India May 2012: Maruti Swift & DZire break market share records

Maruti DZire

* See the Top 50 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

Indian car sales continue on their very healthy run, up 7% year-on-year in May to 212,998 registrations, bringing the 2012 year-to-date total to 1,216,244 units, up 12% on 2011. While last month we witnessed a once-in-a-decade event with the Maruti Swift taking the lead for the first time ever, in May the ‘traditional’ order is resumed, just. The Maruti Alto reclaims the pole position with 20,724 sales and 9.7% share, but at -18% year-on-year it is still under threat from the Swift, up a massive 57% year-on-year to 20,050 units and a record 9.4%.

Tata Nano

In fact, it’s the entire Swift family that breaks records again in May: the Maruti DZire is up 64% on May 2011 to reach 17,707 sales and 8.3% share, both volume and market share all-time highs for the model. All in all, the Swift family captures an elephant-size 17.7% of the Indian market this month! The two remaining models in the Top 5 are also in great shape: the Mahindra Bolero is #4 with 9,584 sales while the Tata Nano is up to a best-ever 5th position (it reached it once before in June 2010) thanks to 8,507 sales and 4% share. Is this the Nano renaissance Tata had been hoping for?

Maruti Ertiga

The Hyundai i20 also hits its highest position ever at #6 with 7,675 units, the Maruti Ertiga continues to impress, up 5 spots on April to #11 with a record 6,802 sales, the Honda Brio is back up to #16, the Mahindra XUV500 beats its volume and ranking records again at 3,471 sales and #23 and the Maruti Gypsy is up 20 ranks to #38.

Previous month: India April 2012: Maruti Swift 4th model since 1950 to rank #1!

One year ago: India May 2011: New Hyundai Verna up to great start

Full May 2012 Top 50 Ranking Table below.