September proved another good month for carmakers, as most of them have registered positive YoY growth in sales
A number of factors have helped boost car sales such as improving business conditions, positive consumer sentiments, preference for personal transport, new product launches and easy finance options. Carmakers are now gearing up for the peak sales season in October and November when consumer sentiments are at an all-time high with festivities like Navratri, Durga Puja and Diwali.
Segment-wise car sales – Compact hatchbacks drive growth
Compact hatchback segment tops the list with a total of 70,559 units sold in September. This is YoY gain of 48%, as compared to 47,824 units sold in September last year. Bestselling compact hatchbacks in September include Swift, Wagon R, i10 Grand, Celerio and Tiago.
In terms of volumes, compact hatchbacks have contributed to more than 24% of all cars sold in India in September. With rising prosperity, first-time car buyers are preferring compact hatchbacks over entry-level hatchbacks. Sub 4 meter cars (suv, hatches, sedans, muvs) had a market share of more than 72% in Sep 2020.
Compact SUV segment takes the number two position with 41,277 units sold in September. YoY sales growth is 42%, as compared to 29,113 units sold in September last year. Bestselling products in this segment include Sonet, Brezza, Venue and Nexon. Recently launched Sonet has posted impressive numbers (9,266 units), but it remains to be seen if it can sustain the momentum. Brezza is neck-and-neck with 9,153 units sold in September.
| No | Segment | Sep-20 | Sep-19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Compact Hatch | 70,559 | 47,824 |
| 2 | Compact SUV | 41,277 | 29,113 |
| 3 | Premium Hatch | 40,903 | 27,048 |
| 4 | Mid SUV | 32,923 | 25,200 |
| 5 | Entry Hatch | 32,371 | 23,922 |
| 6 | MUV / MPV | 27,448 | 24,741 |
| 7 | Compact Sedan | 25,231 | 23,483 |
| 8 | Vans | 11,220 | 9,949 |
| 9 | Executive Sedan | 7,963 | 6,828 |
| 10 | Premium SUV | 1,942 | 2,064 |
| 11 | Lifestyle Offroader | 379 | 262 |
| 12 | Premium Sedan | 222 | 679 |
| 13 | Luxury Sedan | 169 | 136 |
| – | Total | 2,92,607 | 2,21,249 |
At number three is the Premium Hatchback segment with 40,903 units sold in September. YoY sales growth is 51%, making it the best performing segment in percentage terms. Sales during the corresponding period last year stood at 27,048 units. Top growth drivers in this segment are Baleno, i20 and Altroz.
Mid-SUV segment takes fourth place with 32,923 units sold in September. YoY growth is 31%, as compared to 25,200 units sold in September last year. Hyundai Creta is the top selling mid-SUV with sales of 12,325 units. YoY growth is 86%, as compared to 6,641 units sold in September last year. At number two is Kia Seltos with sales of 9,079 units and YoY gain of 17%.
At number five is the entry-level hatchback segment with 32,371 units sold in September. YoY growth is 35%, as compared to 23,922 units sold in September last year. Maruti continues to rule this space with cars like Alto and S-Presso. Renault Kwid has also emerged as a popular car in this segment.
Premium SUV and Premium Sedan segment in the red
Other segments in top ten are MUV (27,448 units), Compact Sedan (25,231), Vans (11,220), Executive Sedan (7,963) and Premium SUV (1,942). Among the top ten, all except Premium SUV segment have registered positive growth. Premium SUV segment sales growth is down by -6%. Negative growth can also be seen in Premium Sedan segment, where YoY sales are down by -67%. Also Read – Top Cars Sold In 2020.
