Maruti December sales down 4.4% at 90,924 units as exports plummet

Maruti Suzuki India, the country's largest carmaker, has reported a 4.4 per cent decline in total sales at 90,924 units in December 2013 against 95,145 units sold in the same month of the previous year.

The decline in total sales was due mainly to a 67 per cent year-on-year fall in exports to 4,311 units during December 2013.

Domestic sales during the month, however, rose 5.5 per cent to 86,613 units, against 82,073 units sold in December of the previous year, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said in a statement.

Sales of small cars, including M800, Alto, A-Star and WagonR, were up 16.7 per cent at 38,286 units in December against 32,797 units sold in December 2012.

Sales of compact cars Swift, Estilo and Ritz were down 14.7 per cent at 19,171 units, against 22,482 units sold in December 2012.

However, sales of Maruti Suzuki's compact sedan Dzire grew 18 per cent to 15,427 units against 13,076 units sold in December 2012, the company said.

Sales of mid-sized sedan SX4 were down 17.6 per cent to 271 units during the month from 329 units sold in December 2012.

Even the utility segment comprising Ertiga, Grand Vitara and Gypsy saw sales drop 5.5 per cent to 5,146 units during December 2013 from 5,447 units sold in December 2012.

Sales of Omni and Eeco rose 5.3 per cent year-on-year to 8,312 units in December 2013 from 7,897 units in December of the previous year.