The Tata Nexon has retained its title as India’s best-selling utility vehicle (UV) for the third fiscal year in a row in FY2024 with wholesales of 1,71,697 units in the 12-month period of April 2023 to March 2024. The Nexon, which is equipped with petrol, diesel and electric powertrains, was also the country’s best-selling SUV in FY2023 and FY2022.
The battle to be the SUV boss in FY2024 was close. At end-February 2024, only 2,356 units separated the Tata Nexon and the Maruti Brezza; Maruti’s compact SUV was perceived to be the Nexon’s main challenger to the No. 1 UV title in FY2024.
- Nexon sales dropped 0.25 percent year-on-year; still outsold Brezza
- Punch sales of 17,547 units in March 2024 helped it push past Brezza
- Hyundai Creta was the best-selling midsize SUV in FY2024
While the Nexon – which sold 0.25% less than the 1,72,138 units it sold in FY2023 – has once again taken the crown, interestingly another Tata SUV – the Punch with 1,70,076 units – has snatched the No. 2 rank from the Brezza, which was ahead of the Punch till February 2024. The Brezza is now ranked third with 1,69,896 units and retains the same ranking it had in FY2023 (1,45,665 units), despite its sales increasing by 17 percent.
Surging demand for the Punch meant that its 17,547 units in March 2024 not only made it the best-selling SUV for the month, but notably, it was also India’s best-selling passenger vehicle for the first time last month. The Punch, initially available only with petrol power, continues to punch above its weight and is clearly benefiting from the more recently launched CNG and electric variants, having sold 27 percent more units in FY2024 compared to the 1,33,819 units sold in FY2023.
As a result of the continuing robust customer demand for compact SUVs and the no-holds-barred battle between the top three compact SUVs, the Hyundai Creta midsize SUV, ranked second in FY2023 (1,50,372 units) as well as FY2022 (1,18,092 units), takes fourth position in FY2024 despite delivering a much better performance of 1,62,773 units. This is its best yet in a fiscal, energised by the launch of the new Creta in mid-January 2024.
Compact SUVs rule, midzise SUV demand grows
Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai Motor India, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Kia India and Toyota Kirloskar India are the top six UV manufacturers in the country and are well represented in the Top 20 UV rankings, some more than others.
The Top 20 UV data table for FY2024 reveals that the market leader Maruti Suzuki has five models (Brezza, Ertiga, Fronx, Grand Vitara and XL6). Mahindra & Mahindra also has five models (Scorpio, Bolero, XUV700, Thar and XUV300). While Hyundai has three (Creta, Venue and Exter) as does Kia (Seltos, Sonet and Carens), Tata Motors has two models (Nexon and Punch), as does Toyota (Innova Crysta/Hycross and Urban Cruiser Hyryder).
In terms of vehicle category, compact SUVs lead with 10 models, followed by midsize SUVs with seven models, and MPVs with three.
Hormazd Sorabjee
Anurag Chaturvedi
