2022 Mid-Size Sedan Segment in India: Honda City Leads with 34.91% Market Share – 38,335 Units Sold
Honda City, Skoda Slavia, Hyundai Verna, Maruti Ciaz, and VW Virtus are what make up the conservatively sized mid-size sedan segment in India. According to sales data, Honda City took the lead in the first quarter of the year, with a total of 3,950 units sold in January alone. Additionally, the Honda City saw a steady increase in sales throughout the year, with a total of 38,335 units sold.
For all quarters, Honda City topped the sales chart, with Q3 being its best in 2022. City topped monthly sales in all months except in April 2022. That month, Skoda Slavia took the lead with 2,431 units over City’s 2.3k units. The possibility of Honda City facelift launch in a few short months will further the sedan’s charge.
Mid Size Sedan Sales 2022
In 2022, the Indian mid-size sedan segment grew to some degree. A premise with promise that was awaiting new entrants. First came Skoda Slavia, followed by Volkswagen Virtus a few short months later. Skoda never fails to impress, and 2022 made a big impression. Skoda Slavia saw a steady start in the first quarter. 1,862 units were sold in February soon after launch. Sales of Skoda Slavia picked up in the second quarter, as compared to Q1 2022. Despite great progress, Skoda Slavia lagged behind market leader Honda City in terms of overall sales, with a total of 22,617 units sold throughout the year. Q2 was the best sales quarter for Slavia.
Hyundai Verna also saw a slow start in the first quarter, with a total of 1,622 units sold in January. Sales didn’t increase in the second quarter, in fact, it decreased, down to 2,672 units from 5,412 units. For the year, Hyundai Verna had a total of 19,238 units sold. Q4 was Verna’s best quarter in 2022.
Maruti Ciaz had a steady start in the first quarter, with a total of 1,666 units sold in January. Furthermore, Maruti Ciaz saw not segment-leading sales throughout the year, with a total of 16,930 units sold. Ciaz’ best quarter came in Q1. The key question is, can a Ciaz facelift be beneficial? VW Virtus wasn’t launched in the first quarter. It began its innings in May 2022. The first month, 2,177 units were sold. Q4 proved to be the best quarter for Virtus.
When comparing the data within each sedan, Honda City led from the front with highest total sales among the competition in 2022. Skoda Slavia had the second highest total sales, with 22,617 units sold. Hyundai Verna came in third with 19,238 units sold. Maruti Ciaz saw 16,930 units sold. Lastly, VW Virtus sales were reported at 12,699 units at year end.
Volkswagen Virtus Could Gain in 2023
Overall, total sales for all sedans in the data set was 109,819 units, with an average of 9,152 units sold per month. Additionally, when looking at market share, Honda City took the lead with 34.91 percent, followed by Skoda Slavia with 20.59 percent. Hyundai Verna clocked in at 17.52 percent, Maruti Ciaz at 15.42 percent, and VW Virtus at 11.56 percent. As for market reality, Honda City has a long lead, and it is likely it will continue to dominate the mid-size sedan market in India. However, it will be interesting to see if Skoda Slavia can continue to increase its sales and potentially challenge Honda City for the top spot.
At the end of H1 2022, Honda City was halfway through its total yearly sales. For Skoda Slavia too, H1 sales were better than H2 at 12,189 units over 10,428 units in the latter half. This even though no cars were sold in January. Credit to top-notch sales in H1 can be attributed to pre-bookings prior to launch, which were then dished out in a timely manner. For Hyundai Verna, Maruti Ciaz and Volkswagen Virtus, sales in H2 were stronger than in H1 2022. Monthly average sales for Hyundai City were at almost 3.2k units. For Skoda Slavia this number was at just over 2k units. Hyundai Verna average monthly sales stood at 1.6k units. For Ciaz, the average stood at 1.4k units. Volkswagen Virtus monthly average sales was higher than Ciaz at 1,587 units. However yearly sales were lower as it is yet to complete a full year of sales.
