While Tata Nexon retains its best-selling SUV status, the Mahindra Scorpio manages to nudge into the top-10 sellers even marginally overtaking the Hyundai Creta.
Hyundai Creta: Coming in at number 10, the Hyundai Creta has just managed to inch itself into October’s top-10 list with a sale of 13,077 units. On a year-on-year basis, this is a growth of 10 percent with October last year, seeing sales of 11,880 units. On a month-on-month basis, as well, the sales of the Creta have grown by 2.8 percent 12,717 units sold in September. Hyundai’s best-selling SUV is ready for its facelift now which is expected to launch sometime in the first quarter of 2024. While covered up, spy images speak of a redesigned front fascia and tail section with a new grille, headlamp and tail lamp, and new alloys on the side. Engine options are likely to remain the same offerings we have now. These include the 115 hp 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol as well as the 116 hp 1.5-litre naturally aspirated diesel engine.
2/10
Mahindra Scorpio: Edging out the Hyundai Creta, Mahindra and Mahindra completed sales of 13,578 units of the Scorpio SUV. This is a massive 83 percent growth when looked at from a year-on-year basis. In October 2022, only 7,438 units of the Mahindra Scorpio were sold marking a solid increase of 83 percent this year. On a month-on-month basis as well, the Scorpio sales have grown by 14.61 percent from September’s 11,846 figure. There are currently two versions of the Scorpio on sale today – the Scorpio N and the Scorpio Classic which is cheaper. Both of these come with completely different exterior as well as interior designs. The other factor is that the Scorpio Classic is on available in a single Diesel engine option whereas the Scorpio N gets two diesel as well as one petrol option. Mahindra has also been in the news recently with the patent of recently showcased pick-up variant of Scorpio or Global Pik Up being patented in India. This will be something to look forward to as the pick-up truck segment in India is still extremely tiny.
3/10
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga: Next up the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga falling down a position to place eighth in October with sales 14,209 units. This is still a growth of 5 percent from September’s 13,528 sales figure. On a year-on-year basis as well, sales of the Ertiga have grown by 35 percent from October 2022’s 10,494 figure. The Ertiga got its mid-life refresh in April this and as part of that package, the MPV got a number of updates, as well as an updated engine. The new 1.5-litre DualJet produces 103 hp of maximum power and 136 Nm of peak torque. Additionally, both automatic and manual options are available. The biggest change however, was in the form of the automatic gearbox option. The 4-speed AMT gearbox was replaced with a 6-speed torque convertor automatic. Further, a CNG variant of the engine is also on sale, which produces 87 hp and 121 Nm. The Ertiga also gets a plethora of features, including a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, smartphone connectivity, four airbags, ABS, EBD, and more.
4/10
Maruti Suzuki Dzire: India’s best-selling sedan continues to be the Dzire despite its fall to the seventh position compared to September’s charts. With sales of 14,699 units of the Dzire in October, the Dzire has grown by 5.9 percent from 13,880 units. On a year-on-year basis, the sales of the Dzire have grown by 19 percent from 12,321 units in October 2022. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire was last updated back in 2020 and the car is all set for the next generation update. The 2024 Maruti Suzuki Swift has already been revealed in Japan and the same updates should come to its sedan sibling, the Dzire, as well. For now, though, the Dzire is available with a single petrol and CNG powertrain option. The 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol produces 90 hp of maximum power and 113 Nm of peak torque. The CNG variant produces 77 hp and 98.5 Nm. Both manual, as well as automatic transmission options, are available on the petrol variant, while the CNG variant is only available with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Tata Punch: Moving up to number five, the Tata Punch clocked in a sales figure of 15,317 units, a growth of 39 percent on a year-on-year basis from October 2022’s 10,982 figure. Month-on-month, too, the Punch has grown 17 percent from 13036 units. It has been exactly a year now that the Punch was launched and the tiny SUV has been doing significantly well for itself. The Punch is a punchy looking micro-SUV with a high nose, muscular stance and an overall design that suggests its HBX concept beginnings. Powering the Tata Punch is a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol mated to either a 5-speed manual or AMT gearbox. This naturally aspirated engine produces 86 hp of power and 113 Nm of peak torque. According to Tata, the Punch is capable of an ARAI fuel economy of 18.97 km/l on the manual and 18.82 km/l on the automatic variants. The latest news, however, is that the electric version of the Punch is currently undergoing testing and we should see the EV launch soon.
6/10
Maruti Suzuki Brezza: We enter the top-five with the Maruti Suzuki Brezza clocking in 16,050 units in sales. Year-on-year, this is a growth of 61 percent from 9,941 units and month-on-month we see a 6.99 percent growth from 15,001 units. The SUV has fallen from its fourth position in last month’s charts with the Swift overtaking not just the Brezza but two more cars. It continues to be Maruti Suzuki’s best-selling SUV, however, thanks to K15C 1.5-litre petrol engine, which produces 103 hp of maximum power and 136 Nm of peak torque. The company also launched a CNG variant this year which produces 87 hp of maximum power and 121 Nm of peak torque. Unlike the petrol variant, however, the CNG only gets manual transmission.
7/10
Maruti Suzuki Baleno: Unfortunately, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno has fallen all the way down to the fourth position from its top-spot in September. Securing sales of 16,594 units, the Baleno has degrown by 9.9 percent from September’s 18,417 figure. On a year-on-year basis, too, the sales have fallen by 3 percent with Maruti Suzuki securing 17,149 units in sales of the Baleno. The Baleno is powered by a petrol and a CNG variant of the same engine. The 1.2-litre petrol is capable of producing 90 hp of maximum power and 113 Nm of peak torque. It comes mated with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT. The CNG variant, on the other hand, produces 77 hp of maximum power and 113 Nm of peak torque.
8/10
Tata Nexon: The best-selling SUV for the month of October is now the Tata Nexon, retaining its third place from the month of September. The Nexon has clocked in a growth of 10.2 percent from September’s 15,325 sales figure to 16,887 units in October. On a year-on-year basis, the Nexon has grown 23 percent from 13,767 units last year. The car was updated to its latest-gen avatar along with its EV counterpart in September and has been doing well just like its predecessors. The Nexon comes powered by the same set of engines as before however. This is a 1.2-litre Revotron turbo-petrol that produces 120 hp of power and a 1.5-litre Revotorq diesel that belts out 115 hp of power.
Maruti Suzuki Swift: Climbing up three spaces, the Maruti Suzuki Swift managed to clock in a 20,598 sales figure in October 2023. Same time last year, Maruti Suzuki sold 17,231 units of the Swift suggesting a growth of 20 percent, year-on-year. On a month-on-month basis, the Swift grew by 17.2 percent from 14,703 units. As mentioned earlier, the next-gen Maruti Suzuki Swift was revealed in Japan just recently and the hatchback is likely to make it to our shores sometime next year. Currently, the Swift is powered by a 1.2-litre DualJet engine that produces 90 hp of maximum power and 113 Nm of peak torque. The Swift comes from Maruti Suzuki Arena arm of dealerships and isn’t as premium as the Baleno, however, the hatchback has a decent set of features, including a touchscreen infotainment system, smartphone connectivity, navigation system with live traffic updates, voice commands and more.
10/10
Maruti Suzuki WagonR: And finally, at number we have the Maruti Suzuki WagonR with a total sales figure of 22,080 units for the month of October 2023. On a year-on-year basis, this marks a 23 percent increase from October 2022’s 17,945 figure while on a month-on-month basis, the WagonR has grown by 35.9 percent from 16,250 units. The WagonR continues to be available in three powertrain options, including a CNG variant. The smaller of the two petrol versions, the 1-litre, three-cylinder engine produces 66 hp and 82 Nm. The bigger 1.2-litre, four-cylinder unit belts out 89 hp and 113 Nm. Both 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT are offered as options.
Stanford Masters Journalist who writes on automobiles
