Maruti Suzuki WagonR tops hatchback sales in February 2024
What's the story
The hatchback market in India saw a whirlwind of ups and downs in February 2024.
Several models experienced sales fluctuations compared to the previous year, painting a picture of an unpredictable market.
The total sales for hatchbacks clocked in at 98,788 units, marking a significant dip of 18.77% from February 2023's figure of 1,21,614 units sold.
Despite some models facing declines, Maruti Suzuki held its ground as the market leader.
Prowess
Maruti Suzuki holds its ground amid sales swings
Maruti Suzuki, India's premier automaker, held onto its crown with four of its cars clinching top spots in sales volume.
The WagonR took the lead as the top-selling hatchback for February 2024 with sales reaching an impressive 19,412 units.
This marked a growth spurt of 14.94% in comparison to the same period last year.
However, other popular models like Baleno and Swift faced headwinds with sales declines of 5.78% and 28.50% respectively.
What Next?
Hyundai and Tata Motors: A tale of mixed fortunes
Hyundai and Tata Motors also navigated through choppy waters with their hatchback sales.
Hyundai's i20 faced a steep slide of 44.75% in sales while the i10 NIOS dropped by an even sharper rate of 48.66%.
On a brighter note, Tata Motors' Altroz model bucked the trend with a growth spurt of 15.50%, clocking in at 4,568 units sold last month.
However, the Tata Tiago - including its electric variant - saw a slight dip of 6.84%.
Insights
Other manufacturers navigate through significant shifts
Other manufacturers also grappled with significant shifts in their hatchback sales.
Toyota Glanza posted a modest growth of 8.48%, while Renault Kwid and Maruti Suzuki Ignis faced steep declines of 52.90% and 55.57% respectively.
On an interesting note, the MG Comet EV made its presence felt with 920 units retailed last month, hinting at a growing appetite for electric vehicles among Indian consumers.
Facts
Month-on-month hatchback sales witness notable shifts
When compared to January 2024, hatchback sales in February, saw a decrease of 7.24%, with total units sold standing at 98,788.
Despite the overall dip, WagonR bucked the trend with a rise of 9.33% month-on-month (MoM).
Conversely, models like Baleno and Swift faced headwinds with declines of 10.76% and 14.35% respectively, pointing to evolving consumer tastes and market trends.
Findings
Tata Motors and Hyundai ride MoM sales rollercoaster
In a month-on-month comparison, Tata Motors and Hyundai also experienced their share of ups and downs.
Tata's Tiago model - including its electric variant - saw an uptick of 7.17% with sales reaching 6,947 units.
However, the Altroz model faced a downturn with a decline of 7.44%.
Similarly, Hyundai's i20 and i10 NIOS recorded dips in sales volume by 27.56% and 27.94% respectively compared to January's figures.