India’s 10 Top Selling Cars in 2014 – The Usual Suspects

Snapshot – 2014 is almost a week away already and the sales performance of cars sold in India is out. When it comes to topping sales charts, it has been a familiar story with Maruti Suzukis, Hyundais and the occasional Honda dominating sales charts. CarToq rounds up the usual suspects of the Indian car market, suspects who have managed to consistently top proceedings at the hustings. 

Maruti Suzuki Alto – 264,544 units

The Maruti Suzuki Alo franchise, together with the 800 and K10 models is India’s largest selling car yet again, closing 2014 with 264,544 dealer dispatches. The Alto range got a recent facelift in the form of the revised K10, which now features an AMT. The Alto 800 could get a facelift sometime this year, borrowing styling elements from its K10 sibling. Affordability, fuel efficiency, bomb proof reliability and Maruti Suzuki’s outstanding after sales network are four reasons why the Alto manages to find takers in India.

Maruti Suzuki Dzire – 210,882 units

The Dzire is India’s most successful compact sedan by a long shot. The car closes 2014 with 210,882 units, just shy of its hatchback sibling, the Swift. The Dzire is sold with petrol and turbo diesel engine options. An automated manual transmission is a rumoured addition this year. The car will also receive a mid life makeover this year as the launch blitz in compact sedan segment shows no signs of abatement.

Maruti Suzuki Swift – 202,831 units

India’s favourite B+ segment hatchback, the Swift has fended off a tough competitor in 2014, in the form of the Hyundai i20 Elite. Maruti put 202,831 units of the Swift in dealer yards last year. With the Swift having received a facelift last year, the car is likely to continue unchanged for a couple of years, save for the addition of an AMT unit. The Swift will get a brand new sibling this year, in the form of the YRA premium hatchback.

Maruti Suzuki WagonR – 159,260 units

The tall-boy hatchback that is a decade and a half old in India has seen competitors come and go, the latest being the Hyundai Santro Xing. The WagonR continues to hold appeal to budget car buyers in India, so much so that 159,260 units of the hatchback were shipped to dealers in 2014 alone. Over 1.5 million WagonRs have been sold in India. Later this year, the Sting Ray edition of the car will get a mechanical addition in the form of an AMT option.

Hyundai Grand i10 – 103,749 units

Hyundai’s i10 replacement, the Grand i10 has hit bulls eye at the hustings. The B+ segment hatchback that brings premium interiors and a nice set of features to the table has managed to be Hyundai’s largest selling car in 2014. The car is sold with petrol and turbo diesel engine options and has even spawned a compact sedan sibling dubbed the Xcent. Hyundai has dispatched 103,749 units of the Grand i10, in what was a record year in terms of sales for the South Korean automaker’s Indian arm.

Mahindra Bolero – 102,045 units

Like the WagonR, the Mahindra Bolero is an old hand that is nearly a decade and a half old. The Bolero is a rural and semi-urban favourite given its rugged design, go anywhere ability and a very fuel efficient engine. The Bolero is also Mahindra’s best selling vehicle and has been so for many years now.  Sold in multiple body style, the Bolero is bought by the personal car buyer and the cab operator alike. The diesel powered utility vehicle will get a nattier cousin in the form of the U301 codenamed compact SUV, later this year.

Hyundai Eon – 80,346 units

The second Hyundai in India’s top 10 selling cars in 2014 list, and a distant second to the Alto range, the Eon 800 and 1.1 did reasonably ok last year. Hyundai wants a move on though. A facelift is in the works, for a launch later this year. The budget car segment of India will see a new round of car launches and the Eon needs all the marketing and engineering muscle of Hyundai to keep its nose above the water.

Honda City – 77,320 units

India’s best selling C-Segment sedan and Honda’s big comeback vehicle, the City is back to where it belongs, right at the top of the pile. The City sedan is now sold with petrol and turbo diesel engine options. Despite a scare at the later part of the year by the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, the City has comeback well to post 77,320 wholesale units in 2014. The car is expected to do well this year too given the solid traction it has at the hustings.

Maruti Omni – 74,498 units

The indefatigable Maruti Omni does it again, selling 74,498 units in 2014, and making to yet another yearly top ten list. The passenger van, which is also available in cargo trims, is one of the most versatile and least priced set of four wheels that money can buy in India. Reliable to a fault, the rear wheel driven Omni continues to find plenty of takers, and Maruti Suzuki continues to milk the platform for what its worth.

Honda Amaze – 65,501

The Amaze put Honda back into the reckoning in India when it made a debut in 2013. The Amaze also heralded Honda’s entry into the diesel car market. The car continues to sell well though multiple new launches in the compact sedan space are putting pressure on the Honda. Later this year, the Japanese automaker will roll out minor updates to refine the Amaze further. Will that be enough? Time will tell.