Exports during the month under review grew 36 per cent to 1,578 units as compared to 1,160 units in April 2016.
India Yamaha Motor announced 7.66 per cent increase in sales at 68,827 units in April.
The company had sold 63,927 units in April 2016, India Yamaha Motor said in a statement.
Commenting on the sales performance, Yamaha Motor India Sales Vice-President (Sales and Marketing) Roy Kurian said the company has been able to increase its sales despite recent challenges like ban on BS III inventory that the industry faced.
He said the company is eyeing to achieve one million sales in 2017.
It has introduced FZ 25, the macho street bike to cater to the premium segments that mostly dominates the urban market, Kurian added.