Car Sales Lose Pace in June, SUVs Stay in Front

India's passenger vehicle market experienced subdued growth in June, despite increasing demand for SUVs, MPVs, and crossovers. The segment saw a marginal 3.67% increase in wholesales, with 340,784 units sold compared to 328,710 units in June last year.

Key Highlights

Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai & Tata Record Nearly Flat Sales:
Maruti Suzuki: Domestic sales stood at 137,160 units, a 3% increase from 133,027 units last June. Small car sales, including the Alto K10 and S-Presso, declined to 9,395 units from 14,054 units. Compact car sales, such as the Swift, Dzire, Celerio, Baleno, and WagonR, saw a slight decrease to 64,049 units from 64,471 units.
Utility vehicles like Brezza, Grand Vitara, Ertiga, and XL6 surged to 52,373 units from 43,404 units.
Hyundai: Sales were nearly flat at 50,103 units compared to 50,001 units last year.
Tata Motors: Registered 43,624 units, down 8% from 47,359 units in June 2023.

Factors Affecting Sales

Several factors contributed to the muted sales growth:

Political Uncertainty: The parliament election, concluding in early June, created uncertainties around government formation, impacting consumer sentiment and sales.
Climate Conditions: Heat waves in several regions deterred consumers from visiting car showrooms.
Market Dynamics: Decreased pent-up demand and high base effect from the previous year also played roles in keeping sales numbers low.