Dzire earns fastest-growing model tag, but Alto ends FY18 as best seller

The front and rear exteriors of the car have got a massive overhaul. The head lights, front grille, and more detailed backward swooping sharp body lines give the car a fresh new muscular look.

Compact sedan Maruti Suzuki Dzire ended FY18 on a robust note, nearly surpassing sales of budget car Alto to emerge as one of the fastest growing models in the country.

Dzire saw sales grow 20 percent to 2.4 lakh units last year, which is also when it received a full body overhaul for only the second time since its debut in 2008.

In comparison, Alto, the largest selling model yet again, saw its sales increase by just 7 percent to 2.58 lakh units, signaling a shift in buying pattern wherein consumers are making spacious and feature-rich sedans their first car, as against a cramped and less powerful mini car.

The Dzire is priced at Rs 5.56 lakh, whereas the Alto comes priced at Rs 2.64 lakh (both prices ex-showroom, Mumbai), less than half that of the compact sedan. But that did not stop the Dzire from attracting a lot of customers, and interestingly, the sedan sold even more than the Alto in a few months last year.

Clocking a growth of 58 percent in terms of volumes, Maruti Suzuki Baleno became the third highest-selling car in the country last year, with sales of 1.9 lakh units. If Alto, Baleno, and Dzire sustain their growth rates this year, then Dzire could assume the numero uno position pushing Alto to the third spot and Baleno climbing to the second spot.

Launched in February, the latest generation Swift finished last year at the fourth spot. Maruti Suzuki is ramping up production of the new Swift and this could disrupt the rankings further during the year. Two other Maruti models -- Vitara Brezza and Celerio -- make it to the list of ten best-selling cars in FY18.

With the exception of the Celerio and Wagon R, all models in the top ten list posted a growth in sales in the last year. Because the two models, along with Alto, did not get any significant updates unlike their peers, consumer excitement for them dwindled.

Two models from Hyundai, Grand i10 and Elite i20, received only minor facelifts during the past one year, which was the reason behind their tepid growth of 4 and 8 percent, respectively. Hyundai’s compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) Creta rode on consumer frenzy, finishing the year with a growth of 11 percent.

Company-wise data points out that Tata Motors was one of the fastest growing companies in the passenger vehicle space, thanks to sustained demand for the Tiago hatchback and incremental volumes from the Nexon. While the Tiago closed March at the fifth spot in its segment, the Nexon finished at the sixth spot.

Together, the two models, which make up more than 65 percent of Tata Motors total domestic passenger vehicle volumes, helped the Mumbai-based company end the year at fourth spot, dethroning Honda Cars India. This stellar rise has cleared the decks for an intense battle for the third spot, which Mahindra & Mahindra had grabbed from Tata Motors a few years ago.