Maruti Suzuki Alto becomes best-selling passenger vehicle in 2018-19

Maruti Suzuki India’s (MSI) entry level hatchback Alto was the best-selling passenger vehicle model in India in 2018-19, leading the pack of the auto major’s models that grabbed seven places in the top 10 list, according to industry data. Three models from the stable of Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) also made it to the list of top 10 selling PVs, the latest data by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) showed.

The list clearly showed the dominance of the two companies in the Indian passenger vehicle (PV) market. The Alto retained its number one position by selling 2,59,401 units in 2018-19 as against 2,58,539 units in the previous financial year. MSI’s compact sedan Dzire stood second with sales of 2,53,859 units in the year. The older version of the sedan had also occupied the second spot in 2017-18 with 2,40,124 units.

The company’s premium hatchback Swift moved up a spot to the third position by selling 2,23,924 units in 2018-19 from fourth in 2017-18 when it clocked 1,75,928 units. MSI’s premium hatchback Baleno stood at the fourth position with 2,12,330 units in 2018-19. The model had sold 1,90,480 units in 2017-18 and had occupied the third spot.

MSI’s compact SUV Vitara Brezza moved up two places from last year to take the fifth position in 2018-19 with 1,57,880 units. The company had sold 1,48,462 units of the model in 2017-18, as per the SIAM data. HMIL’s premium hatchback Elite i20 was the sixth best-selling model in 2018-19 with 1,40,225 units, two positions up from 2017-18 when it sold 1,36,182 units.

Occupying the seventh position in 2018-19 was the company’s entry level car Grand i10 with 1,26,041 units, moving down from sixth position in the previous year when it sold 1,51,113 units. HMIL’s popular SUV Creta was at the eighth position with 1,24,300 units. The model was at the ninth spot in 2017-18 when it registered sales of 1,07,136 units.

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MSI’s small car Wagon R was the ninth best-selling PV model in 2018-19 with a total sale of 1,19,649 units. It stood at fifth position last year with 1,68,644 units. The auto major’s another compact model Celerio completed the list by retaining the tenth position with sales of 1,03,734 units in 2018-19 as against 94,721 units in 2017-18, SIAM said.

Recently, the Indian auto maker said that it has upgraded its hatchback Alto K10 with various safety features leading to a price increase of the model by up to Rs 23,000 in Delhi/NCR. The model now comes with various safety features like ABS (anti-lock braking system) with EBD (electronic brake force distribution), driver airbag, reverse parking sensor, seed alert system, driver and co-driver seat belt reminder.

"This will result in price increase in all variants of Alto K 10 model," MSI said in a regulatory filing. Depending on features introduced across variants, the ex-showroom price in Delhi and NCR region shall vary from Rs 3,65,843 to Rs 4,44,777 and in rest of the country from Rs 3,75,843 to Rs 4,54,777, it added. Industry sources said increase in Delhi/NCR ranges between Rs 15,000 to Rs 23,000 depending upon the variant. The new prices are effective immediately from Thursday, it added.

(With inputs from PTI)