Cars In Demand: Maruti Alto, Renault Kwid Top Segment Sales In November 2018

• Entry-level hatchback segment slumps down further

• Maruti Alto continues to be highest-selling in the segment despite a drop in month-on-month demand

• Hyundai Eon production at rock bottom. Discontinued or making space for Santro?

Sales reports tend to reflect consumer demands and the numbers for November 2018 are in. With a sales figure of 18,000 units, the Maruti Alto has helped India’s biggest carmaker to retain the top spot in the entry-level hatchback segment. Meanwhile, with a positive month on month growth, the Datsun redi-GO is the only car in this segment which seems to have seen an increased demand in November.

Here’s how each car in the entry-level hatchback category performed on the sales charts in November 2018:

Takeaways

• Alto stays unfazed:While the model may have suffered a 15.94 per cent drop in demand in November, the Maruti Alto still stands well ahead of its rivals. The small Maruti enjoys a dominant 73.49 per cent of the market share in its segment, with more than 18,000 units sold in November.

• Kwid slows down with overall drop in demand: The Renault Kwid has also seen a 10.2 per cent drop in monthly demand. With 5,419 units sold in November, it is still the second most popular car in the segment.

• Datsun does well: While every other car in the segment saw a drop in demand, the Datsun redi-GO actually got more popular after October with a 13.11 per cent growth.
• End of Eon? The Hyundai Eon looks all but dead with just one unit sold in the entire month of November. While the Korean carmaker had said that it will continue to participate in this segment, the Santro appears to be its main focus at the moment.

With a negative -13.63 per cent month-on-month growth, the entry-level hatchback segment saw a continued decline in terms of demand and sales figures in November. It is possible that the demand will rise in December in lieu of year-end discounts. Meanwhile, various carmakers have announced price hikes across their range starting January 2019. This could also push more buyers to dealerships this month.  For those who plan to keep their new car for a long term, it would be advisable to seal the deal before the end of the year rather than delay the purchase for a MY2019 car. You also have the option to buy a MY2018 car and get it registered in 2019, but that isn’t going to help increase the car’s resale value by much.

Source: cardekho.com