The growing preference for SUVs over other vehicle types is evident in their sales records, particularly in the midsize SUV segment. SUVs now achieve sales figures comparable to what small entry-level cars used to achieve in the past. Among the players in the midsize SUV segment, the Hyundai Creta, the oldest contender, continues to dominate sales. However, the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is steadily gaining ground and poses a threat to other SUVs in the segment.
Looking at the sales records of the past six months, the Hyundai Creta remains the clear favourite, selling 77,196 units and maintaining a significant lead over its competitors. Its cousin, the Kia Seltos, secures the second position with 47,528 units sold during the same period.
The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is in third place, with 45,536 units sold in the last six months. Although Maruti Suzuki entered the midsize SUV segment relatively late with the Grand Vitara, it has quickly gained momentum and consistently achieves impressive sales figures. Month-on-month growth suggests that its sales are expected to increase further in the coming months.
Interestingly, the badge-engineered version of the Grand Vitara, the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, sells almost half the number of units compared to its counterpart. Approximately 20,908 units of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder were sold during the same duration. While the demand and popularity for this SUV are high, production constraints at Toyota hinder its potential for even higher sales.
The European duo of the Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun secure the fifth and sixth positions in the segment. In the past six months, 12,405 units of the Kushaq were sold, while Volkswagen shipped 11,278 units of the Taigun. The MG Astor, with sales of 6,954 units, finishes last in terms of sales numbers in the segment. Similar to Toyota, MG faces production constraints, which contribute to slower sales.
New cars coming soon
With the upcoming entry of two new SUVs, the Honda Elevate and Citroen C3 Aircross, in the competition, it will be intriguing to witness how the rivalry among midsize SUVs unfolds.
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Apart from the all-new SUVs, Kia is going to update the Seltos with a facelifted model very soon. The upcoming Kia Seltos has already been spotted testing on Indian roads and will come with an updated feature list. Next year, Hyundai will bring in the new Creta with multiple updates including ADAS features and heavily updated front-end.
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