With India’s passenger vehicle market firing on all cylinders, it’s not surprising that the market leader is also making the most of the positive market sentiment. The company has reported wholesales of 132,395 units in November 2022, which is a 21% year-on-year increase (November 2021: 109,726). For the April-November 2022 period, cumulative sales have crossed a million units – at 1,067,282 units, they are up 31% over year-ago sales (April-November 2021: 811,809 units).
What augurs well for Maruti Suzuki is that sales across all sub-segments are in positive territory, other than for the Eeco van last month albeit on the cumulative sales front, it is in the black. What’s more, the growth is coming in double digits.
The company’s entry level cars – the Alto and S-Presso – saw marginal 4% growth in November at 18,251 units but see 16% growth in the April-November 2022 period at 164,243 units. With demand returning to the entry-level hatchback market, Maruti Suzuki launched the CNG variant of the third-generation Alto K10, priced at Rs 595,000, on November 19.
Six-pack accounts for 54% of total sales
Maruti Suzuki’s six-pack comprising the Baleno, Celerio, Dzire (and Tour S), Ignis, Swift and Wagon R have posted 28% growth last month with 72,844 units (November 2021: 57,019). Cumulative sales for the first 8 months are 579,957 units, up 44% YoY, and accounting for 54% of overall sales.
The UVs – new Brezza, Ertiga, XL6 and the new Grand Vitara – contributed 32,563 units, up 33% on year-ago 24,574 units. Maruti Suzuki is currently seeing strong demand for the recently launched Grand Vitara and the new Brezza. Cumulative April-November 2022 numbers are 227,164 units, a 22% increase, and account for 21% of total sales in the fiscal till end-November.
The premium Ciaz sedan saw demand rev up 43% to 1,554 units in November, contributing to the cumulative April-November 2022 total of 10,364 units, up 12% YoY.
Bullish on FY2023 numbers, driving home the CNG advantage
With the UV sales wave continuing to grow, Maruti Suzuki will be looking to capitalise on demand, even as the competition in the market heats up. It is witnessing robust demand for the Grand Vitara and Brezza SUVs. The Brezza compact SUV recently zipped past the 800,000-unit sales milestone in a record 79 months since launch.
The company, which has an estimated order backlog of a little over 400,000 units, is currently operating at 90% manufacturing capacity. It is also driving home the CNG market advantage, having recently expanded its CNG portfolio to the premium Nexa channel with the Baleno – the best-selling Nexa model – and the XL6 getting the S-CNG factory-fitted treatment too. Maruti Suzuki now has all of 12 models with a CNG option.
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