Car-makers Maruti Suzuki, Honda and Hyundai posted an increase in their domestic sales in August, while others including Mahindra, Toyota and Tata Motors reported declines amid a continuous slowdown in the market.
Two-wheeler makers such as Hero MotoCorp and Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India reported sales growth in August this year. Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) posted 51.6 per cent sales growth in this year benefiting from a low base effect.
MSI said its domestic sales stood at 76,018 units as against 50,129 units in August last year. Honda Cars India (HCIL) continued to do well on the success of its new entry-level sedan Amaze, posting 63 per cent jump in its total domestic sales at 8,913 units for August 2013. It sold 6,242 units of its latest sedan Amaze last month.
“With the onset of festival season in West and South India, we have tried to maximise the production of Honda Amaze during August to be able to speed up the deliveries,” HCIL Senior Vice-President (Marketing & Sales) Jnaneswar Sen said.
Ford India reported 2.14 per cent increase in domestic sales boosted by its new sports utility vehicle, EcoSport, to 8,008 units in August this year as against 7,840 units in the same month last year.
Hyundai’s domestic sales stood at 28,311 units during the month, marginally up from 28,257 units in August 2012.
Other car makers, however, continued to struggle in a market which has been on a prolonged slump due to weak economic growth, rising fuel costs and sluggish consumer sentiment.
General Motors India reported 11.14 per cent decline in sales at 6,673 units in August 2013, compared to 7,510 units in the same month last year. Home-grown auto major Tata Motors’ passenger vehicle sales in the domestic market stood at 11,564 units in August, down 48.16 per cent from 22,311 units a year-ago. Likewise, Mahindra & Mahindra’s domestic sales were down 17.9 per cent at 35,159 units as against 42,826 units in the same month last year. Toyota Kirloskar Motor reported 14.2 per cent decline in August sales in the domestic market at 12,007 units, compared to 13,995 units in the same month last year.