Auto-makers Maruti Suzuki India and Tata Motors' domestic passenger vehicle market share declined in April-August this year, while Hyundai and M&M witnessed gain in the same period, as per data compiled by industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

READ I Finance Minister Sitharaman promises relief to automobile industry

Dip in MSI and Tata Motors sales

The country's largest car-maker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) saw its market share dip by over 2 percentage points during the period under review and slip below 50 percent in the domestic passenger vehicle (PV) segment in April-August. The company sold 5,55,064 units this fiscal as compared with 7,57,289 units during April-August previous year. Its market share has come down from 52.16 percent last year to 49.83 percent in the April-August this fiscal.

When contacted MSI executive director (marketing and sales) Shashank Srivastava told PTI that while cars and vans (A and C segment) have performed well, there has been a drop in sales of utility vehicles (B segment).

"This is because of constraint in supply of Ertiga having a large waiting period," he added.

Besides, there is a shift in consumer preference in SUV segment towards petrol where currently the company does not have a variant, Srivastava said adding that MSI plans to introduce petrol variants of Vitara Brezza and S-Cross BS-VI later this fiscal.

READ I Maruti Suzuki annouces a temporary halt in operations next week

Similarly, Tata Motors has reported sales of 60,093 units this fiscal so far as against 98,702 units last year. Its market share has fallen by 1.39 percentage points to 5.41 percent in the current fiscal as against 6.79 percent last year.

Honda Cars sold 51,569 units as compared to 79,599 units last year, shrinking its market share marginally to 4.64 percent this fiscal as against 5.48 percent in the same period last fiscal. Similarly, Ford India saw its market share go down marginally to 2.7 percent from 2.81 percent in April-August last year. It sold 30,010 units this year as against 40,799 units. Nissan Motor India saw its market share dip to 0.73 percent this fiscal as against 1.14 percent in the year-ago period. The company sold a total of 8,070 units so far this fiscal as compared to 16,515 units.

READ I Nirmala Sitharaman: ‘Millennial mindset’ affecting automobile sector

Others increasing market share

On the other hand, Hyundai Motor India saw its market share go up by 2.77 percentage points in the April-August this year. The company sold a total of 2,03,729 units this fiscal as compared to 2,26,396 units. Despite selling less this fiscal, the company's market share has risen from 15.59 percent last fiscal to 18.36 percent.

"2019 is a milestone year for Hyundai Motor India as we launched three products in three different segments...the new launches have led to increase in customer traction, footfalls in showrooms and market share," Hyundai Motor India Ltd National Sales Head Vikas Jain said.

Similarly, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) sold 89,733 units this fiscal so far as compared with 1,00,015 units in April-August last financial year, still, its market share has risen by 1.19 percentage points this fiscal to 8.08 percent from 6.89 percent.

Likewise, Toyota Kirloskar Motor sold 53,977 units this fiscal so far as against 67,051 units in the same period, the previous year. Its market share rose to 4.86 percent from 4.62 percent earlier. Other players like Renault India, Skoda Auto, Volkswagen India saw their market shares increase marginally during April-August this year.

Newcomers Kia Motors and MG Motor India saw their market share in the PV segment at 0.56 percent and 0.32 percent, respectively, this fiscal so far. Kia Motors overall wholesales stood at 6,236 units during the April-August period as compared with MG Motor's 3,526 units.

Overall PV sales during the April-August of the current fiscal stands at 11,09,930 units as compared to 14,51,647 units.

READ I Nirmala Sitharaman announces 6 measures for automobile sector's issues

Automobile Industry sees the worst month in two decades

India’s PV industry suffered its worst-ever performance in two decades as a demand slowdown showed no sign of abating. Domestic sales of passenger vehicles plunged by 31.6% in August, down to 1,96,524 units, from last year, according to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). It was the 10th straight decline in domestic passenger vehicle sales and the worst in the history of SIAM’s compilation of monthly sales data since 1997-98. 

(With PTI Inputs)

READ I SIAM reveals bike & car sales slump, makers flag 'no production' days