The Baleno continued to lead the way in the premium hatchback segment ahead of Hyundai Elite i20 and Tata Altroz in the month of September 2020
The B2 hatchback segment has been one of the highly popular hatchback spaces in recent years as the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Hyundai Elite i20 are the regular best-sellers. Observing its importance, Tata Motors stepped into the fray earlier this year with the Altroz and it has been gaining good volumes as well.
In September 2020, Maruti Suzuki Baleno continued to sit at the top of the sales charts with 19,433 units as against 11,420 units during the same period in 2019. By selling just over 8,000 units more, the Heartect platform based Baleno registered a massive 70 per cent volume growth as it was the second most sold passenger car in the country.
The Hyundai Elite i20 finished second with 9,852 units as against 10,141 units during the corresponding period in 2019. The Korean hatch is getting a brand new generation in the coming months with a redesigned exterior and a feature packed interior along with the addition of new powertrains to further expand the lineup.
| Models | September 2020 Sales | September 2019 Sales |
| Maruti Suzuki Baleno | 19,433 | 11,420 |
| Hyundai i20 | 9,852 | 10,141 |
| Tata Altroz | 5,952 | – |
| Toyota Glanza | 2,572 | 2,773 |
| Volkswagen Polo | 1,585 | 1,643 |
| Ford Freestyle | 761 | 422 |
| Honda Jazz | 748 | 649 |
We do expect the next-gen Elite i20 to topple the dominance of the Baleno upon its arrival. The Altroz endured its highest monthly sales tally thus far in India in September 2020 as 5,952 units were recorded and in comparison to the previous month of August 2020 when 4,951 units were noted, a 20 per cent MoM growth was seen.
The Altroz is getting its 1.2-litre petrol engine upgraded with a turbocharged soon. It will help in widening the range further and appealing to more number of customers. The Glanza, rebadged Baleno, finished in fourth position with 2,572 units as against 2,773 units in September 2019.
The Polo recorded 1,585 units in September 2020 to finish ahead of Ford Freestyle, which is largely considered as a jacked up Figo than a premium hatchback, and Honda Jazz. The Freestyle garnered 761 units while the Jazz hatchback that received BSVI updated only recently registered 748 units – 99 units more than in September 2019.