Car Sales September 2023 in India

In September 2023, the Indian car market had a bit of a mixed bag, with some car manufacturers celebrating increased sales while others were dealing with a decline. This varied performance was influenced by a combination of factors including the festive season, new model launches, supply chain challenges, and rising fuel prices. According to the data, car and SUV sales in September 2023 reached an impressive 363,000 units, marking a record high and a 2% growth compared to the same month the previous year.

Let's break down the numbers by segment in the following table:

| Segment | Sales (units) | Market Share (%) ||------------------------|---------------|-------------------|| Mini and Compact Cars | 120,000 | 33.06 || Sedans | 60,000 | 16.53 || Utility Vehicles | 183,000 | 50.41 || Total | 363,000 | 100 |

As we can see from the table, utility vehicles were the clear winners, accounting for more than half of total sales. This segment experienced remarkable growth, up by 17% compared to September 2022, driven by popular models like the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Tata Nexon, Mahindra Thar, and Kia Seltos.

Top-Selling Car Models in India - September 2023

| Car Model | Sales (units) | Market Share (%) ||-------------------|---------------|-------------------|| Maruti Swift | 18,653 | 5.13 || Maruti Baleno | 18,516 | 5.09 || Maruti WagonR | 15,578 | 4.28 || Maruti Brezza | 14,572 | 4.01 || Tata Punch | 14,523 | 3.99 || Hyundai Creta | 13,832 | 3.80 || Maruti Dzire | 13,293 | 3.66 || Maruti Ertiga | 12,315 | 3.39 || Maruti Fronx | 12,164 | 3.35 || Maruti Eeco | 11,859 | 3.26 |

This table presents the top ten best-selling car models in India for the month of September 2023.

On the flip side, the mini and compact car segment, which includes models such as the Maruti Suzuki Alto, WagonR, Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, and Tata Tiago, saw a 12% decline in sales compared to the same month the previous year. This decrease can be attributed to the high base effect from the pent-up demand seen after the lockdown in the previous year.

Meanwhile, the sedan segment, which includes models such as the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Honda City, Hyundai Verna, and Skoda Rapid, saw only a marginal 1% growth in sales compared to September 2022. This segment faced stiff competition from the utility vehicle segment, which offered more features and space at similar or lower prices.

Most Selling Car Brand in September 2023

Now, let's dive into a company-wise analysis with this table:

| Company | Sales (units) | Market Share (%) ||----------------|---------------|-------------------|| Maruti Suzuki | 150,812 | 41.54 || Hyundai | 54,241 | 14.94 || Tata Motors | 28,500 | 7.85 || Mahindra | 27,500 | 7.57 || Kia | 21,000 | 5.79 || Toyota | 14,500 | 3.99 || Honda | 9,860 | 2.72 || Others | 56,587 | 15.59 || Total | 363,000 | 100 |

As evident from this table, Maruti Suzuki retained its position as the market leader with over 40% of market share, despite a 2% decline in sales compared to September 2022. The drop in sales was mainly due to sluggish demand and supply constraints in their mini and compact car segment. However, Maruti Suzuki's utility vehicle segment performed well with models like Brezza, Ertiga, XL6, and S-Cross.

Hyundai secured the second position among carmakers, holding nearly 15% of the market share. The company witnessed a healthy 9% growth in sales compared to September 2022, driven by strong demand for their utility vehicle models including Creta, Venue, Alcazar, and Tucson. They also introduced a new sub-compact SUV called Exter in September 2023.

Tata Motors ranked third with approximately 8% of the market share, although they faced a 6% decline in sales compared to September 2022. Their utility vehicle segment, featuring models like Nexon, Harrier, Safari, and Hexa, contributed positively to their performance, while their mini and compact car segment was affected by low demand and supply issues.

Mahindra, the fourth-largest carmaker, held a similar market share to Tata Motors at nearly 8%. They experienced significant growth, up by 25% compared to September 2022, driven by their utility vehicle models such as Thar, XUV300, XUV500, and Bolero. The launch of their new mid-size SUV, XUV700, in September 2022 also contributed to their success.

Kia, Toyota, and Honda also posted positive sales growth, holding 6%, 4%, and 3% of the market share, respectively. These companies saw growth ranging from 12% to 15% compared to September 2022.

Conclusion

The Indian car market reached record-high sales in September 2023, with utility vehicles playing a significant role and mini and compact cars facing challenges. Maruti Suzuki maintained its leadership position, followed by Hyundai and Tata Motors. Despite the ongoing challenges of rising fuel prices, supply chain disruptions, and chip shortages, the festive season and new model launches are expected to provide a boost to car sales in the coming months.