Maruti Alto November sales slip: Hyundai Santro effect?

Maruti Suzuki sold a total of 1,43,890 vehicles in November 2018, which again made the the market leader. Though the number was a bit low following low demand this festive season, they still are quite impressive when compared to the competition. However, there was one Maruti vehicle which reported a big drop in sales. We are talking about the Maruti Suzuki Alto, which otherwise is quite a sales gatherer for the company but was outshone by the competition this time around.

Maruti sold 18,643 units of the Alto in November, which is quite less than the 22,180 units sold in October. While a 18 plus sales figure is stellar for any vehicles, the Alto has been the best selling car of India since a long time. It was placed fourth in sales this November, which is the first time the hatchback has been so down in the list. Stiffening competition and low interest this festive season are the possible reasons for the low numbers in November.

Talking of the competition, the Alto seems to be seen stuck between some strong rivals. The Renault Kwid has proved its mettle since the time of its launch and has been selling in pretty good numbers ever since. The frugal engines, SUV-ish looks and many segment first features are some of the factors which helped it in the quest. On the other hand, Tata has also done a commendable job with the Tiago and priced it brilliantly. For only a fraction of more cost, it offers a better overall package as well as appeal. It also comes with both petrol and diesel motors with an automatic gearbox as option too, further sweetening the deal.

The latest to join the list of rivals is the Hyundai Santro which has already made it to the top 10 list. Though it is considerably expensive than the Alto, the new Santro packs a solid punch. As a proof, the car got placed as the tenth best selling car of India in November, which makes it one of the fastest newly launched cars to have done that. It has a more power (marginally), best in class interiors and features along with being more spacious than the Alto.

The Maruti Suzuki Celerio has already succumbed to its rivals, especially the Santro and the company would definitely want to protect its status as the top selling company in India. To be particular, the Celerio slipped to number 11 position in overall sales this November, whereas it used to be among the top 5 cars earlier. The Santro is among the main reasons for this. With Tata and Hyundai pitching more aggressively than ever over the entry level hatchback segment, it will be interesting to see how well Maruti manages its products this time.

An all-new Maruti Alto is in the works, and the car will be launched sometime later next year. It will get a full redesign, and is expected to get safer. The new Alto is expected to be Bharat Stage 6 emission norms compliant.