In the midst of booming SUV sales in India, hatchback cars are lagging behind in the race, and you might be surprised to know that in the top 25 cars of April 2024, there are only 6 hatchbacks, with the Maruti Suzuki WagonR being the favorite hatchback among Indian consumers.
Surging Sales for Maruti Suzuki WagonR
Maruti Suzuki is now becoming known more for its utility vehicle segment rather than hatchbacks. Yes, it might sound a bit strange, but with SUVs and MPVs dominating the sales charts and hatchbacks falling behind, the day may not be far off when people forget to buy hatchbacks altogether. The sales report for April showed glimpses of this trend, with only 6 hatchbacks making it to the top 25 cars. However, the Maruti Suzuki WagonR secured the second position overall and remains the favorite hatchback among Indians. Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki has recently launched the new Swift, which could give tough competition to compact SUVs.
WagonR: A Favorite for Everyone
The top-selling hatchback for April was the Maruti Suzuki WagonR, which ranked second overall, and it was purchased by the most people after the Tata Punch. The WagonR sold 17,850 units last month. Following closely at the 8th position was the premium hatchback Maruti Suzuki Baleno, which was purchased by 14,049 customers. The sales of the Baleno have seen a decline in recent months. Last year, the Baleno was selling like hotcakes.
Strong Performance by Tata and Hyundai Hatchbacks
Looking at the sales figures for hatchbacks in the top 25 cars, after Maruti Suzuki’s WagonR and Baleno, the Alto ranked 14th and was purchased by 9,043 customers. Following it was the Tata Tiago at the 19th position, bought by 6,796 customers. In the list of the top 25 best-selling cars, Hyundai’s premium hatchback i20 ranked 24th, and Tata Altroz ranked 25th, purchased by 5,199 and 5,148 customers, respectively.
Rise in SUV Sales
Recently, there has been a decline in hatchback sales and an increase in SUV sales for various reasons. One of the reasons is that there are now many options available for consumers in the compact SUV segment, leading to a significant increase in sales of cars like the Tata Punch and Maruti Suzuki Brezza. When Tata Motors introduces its Nexon in the CNG option this year, the competition will intensify even further.