Mahindra Bolero led the diesel PV sales charts in Q2 2023 as the combined sales of Bolero and Bolero Neo stood at 25,910 units
The BSVI stage 2 emission standards came into effect on April 1, 2023. The sales numbers in the recently ended quarter give us a clear indication of where diesel vehicles stand in terms of popularity. The oil burners contribute to 18 per cent of the total PV sales as 31 RDE-compliant vehicles powered by diesel engines are offered by nine carmakers in the domestic market.
In Q2 2023, close to 1.80 lakh diesel cars were sold in India with Mahindra leading the charge by garnering 46 per cent of the market share. The sales of SUVs attribute to 88 per cent of the said total. In the top ten diesel cars sales charts, Mahindra had five features as the Bolero headed the standings ahead of its sibling, the Scorpio.
The combined sales of Mahindra Bolero and Bolero Neo stood at 25,910 units in the period between April and June 2023 in India. The Bolero nameplate has been recording consistent volumes for nearly two decades due to its good reception in the rural and sub-urban parts of the country. However, the Mahindra Scorpio was not far away.
| Top 10 Diesel Cars | Sales In Q2 2023 |
| 1. Mahindra Bolero | 25,910 |
| 2. Mahindra Scorpio | 25,804 |
| 3. Hyundai Creta | 18,628 |
| 4. Toyota Innova Crysta | 12,614 |
| 5. Mahindra XUV700 | 10,802 |
| 6. Mahindra Thar | 10,703 |
| 7. Kia Seltos | 8,828 |
| 8. Mahindra XUV300 | 8,606 |
| 9. Toyota Fortuner | 8,279 |
| 10. Tata Harrier | 7,126 |
Only 106 units separated the Bolero and Scorpio as the latter posted a tally of 25,804 units. The combined volumes of Scorpio N and Scorpio Classic stood at 25,804 units in the last quarter of this calendar year. The Scorpio N is equipped with a 2.2L mHawk four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that can also be found in the Thar and XUV700.
The Hyundai Creta had 18,628 takers for the 1.5L diesel engine while the Toyota Innova Crysta, retailed only with a diesel engine, registered 12,614 units. The Mahindra XUV700 finished in the fifth position with a total of 10,802 units while the Thar lifestyle off-roader came in at sixth with a total of 10,703 units for its diesel variants.
The Kia Seltos finished seventh with 8,828 units while Mahindra XUV300, Toyota Fortuner and Tata Harrier covered the remaining three positions in that order. Both Fortuner and Harrier are only sold with diesel engines. Interestingly, the best-selling SUV in India, Tata Nexon, finished outside the top ten as the penetration of diesel was only 16 per cent.