India March 2019: Honda (+26.7%), Mahindra (+8%) impress in 7th market drop in past 9 months

The Honda Civic has landed in India.

Indian wholesales recede for the 7th time in the past 9 months in March at -2.4% to 290.586 units, leading to a Q1 volume down -1.6% to 842.502. Brand leader Maruti (-1.5%) slips just under the symbolic 50% market share milestone at 49.9% but widens the gap with #2 Hyundai (-7.6%) to over 100.000 units. Mahindra soars 8% to 8.9% share, cementing its third place ahead of Tata (-12.1%) in freefall. At #5, Honda (+26.7%) easily posts the largest gain in market and Toyota (+2.2%) is the only other Top 12 brand in positive, with Datsun (-51.2%), Jeep (-33.7%) and Volkswagen (-25.9%) the hardest hit.

Model-wise, the Maruti Dzire (-10.2%) reclaims the top spot it held over the Full Year 2018 for the first time since last July despite a hefty year-on-year drop, while the Maruti Baleno (+6.2%) edges up one spot on February to #2, its highest ranking since last October. The Maruti Wagon R (+13.7%) is propelled to its largest volume in almost a year by its new generation, the Vitara Brezza (+7.9%) reaches its highest tally since last November, the Celerio (+59.7%) hits its 2nd largest ever volume at 11.807 units, below only the 12.209 from October 2017, and the Eeco soars 36.8% to #10. In contrast, the Maruti Alto (-27.8%) ends its three-month reign but remains #1 YTD and the Maruti Swift (-26%) falls to its lowest ranking since December 2017 at #5.

The Hyundai Elite i20 (-8.6%) is the most popular non-Maruti nameplate again with the Hyundai Creta hitting its 2nd largest volume ever at 11.448 below the 11.702 of October 2018. Just outside the Top 10, the Maruti Ertiga (+76.1%) breaks its all-time volume record for the 2nd straight month at 8.955, distancing the Hyundai Santro up 3 spots on last month to #12, by far the best-selling new launch (<12 months). The list of records continues below, with the Tata Nexon (+27.5%) reaching an all-tie high 5.616 units, the Mahindra XUV300 up 5.7% on its inaugural month to 4.742 and the Tata Harrier up to 2.492. Finally this month we welcome the Honda Civic directly at #32 with just under 2.300 wholesales.

Previous month: India February 2019: New XUV300 lifts Mahindra up 19.8% in 6th market decline in past 8 months

One year ago: India March 2018: Tata up 31%, Maruti up 15% in record market

Full March 2019 Top 22 All-brands and Top 90 models below.