Auto sales fall below expectations in Dec

Mixed Sales Record

• Sales of Maruti compact cars declined to 45,741 units
• Sale of Maruti utility vehicle higher at 45,957 units
• Hyundai achieved highest-ever domestic sales in a calendar year

New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India on Monday reported a 1.28 per cent decline in total sales at 1,37,551 units in December 2023. The company had posted total sales of 1,39,347 units in the same month a year ago. Total domestic sales, comprising passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and third-party supplies, were at 1,10,667 units last month as against 1,17,551 units in the year-ago period, down 5.86 per cent, Maruti Suzuki India said in a statement. "For the first time, the company crossed the annual sales milestone of 2 million units in calendar year 2023, which includes its highest ever calendar year exports of 2,69,046 units," it added. Overall domestic passenger vehicle (PV) sales stood at 1,04,778 units in December 2023 as compared to 1,12,010 units in the year-ago month, a fall of 6.46 per cent, it added. Sales of entry-level mini cars, comprising Alto and S-Presso, were lower at 2,557 units as compared to 9,765 units a year ago. Similarly, sales of compact cars, including models such as Baleno, Celerio, Dzire, Ignis, Swift, Tour S, and WagonR declined to 45,741 units in December 2023 as against 57,502 units in the year-ago month, the company said. On the other hand, utility vehicle sales, comprising Brezza, Ertiga, Fronx, Grand Vitara, Invicto, Jimny, S-Cross and XL6, were higher at 45,957 units last month from 33,008 units in the same period a year ago.

Hyundai Motor India total sales grow 9%

Hyundai Motor India Ltd on Monday reported a 9 per cent year-on-year increase in total sales at 7,65,786 units in 2023, on the back of record annual domestic sales.

The company had sold a total of 7,00,811 units in 2022, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) said in a statement. The company achieved its highest-ever domestic sales in a calendar year, crossing the six lakh sales milestone in 2023 as it sold 6,02,111 units, up 9 per cent over previous year's 5,52,511 units, it added. Exports grew by 10 per cent to 1,63,675 units in 2023 as compared to 1,48,300 units in 2022, it added.

VECV sales grow 11.1%

Eicher Motors Ltd on Monday said its arm VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd posted an 11.1 per cent growth in total sales at 8,026 units in December 2023.

VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), a joint venture of the Volvo Group and Eicher Motors, had sold 7,221 units in December 2022, Eicher Motors said in a regulatory filing. December 2023 sales included 7,789 units of the Eicher brand and 237 units of the Volvo brand, it added.