Maruti Suzuki car sales rise 23.1% in May on back of Swift demand

Continuing its dominance over the Indian car market, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd on Friday said its car sales jumped 23.1% to 144,780 units in May from the year-ago period.

Automakers in India consider dispatches to dealerships as sales.

The compact car segment made up the bulk of Maruti Suzuki sales in May—growing 50.8% to 77,263 units—on the back of demand for the 2018 Swift and continued interest in premium hatchback Baleno and compact sedan Dzire.

The sports utility vehicles (SUV) segment, including the best-selling Vitara Brezza and S-Cross models, also contributed with a 13.4% rise in sales to 25,629 units over May last year.

An automatic variant of the Vitara Brezza was launched last month.

Sales of entry-level small cars Alto and WagonR, and the mid-sized sedan Ciaz, continued to be in the red, declining 3.1% and 14.8%, respectively.

With new cars and refreshes, including the launch of the next-generation Ciaz later this fiscal, Maruti Suzuki is expected to maintain its leadership position this year.

The government’s focus on developing infrastructure and the rural sector, coupled with expectations of a normal monsoon, are likely to boost the overall economy and thus, the automobile industry.