Maruti sees 25.7% rise in January sales, Toyota up by 21%

After a lacklustre year-end which saw monthly automobile sales slide to a 16-year low, vehicle manufacturers managed to start off on a good note in 2017.

Passenger vehicle manufacturers Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) and Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) managed to post strong double digit growth in domestic sales in January.

While sales for Maruti Suzuki went up by a robust 25.7 per cent to 133768 units, that of Toyota increased by 21 per cent to 10336 units.

Sales for the country's largest car maker Maruti increased in all but one segment – the compact sedan category. Sales of DZire Tour fell by 15 per cent to 3001 units during the month. Sales of mini cars (Alto, WagonR) grew by 10.9 per cent to 37928 units, compact cars (Celerio, Swift, Ritz, Ignis, Baleno, DZire) increased by 25.2% to 55817 units. Volumes in the utility vehicle segment too doubled, driven by the Brezza to 16313 units.

Toyota too grew sales on back of new launches – utility vehicles Innova and Fortuner. N Raja, director & senior vice-president, (sales & marketing), Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, ''We recorded a 21 per cent growth in sales in January 2017 when compared to the sales in January last year.

''Three months into demonetization and we can slowly see that the market is reviving with increased footfalls and customer enquiries. In fact, even with demonetization in effect, we have still managed to record a 17 per cent growth in sales in the last three months when compared to the same period last year. This has been possible due to the overwhelming response the new Fortuner and Innova Crysta have received and we would like to thank our customers for the same.''