Car sales in fast lane in November; Maruti, Hyundai, Tata Motors post double-digit growth

Sales remain strong even after the end of the high-selling festive season, driving towards record sales in 2022, said industry officials

Nissan however reported a decline in domestic wholesales. | Photo Credit: V. Raju

Carmakers have logged the best-ever November sales as demand for personal transport continued to remain strong even after the end of the high-selling festive season, driving towards record sales in 2022.

Automakers Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai, Tata Motors and Mahindra saw double-digit growth in dispatches to dealers last month, making it the best-ever November for the passenger vehicle industry.

Kia India, Honda Cars, Skoda and MG Motor also witnessed strong sales momentum last month. Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Nissan however reported a decline in domestic wholesales from the year-earlier period.

The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India said its domestic wholesales rose 18% to 1,39,306 units. Sales of mini cars, comprising Alto and S-Presso, increased to 18,251 units as compared with 17,473 in the same month last year. The company's utility vehicle sales, comprising Brezza, Ertiga and Grand Viatara, rose to 32,563 units as compared with 24,574 vehicles, MSI said.

Maruti Suzuki India senior executive officer (Marketing & Sales) Shashank Srivastava said the industry's wholesales grew by 31% to 3,22,860 units last month. “This is the highest-ever November sales for the industry, beating the previous best of 2.86 lakh in November 2020,” Srivastava stated.

This is the sixth consecutive month that the industry has seen three lakh-plus sales in wholesales, he added.

Elaborating further, Mr. Srivastava said that in the January-November period this year the sales had crossed the 35 lakh mark for the industry.

“This is the first time because the previous highest was in 2018 at 33.8 lakh units. Last year in this period January to November, the figure was 28 lakh units. So there is a growth of about 25 per cent over last year as far as the calendar year is concerned,” he added.

Now, the projected calendar year sales number, including December, is 38 lakh units, he said.

Rival Hyundai Motor India reported a 30% increase in wholesales last month to 48,003 units.

Hyundai Motor India director (Sales, Marketing & Service) Tarun Garg said the company was well poised to achieve its highest-ever domestic sales in 2022.

Tata Motors reported a 55% increase in total passenger vehicle dispatches to 46,037 units. Similarly, Mahindra & Mahindra posted a 56% rise in domestic passenger vehicle sales at 30,392 units in November.

M&M President, Automotive Division, Veejay Nakra, said the growth in November sales was on the back of robust demand across the company's product portfolio. "The supply chain situation continues to be dynamic due to continuing international disruptions. We are keeping a close watch and are taking appropriate steps," he added.

Honda Cars reported a 29% increase in wholesales to 7,051 units last month as compared to the same month last year.

“Riding on the back of relatively better economic prospects, the demand for cars has continued well post the festive season and this momentum is also visible in our sales numbers,” Honda Cars India Director, Marketing and Sales Yuichi Murata said.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) however reported a 10% dip in wholesales to 11,765 units in November 2022.

TKM has discontinued compact SUV Urban Cruiser and also paused bookings for the diesel version of Innova which impacted its overall dispatches last month.

In the two-wheeler segment, TVS Motor Company said its domestic two-wheeler sales registered a growth of 9% to 1,91,730 units last month as against 1,75,940 units the previous year.