Car sales grow 7%, passenger vehicles up 11% in September

Vehicle sales across categories registered a growth of 10% to 24,90,034 units

Passenger vehicle sales in India grew by 11.32 per cent in September, riding on good growth in utility vehicles’ segment and festive season purchases. According to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), domestic passenger vehicle sales were at 309,955 units in September, as against 278,428 in the same month last year.

Overall vehicle sales across categories registered 10 per cent growth to 2,490,034 units, from 2,263,620 in September 2016. Although the industry has faced difficulties in the wake of demonetisation, transition from BS-III to BS-IV norms and implementation of goods and services tax, it has recovered from those tough times, Firodia said.

Car sales last month went up by 6.86 per cent to 208,656 units as against 195,259 units in September last year, while utility vehicle sales were up 26.21 per cent to 84,374 units as against 66,851 units.

The increase in passenger vehicle sales in September was driven by festive season purchases, with SUV (sport utility vehicle) models like Maruti Suzuki's Brezza, Hyundai Creta, Mahindra Scorpio, Ford Ecosport and Honda W-RV witnessing good traction, said Siam officials.

Market leader Maruti Suzuki India's passenger vehicle sales were up 9.65 per cent at 150,521 units last moth, while that of rival Hyundai Motors India was at 50,028 units, up 17.42 per cent. M&M saw its passenger vehicle  sales grow by 23.32 per cent to 25,327 units while homegrown competitor Tata Motors clocked 19,334 units, up 18.24 per cent from September 2016.

Going by Siam data, two-wheeler sales in September grew 9.05 per cent to 20,41,024 units compared to 18,71,621 in the year-ago month. Motorcycle sales last month were up 6.98 per cent to 12,69,612 units against 11,86,759 units in September 2016.

In the scooters segment, total sales in September this year were at 6,86,478 units as against 6,06,457 units a yeara go, up 13.19 per cent. Sales of commercial vehicles rose by 25.27 per cent to 77,195 units in September. This was the highest growth rate achieved since November 2011 when CV sales had grown by 34.17 per cent.