Minis down, SUVs up as Maruti sees 12.2% rise in Aug sales

India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Thursday posted a 12.2 per cent rise in total sales in August at 1,32,211 units as against 1,17,864 units in the same month a year ago.

The company's domestic sales for the month stood at 1,19,931 units, up 12.3 per cent from 1,06,781 units in August 2015.

Sales of mini segment cars, including the Alto and WagonR, however, declined by 5.8 per cent to 35,490 units as compared to 37,665 units in the year-ago month, MSI said in a statement.

The company said sales of the compact segment comprising the Swift, Estilo, Ritz, Dzire and Baleno increased by 9.9 per cent to 45,579 units in August this year as against 41,461 units in the year-ago month.

Sales of the compact sedan Dzire Tour declined by 5.9 per cent during the month at 2,986 units as against 3,172 units in August 2015.

Sales of the mid-sized sedan Ciaz rose 49.5 per cent to 6,214 units during the month.

Sales of utility vehicles, including the Gypsy, Grand Vitara, Ertiga, S-Cross and the recently launched compact SUV Vitara Brezza surged over two-fold to 16,806 units in August this year from 7,836 units in the corresponding month last year.

Sales of vans – the Omni and Eeco - rose 2.7 per cent to 12,831 units in August this year as compared to 12,491 units in the same month of the previous year.

Exports during the month rose 10.8 per cent to 12,280 units as compared to 11,083 units in August last year, MSI said.

The company also sold 25 units of its light commercial vehicle Super Carry during the month.