With the auto industry has been hit by slowdown, we can see some major changes in the ranking of various car models. SUVs are currently the most desirable segment in the Indian auto market and this segment has sprung up some interesting surprises in the month of May.
Once a market leader in compact SUV segment, Maruti Brezza has lost its number one ranking to Hyundai Creta. As compared to May 2018, Brezza sales have fallen by -43.82% in May 2019. Brezza sales have been majorly affected by launch of Hyundai Venue, which is now ranked at number 3, registering sales of 7,049 units in May. Together, Creta and Venue have managed to register sales of 16,103 units in May 2019. Hyundai aims to increase that number to 20,000 units, which will make them India’s highest selling SUV brand.
Market analysts say that there could be a possibility where Venue may unseat Brezza and take the second spot in the coming months. This would be possible if Venue is able to boost its sales momentum. Brezza seems to be fighting back, as it recently launched its Sports Limited Edition, which comes with a range of cosmetic enhancements and stylish accessories.
With Brezza and Venue getting all the attention, other compact SUVs are finding it hard to make the desired impact on customers. However, there are some surprises here also, as Mahindra XUV300 has raced ahead of Tata Nexon for the second consecutive month to claim the 4th spot in the list of bestselling SUVs in May.
The only consolation for Nexon is that its May 2019 sales have improved 4.60% in comparison to May 2018 sales. At 6th position, Ford EcoSport registered -27.96% loss in sales, which may be partly due to the slowdown and partly due to the rise of Venue and XUV300.
Sales data of other SUVs in the list looks bleak, as most of them have reported double-digit loss in sales. In terms of sales de-growth, Renault Captur leads the pack with -76.54% dip in sales. This is followed by Maruti S-Cross at -67.31%, Mahindra XUV500 at -56.86%, Tata Safari at -50%, Renault Duster at -35.76% and Jeep Compass at -35.64%.
Other than Tata Nexon, only Nissan Terrano has registered positive growth. Its sales increased from 151 in May 2018 to 166 units in May 2019, registering an increase of 9.93%. Tata Harrier managed to register sales of 1,779 units in May 2019.
Change in consumer preferences, as evident in this list, indicates that loyalty may not be the only criteria for buyers. Increased interest in new products and features marks a major shift in consumer mind-set in the country. This may be an encouraging factor for new products that are slated to be launched such as MG Hector, Kia Seltos, Jeep Compass Trailhawk, etc.
