Maruti Suzuki wholesales jump 24% in December; Hyundai sees 1% drop

Passenger vehicle wholesales of Maruti Suzuki rose 24% year-on-year to 1.3 lakh units in December 2024 as dispatches of hatchbacks and mini cars to dealerships bounced back last month.

Wholesales of mini and compact cars such as Alto, S-Presso, Baleno, Celerio, Dzire, Ignis, Swift and WagonR rose 29% year-on-year in December to 62,324 units.

Reacting to the development, shares of India’s largest carmaker closed 3% higher at ₹11,221.20 apiece on Wednesday.

India’s second-largest carmaker by volume, Hyundai Motor India Ltd reported domestic passenger vehicle sales of 42,208 units in December, down 1.3% compared with 42,750 units in the same month last year.

Mahindra & Mahindra clocked wholesales of 41,424 sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), a growth of 18% in the domestic market. Overall, its wholesales stood at 42,958 vehicles, including exports.

“We sold 41424 SUVs, a growth of 18% and 69768 total vehicles, a growth of 16% in December. The year ended on a high, as we became the only Indian auto company to attain the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) world leader status within the Auto Sector,” says Veejay Nakra, president, Automotive Division, M&M.

In December 2024, Toyota Kirloskar Motor recorded wholesales of 24,887 units in the domestic market and exported 4642 units. Overall, it sold 29,529 units, representing a year-on-year growth of 29% compared to the 22,867 units sold in December 2023. Of the total sales in 2024, 3,00,159 units were attributed to domestic sales, while 26,232 units came from exports. The SUV and MPV segments emerged as significant contributors in 2024 with Innova Hycross, Urban Cruiser Hyryder and Hilux taking charge. “The SUV and MPV segments being key contributors grew at 20% over the same period last year. We are also observing a growing shift of consumer preferences towards vehicles offering sustainability, value proposition of dependability quotient, enhanced safety and better resale value which is boosting our sales,” says Sabari Manohar, vice president, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

JSW MG Motor India achieved a significant year-over-year growth of 55% in December 2024, selling 7,516 units. The carmaker recorded its highest-ever EV sales. The company’s EV sales accounted for over 70% of the total sales in December 2024.

MG Windsor, India's First Intelligent CUV, maintains top spot in passenger vehicle EV sales for the third consecutive month. With 3,785 units, MG Windsor has solidified its position as the market leader in the segment. “2024 marked a year of transformation for us. We successfully launched our joint venture and refreshed our brand identity, reaffirming our commitment to India's automotive evolution. The Windsor EV emerged as a market leader, despite market challenges,” says the company spokesperson.