Maruti, Honda, Toyota kick off new fiscal with a bang

Automobile majors Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Toyota and Honda began the new fiscal on a strong note, posting high double-digit growth in their domestic passenger vehicle sales in April.

Market leader Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) recorded its best ever monthly domestic numbers in April, with sales at 1,44,492 units, a growth of 23.4 per cent compared to 1,17,045 units in April 2016.

The company had recorded its previous best monthly domestic sales in September 2016 at 1,37,277 units.

MSI's April sales were driven by the compact car segment and utility vehicles (UV).

The compact car segment comprising Swift, Dzire, Baleno and Ignis grew 39.1 per cent to 6,35,84 units as against 45,700 units in the same month of 2016.

UVs, including Ertiga, S-Cross and Vitara Brezza, rose 28.6 per cent to 20,638 units in April, from 16,044 in the same month last year, it added. Tata Motors reported 23 per cent growth in its sales of passenger vehicles in the domestic market at 12,827 units last month.

It was led by a strong pipeline for Tiago and a positive response for new lifestyle UV - Tata HEXA, Tata Motors President Passenger Vehicles Business Unit Mayank Pareek said. Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) reported a 38.1 per cent increase in domestic sales at 14,480 units in April. It had sold 10,486 units in the same period last year.

HCIL said it received overwhelming customer response to the newly-launched Honda WR-V and new Honda City.

On the sales performance, HCIL President and CEO Yoichiro Ueno said: "The new fiscal year has begun on a positive note and we hope to continue the growth momentum."

Similarly, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) reported a 51.81 per cent jump in its domestic sales at 12,948 units as against 8,529 units in April last year. It was driven by its newly launched SUV Fortuner.

However, the second-largest manufacturer in the segment, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) logged a growth of just 5.68 per cent in its domestic sales at 44,758 units in April as against 42,351 units in the year-ago month.

HMIL Director Sales and Marketing Rakesh Srivastava said the company continued its growth momentum "on a strong base of last year". In the two-wheeler segment, niche bike maker Royal Enfield reported a 24.78 per cent jump in total sales at 60,142 units in April. It had sold 48,197 units in April 2016.