Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors sales plummet, COVID-19 to blame

Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors had not sold any unit in the domestic market in April 2020 due to the nationwide lockdown.

On Saturday, Maruti Suzuki India posted a 4% decline in total sales to 1,59,691 units in April as compared to 1,67,014 units in March 2021. India’s largest carmaker blamed the pandemic for low sales as a spike in COVID-19 cases hit dispatches.

Maruti Suzuki had not sold any unit in the domestic market in April 2020 due to the nationwide lockdown. The company said its domestic sales last month stood at 1,42,454 units, down 8% from 1,55,417 units in March.

Sales of mini cars, comprising Alto and S-Presso, increased by 2 per cent to 25,041 units in April as against 24,653 units in March. Sales of compact segment vehicles, including Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno and Dzire, declined by 12 per cent to 72,318 units from 82,201 cars in March this year.

Sales of mid-sized sedan Ciaz, declined by 4 per cent to 1,567 units as compared to 1,628 units in March this year.

Utility vehicle sales, including Vitara Brezza, S-Cross and Ertiga, declined 3 per cent to 25,484 units as against 26,174 in March, MSI said.

Exports in April were, however, up 49 per cent at 17,237 units as against 11,597 units in March this year. The auto major had also managed to ship out 632 units in April last year. 

Meanwhile, Tata Motors said its total domestic sales declined by 41 per cent to 39,530 units in April as compared to 66,609 vehicles in March this year.

Like Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors had not sold any vehicle in April last year due to the nationwide lockdown. The company said its passenger vehicle sales in the domestic market stood at 25,095 units in April, down 15 per cent from 29,654 units in March this year.

"Commercial vehicle sales in the domestic market stood at 14,435 units, down 61 per cent from 36,955 units in March," it added.