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Carmakers in India have officially started to come out with their sales numbers for the month of March 2019. The Financial Year 2018-19 has been quite an eventful year for the Indian auto industry with the year ending in a positive note. As for the sales performances in March 2019, the results were quite mixed. In fact, the country’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India, continued to see a decline in sales in March 2019, while other manufacturers like Toyota Kirloskar Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra registered marginal growth.
In March 2019, Toyota Kirloskar Motor sold 13,662 units in India, registering a growth of 0.9 per cent, compared to the 13,537 units during the same month last year. As for the company’s domestic sales, Toyota’s wholesales numbers went up to 12,818 units last month, compared to the 12539 vehicles sold in March 2018, registering a growth of 2 per cent. Exports, on the other hand, saw a decline of 15.4 per cent during the month of March 2019 with 844 units, against the 998 vehicles that were exported during the same month last year. However, as for the company total sales during FY 2018-19, Toyota Kirloskar Motor recorded a sales growth of 7 per cent in the domestic market with 150,525 units, compared to the 140,645 units being sold during FY 2017-18.
Commenting on the sales performance, N. Raja, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “We are happy to have clocked a growth of 7 per cent in domestic sales in FY 18-19 as compared to FY 17-18. Innova Crysta and Fortuner have been maintaining the growth trajectory and continue to be leaders in the segment.” He also added that “All New Camry Hybrid Electric Vehicle or self-charging electric vehicle has already crossed 500 bookings since its launch in Jan 2019. Additionally, Etios Liva has also contributed to the positive sales momentum in FY 18-19 with a growth of 13% as compared to FY 17-18.”
Maruti Suzuki India has registered a decline of 1.6 per cent in the last month of the Financial Year 2019. Last month the company sold 158,076 vehicles, including domestic sales and export, compared to the 160,598 units that were sold in March 2018. The company’s total sales in India alone reached 147,613 units in March 2019, registering a marginal de-growth of 0.7 per cent, against the 148,582 vehicles sold during the same month last year. Exports, on the other hand, took a massive hit with a decline of almost 13 per cent with 10,463 units, compared to the 12,016 units exported in March 2018.
Maruti Suzuki has registered the highest ever total sales in FY 2018-19 at 1,862,449 units, a growth of 4.7 per cent, compared to the 1,779,574 units sold in 2017-18. The company’s domestic sales for FY 2018-19 reached 1,753,700 units, also the highest ever, compared to the 1,653,500 units sold in 2017-18. In fact, this is the 7th straight year of growth in domestic sales for Maruti Suzuki India.
Mahindra and Mahindra has registered a marginal growth of 1 per cent in total sales for the month of March 2019 with 62952 units. In comparison, the company sold 62076 units in March 2018. Mahindra’s domestic sales touched 59,012 vehicles during March 2019, as against 58,652 vehicles in March 2018, registering a similar growth of 1 per cent. The Passenger Vehicles segment (which includes UVs, Cars and Vans) sold 27,646 vehicles in March 2019, registering a growth of 4 per cent. The company’s exports, on the other hand, saw substantial growth of 15 per cent with 3940 units, against the 3424 exported in March 2018.
On the other hand, the company’s sales performance for the financial year that ended on March 31, 2019, stood at 6,08,596 vehicles, compared to 5,49,153 vehicles during FY-18, registering a growth of 11 per cent.
Commenting on the performance, Rajan Wadhera, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra and Mahindra said, “We have closed FY-19 with robust double-digit growth of 11 per cent at an overall level, despite strong headwinds faced by the Indian automotive industry this year. This growth has been supported by our three new product launches, which have been well received in the market. The commercial vehicles segment and exports have also posted strong growth rates of 15% and 37% respectively.”
