Maruti Suzuki India has registered total despatches of 16,25,308 units in January-November 2024, which marks marginal 1 percent year-on-year growth (January-November 2023: 16,02,890 units). The surging demand for the company’s utility vehicles compared to the flagging sales of its passenger cars and sedans is now reflected in its specific model-wise performance at the top.

A deep dive into the company’s sales statistics for the first 11 months of CY2024 reveals that the Ertiga MPV, with 1,74,035 units, has outsold the longstanding Maruti Suzuki best-seller, the Wagon R (1,73,552 units), by 483 units. Whether the Ertiga holds onto the lead in December to be the company’s new No. 1 model for a calendar year remains to be seen, albeit given the trend of the last month of the year, it should.

1. Maruti Ertiga sales up 49 percent year on year
2. Maruti Wagon R sales decline 10 percent year on year
3. Maruti’s SUV and MPV sales contribution increases to 40 percent

In CY2023, the Wagon R had sold 2,01,301 units, while the Ertiga had sold 1,29,968 units – a difference of 71,333 units, which puts the two models’ performance this year in a different perspective, and representative of the trends in their respective segments. While the Ertiga’s UV segment continues to thrive, the Wagon R’s hatchback market has seen a marked decline.

Maruti Ertiga sales: 1,74,035 units, up 49 percent YoY

The Ertiga has been on a roll this year. Its wholesales of 1,74,035 units in the first 11 months constitute handsome 49 percent YoY growth (January-November 2023: 1,16,993 units). The MPV’s best sales month in this year to date has been the festival-laden October (18,785 units). Strong and sustained demand, particularly for the CNG variant, means that this model has already sold 44,067 units more than its entire CY2023 sales of 1,29,968 units (when it was UV No. 5), with December sales still to be counted.

Between January and November 2024, the Ertiga has outsold the Wagon R in five months – May and from August through to November (see 11-month wholesales data table below). The Ertiga sold 69,956 units in August-November compared to the Wagon R’s 57,693 units. This makes for a sizeable difference of 12,263 units, which has helped the Ertiga bridge the sales gap of the preceding seven months.

Maruti Wagon R sales: 1,73,552 units, down 10 percent YoY

The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R, which recently completed 25 years in the Indian market and is one of the longest-surviving nameplates, has been India’s bestselling car for the past three fiscal years in a row – FY2022 (1,88,827 units), FY2023 (2,12,340 units / up 12 percent), and FY2024 (2,00,177 units / down 5.73 percent YoY). However, in the January to November 2024 period, sales of the tall-boy hatchback are down 10 percent compared to last year’s 1,92,723 units in the same duration.

The decline in the Wagon R’s sales can also be attributed to strong consumer shift from passenger cars towards SUVs and MPVs. This is amply reflected in Maruti Suzuki’s segment-wise sales performance for the first 11 months of CY2024.

Maruti SUVs, MPV share increases by 8 percent to 40 percent

As the segment-wise split of Maruti Suzuki India’s total passenger vehicle sales (11-month data table below) shows, UV sales have helped buffer the sharp decline in the company’s hatchback and sedan sales. Combined sales of hatchbacks (Alto, S-Presso, Baleno, Swift, Wagon R, Celerio, Ignis) and sedans (Dzire and Ciaz) at 843,261 units are down 12 percent YoY (January-November 2023: 956,326 units). This has also impacted their share of total PV sales – currently at 52 percent from the 60 percent they had in the first 11 months of CY2023. And the Wagon R is part of that story.

Meanwhile, in sharp contrast and in line with the overall industry trend, demand for Maruti Suzuki’s UV model range has grown stronger with every passing year. Between January and November 2024, a total of 6,55,020 UVs were dispatched to dealers across India, making for robust 26 percent YoY growth (January-November 2023: 5,20,588 units). This performance has seen the UV share of Maruti Suzuki’s overall PV sales jump to 40 percent from 32 percent a year ago – making up the same 8 percent decline in car sales.

Maruti model-wise sales in January-November 2024

Of the 6,55,020 UVs sold in the January-November 2024 period, four models with six-figure sales stand out. The Ertiga leads with 1,74,035 units, just 3,212 units ahead of the Brezza (1,70,823 units), and Fronx (1,45,484 units) compact SUVs, and the Grand Vitara (1,15,564 units). The fifth model in Maruti Suzuki’s UV pecking order is the XL6 MPV (38,199 units), followed by the Jimny (7,634 units) and the premium Invicto MPV (3,191 units).

Meanwhile, the Wagon R (1,73,552 units) leads the rest of the 10-model Maruti Suzuki portfolio. At No. 2 is the premium Baleno (1,62,982 units) just 595 units ahead of sibling Swift. The Dzire sedan (1,51,415 units) is the No. 4 passenger car model, followed by the Eeco van (1,27,027 units). The Alto (98,512 units), Celerio (35,299 units), S-Presso (26,172 units), Ignis (26,111 units) and the Ciaz (6,831 units) make up the rest.

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