India May 2015: Maruti Alto up 31%, Lodgy Renault’s best-seller again

Renault Lodgy

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The Indian new car market confirms its return into gear with sales up 7% year-on-year in May to 213.698 units (excluding commercials and luxury brands), lifting the year-to-date total, to 1.103.725 deliveries, up 5% on 2014. Once again Maruti not only overpowers all other manufacturers with an elephant-like 47.9% market share, it also outpaces the market at +13% thanks mainly to the Alto improving 31% to 22.595 deliveries this month. Hyundai (17.3%), Mahindra (7.5%), Honda (6.3%), Toyota (5.4%) and Tata (5.2%) complete a Top 6 holding just under 90% share of the Indian market. Volkswagen is up a stunning 57% thanks to the facelifted Polo up 141% on the old model in May 2014 to #18, the nameplate’s highest ranking since January 2013. Renault manages to stabilise its sales (-1%) by compensating the freefalling of Duster sales (-57%) by the arrival of the Lodgy, improving two spots on its debut month in April to #27 with 1.947 sales and leading the brand’s sales in India for the second month running.

Its facelift lifts the VW Polo to its best ranking in India in over two years.

Nissan (-35% year-on-year) is back above low-cost division Datsun (-14%) with Go+ sales dropping 32% and Go sales down 36% on last month. Skoda bucks the trend with sales up 26%. Among other models news, the Hyundai Elite i20 continues on its record run, lodging a 4th consecutive month above 10.000 units, up 224% on the previous model last year, and the Hyundai Grand i10 does so for the first time since March 2014. The Maruti Celerio is up 3 spots to #9, its best ranking since last August thanks to the start of diesel shipments. No sudden reversal of fortune for Tata’s disappointing nameplates: the Zest is stuck at the lower end of the Top 30, the Bolt ranks #44 and while the Nano is up 36% at #33 thanks to the new GenX automatic variant, it still only sells 1.365 units.

Previous month: India April 2015: Renault Lodgy lands with 2.032 sales

One year ago: India May 2014: Maruti Swift DZire and Swift lead, Alto down to #3

Full May 2015 Top 15 brands and Top 60 models below.