Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest auto maker, reported a decline in its monthly sales for the second consecutive month in March, as exports fell by 12.9% and domestic market sales fell by 0.7%.
Total vehicle sales, including exports, were down 1.6% at 1.58 lakh units compared to the 1.60 lakh units sold in March 2018.
Total car sales in the domestic market declined by 2,139 units to 1,45,031 in March 2019 from 1,47,170 units last year.
Ciaz, the company’s mid-segment sedan, continued to drag overall performance. Sales fell by 15% to 3,672 compared to 4,321 last year.
Other car segments — including small cars and compact — also showed declines.
Total domestic sales of cars in the mini and compact segments taken together fell 6.6% or by 7,038 units to 99,358.
However, the compact segment witnessed a growth of 19.8%, thanks to the New WagonR.
Total sales in the compact segment increased by 13,647 to 82,532 units, while the total sales in the mini segment comprising of Alto slumped by 20,685 units to 16,826. The numbers are not comparable with last year’s figures because WagonR is now included in the compact segment.
Meanwhile, the company’s utility vehicle segment, comprising Gypsy, Eritga, Vitara, Brezza and S-Cross, continued to post strong growth in March 2019. UV sales jumped 12.3%, or about 2,799 units, to 25,563.
The strongest jump was seen in sales of its vans — Eeco and Omni — which rose by around 2,749 units to 16,438 units this month.
Maruti’s sole commercial vehicle, the Super Carry pick-up truck saw a rise in sales by 1,170 to 2,582 units this month.