Mahindra beats Tata & Honda to take back 3rd spot in India

Mahindra has just beaten both Tata and Honda to take back the 3rd largest automaker title in the Indian market. During December 2017, Mahindra sold 15,543 cars and SUVs, a 7 % dip from 16,799 units in December 2016. However, despite lower sales than last year, the SUV giant managed to inch past Tata Motors, which had beaten it last month to take the 3rd spot.

 

Tata Motors registered its best December sales since 2012, with a dispatch figure of 14,180 units ( a full 30 % increase over December 2016 numbers). However, December 2017 was Tata’s worst month in terms of sales dispatches in the second half of this year. Honda performed quite well, finishing December 2017 with 12,642 car dispatches, up by nearly 26 % from the same month last year. The City sedan was said to be the biggest seller for the Japanese automaker. Car-wise sales figures are yet to be revealed.

It’s ‘Advantage Tata’

The momentum is with Tata Motors, basking in the successes of the Tiago hatchback and the Nexon compact SUV. Both big on value, the Nexon and Tiago are driving sales to the Indian automaker. AMT variants of the petrol and diesel Nexon will be launched next year, and are expected to further boost sales.

Tata Motors is also planning two other big ticket car and SUV launches next year. The X451 codenamed premium hatchback – Maruti Baleno and Hyundai i20 Elite rival – will be launched next year, and is expected to be shown at the 2018 Auto Expo. The Q501 codenamed, Hyundai Creta rivaling SUV is also coming in next year.

If both cars click, Tata Motor could surpass the 20,000 monthly sales figure, which could cement its 3rd place in the Indian car market. Tata is also expected to bring in the Tiago Sport hot hatch, and the Tigor Sport compact sedan to the Auto Expo, followed by launches later next year.

Mahindra will fight back

To hold on to the third place in the Indian car market, Mahindra will mount a stiff challenge to Tata Motors this year. No less than 3 all-new cars are coming in along with a couple of refreshes. The U321 code-named MPV, the Ssangyong Tivoli-based S201 codenamed compact SUV, the Ssangyong Rexton with Mahindra badging, the AMT variants of the KUV100, an electric KUV100, the TUV300 Plus MUV and the XUV500 facelift are the 7 new Mahindras coming to India next year. To sum it up, Tata Motors won’t have it easy.

Honda’s going to be a distant fifth…

At least in 2018, as the Japanese automaker doesn’t have big volume pulling cars lined up this year year. There’s the all-new Amaze, launching in the first half of this year, which should bring in some numbers. The other two cars – the CR-V 7 seat luxury SUV and the HR-V premium compact SUV, aren’t expected to do big numbers, and this is likely somewhat limit Honda to fifth place in the Indian car market this year.