India Full Year 2017: Five Marutis in Top 5, market above 3 million units

The Maruti DZire ranked #1 four times in 2017, lifting its monthly record to 34.405. Picture motorworldindia.com

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For the first time in history, the Indian new car market crosses the 3 million wholesale unit-milestone thanks to dealer deliveries up 9.1% to 3.226.162 units. Note this figure doesn’t include Light Commercial Vehicles. Market leader Maruti-Suzuki continues its incredible progression: after 43.1% market share in 2013, 45.2% in 2014, 46.5% in 2015 and 47.2% in 2016, it now reigns at an implacable 49.7% thanks to sales shooting up 15% to over 1.6 million vs. less than 1.4 million last year. Maruti Suzuki broke its monthly share record in November, lifting it to 52.6%, and was above 50% for six out of the 12 months of the year. Like in 2016 Hyundai trails the market slightly with a 6% gain to a record 531.170 units but a declining 16.5% share. The Top 10 brands remain unchanged on 2016 but evolve in vastly different ways. If Tata (+19%) and Honda (+15%) frankly outpace the market, Datsun (+6%), Toyota (+4%), Ford (+1%) and Volkswagen (+1%) trail it while remaining in positive while Mahindra (-1%) and more shockingly Renault (-15%) clearly under-perform. The French manufacturer needs to confirm the success of the Kwid with a second blockbuster and the fail launch of the Captur isn’t helping. Outside the Top 10, Jaguar Land Rover (+49%), Skoda (+30%), Volvo (+28%), BMW (+25%), Mini (+17%) and Mercedes (+16%) all post spectacular gains while Jeep lands at a stunning 13th place.

The Maruti Baleno is up 64% to land in third place overall in 2017.

Model-wise, the Maruti Alto manages a 13th consecutive year in pole position (no interruption since 2005)  with sales back up 5% to just under 258.000 units. The Maruti DZire outpaces the market with a 11% gain to over 225.000 units, becoming in August the second nameplate after the Alto to manage to sell upwards of 30.000 units in a single month in India, lifting this record to 34.405 in September. The DZire topped the Indian sales charts no less than four times in 2017 (a record): in August, September, October and December vs. seven times for the Alto. The Maruti Baleno confirms its spectacular launch by surging 64% this year to step onto the annual podium with 175.000 units, lifting its monthly record to 19.153 in July. In 4th place, the Maruti Swift is down 1% but broke its monthly record in April (23.802) when it ranked #1. Finally the Maruti Wagon R (-4%) makes it five Marutis in the Indian Top 5 for the first time in history, also breaking its monthly record in April (16.348).

The WR-V (#18 in June) helps Honda up 15% in India in 2017. Picture magzter.com 

The Hyundai Grand i10 (+14%) crosses the 150.000 annual unit-milestone and remains the brand’s best-seller in India but is down one spot, followed by the Maruti Vitara Brezza up a staggering 65% to become the country’s best-selling SUV for the first time in a full year, beating its volume record no less than four times this year to bring it to 15.243 in July. The Hyundai Elite i20 is up 9% but down two ranks to #8, the Hyundai Creta up 14% but stuck at #9, beating its monthly volume record twice to lift it to 10.556 in July. With the Maruti Celerio (+11%) at #10 and snapping a new record in July (11.087), the 2017 Top 10 is 100% composed of Maruti and Hyundai nameplates like in 2015. The difference: the Renault Kwid (-13%) is now out of the Top 10, down two spots to #11.

The Nexon is a successful launch for Tata, up 19% at home this year.

Notice also the Mahindra Bolero up 21%, the Tata Tiago up 70% and now the brand’s best-seller at #16, the Datsun Redi-GO up 38% to break into the annual Top 30, the Hyundai Verna up 57% thanks to the new generation and the Toyota Fortuner up 156% to #34. The Maruti Ignis, launched in January, is logically the most successful new launch for the year volume-wise, landing directly at #22 but peaking at #19 in March. Two other newcomers have also managed to break into the monthly Top 20 at some stage during the year however: the Honda WR-V ranks #25 in 2017 but peaked at #18 in June and the Tata Nexon is at #42 but peaked at #20 in November and December. Only the Ignis and WR-V manages to cross the 5.000 monthly sales milestone. Other new nameplates include the Tata Tigor (#37), Hexa (#43) and the Jeep Compass (#45), now locally produced.

Previous month: India November 2017: Maruti monopolises Top 6, breaks share record at 52.6%

Previous year: India Full Year 2016: The year Renault cracked the Indian market

Two years ago: India Full Year 2015: Maruti tightens grip on record market

Full Year 2017 Top 24 All-brands and Top 115 models vs. Full Year 2016 figures below.

Full December 2017 Top 20 All-brands and Top 85 models below.