In May 2022, Maruti Suzuki continued its dominance in the Indian passenger car market, with eight models crossing the 10,000-unit monthly sales figure
Maruti Suzuki is the largest carmaker in India by sales volume, dominating every monthly passenger car sales chart for more than three decades. The Indo-Japanese auto manufacturer took the top spot on the sales chart last month as well, that too with a comfortable lead over all rivalling car manufacturers.
In May 2022, eight different Maruti Suzuki models managed to cross the 10,000-unit monthly sales figure, which is an extremely impressive feat. These hot-selling cars were Wagon-R (16,814 units), Swift (14,133 units), Baleno (13,970 units), Alto (12,933 units), Ertiga (12,226 units), Dzire (11,603 units), Eeco (10,482 units), and Vitara Brezza (10,312 units).
It is also worth noting that the second- and third-largest car brands in India by sales volume in May 2022 – Tata and Hyundai – had only a few models that crossed the 10,000-unit sales mark. These were Tata Nexon (14,614 units), Hyundai Creta (10,973 units), and Tata Punch (10,241 units).
In recent times, the demand for SUVs has been rising steadily, and Maruti Suzuki is planning to capitalise on that by updating its SUV portfolio to attract more buyers. With the demand for small cars (hatchbacks and sedans) shrinking against utility vehicles (SUVs and MPVs), this seems like the smart way forward.
The carmaker will introduce the next-generation Vitara Brezza (expected to just be named ‘Brezza’ upon launch) in the domestic market on June 30. Apart from that, the ageing S-Cross is set to be replaced by a brand-new model. As per speculations, this forthcoming C-segment SUV could be unveiled as soon as next month, with the launch following in later months.
| Model | May 2022 sales figure | May 2021 sales |
| Maruti Wagon-R | 16,814 | 2,086 |
| Maruti Swift | 14,133 | 7,005 |
| Maruti Baleno | 13,970 | 4,803 |
| Maruti Alto | 12,933 | 3,220 |
| Maruti Ertiga | 12,226 | 2,694 |
| Maruti Dzire | 11,603 | 5,819 |
| Maruti Eeco | 10,482 | 1,096 |
| Maruti Vitara Brezza | 10,312 | 2,648 |
The manufacturer is also planning to introduce another compact SUV in the Indian market in the near future, which will be based on the Baleno hatchback. A new three-row SUV is also reported to be in the pipeline, along with a new electric SUV. Some of these upcoming SUVs are being made in partnership with Toyota, which is planning to launch these models under its own brand.