The Best Selling Car up to October 2023 is the Maruti Swift, rises into 1st position with 176,315 sales (+18.2%), followed by the Maruti WagonR with 176,156 new registrations (-8.5%) and the Maruti Baleno at 170,359 sales (+15.3%) .

The Maruti Vitara rises 4 spots into 4th securing 153,534 sales (+42.1%), in front of the Tata Nexon with 140,112 (-0.2%) and the Hyundai Creta with 136,254 registrations (+16.1%).

The Maruti Dzire ranks in 7th with 127,545 sales (-4.4%) in front of the Tata Punch with 12,012 sales (+13.8%).

In ninth place  ranks the Maruti Alto with 116,596 sales (-15.7%), followed by the Maruti Eeco, closing the top 10 with 115,750 units sold (+7.9%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for Top 50 models.

World Best Selling City Cars up to October 2023: BYD Dolphin becomes the new segment leader (+65.2%), overtaking the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV (-49.6%).

Considering ytd sales of 2023 put to October, the BYD Dolphin becomes the new segment leader, with 252,552 new registrations and a 65.2% surge in year-on-year sales.

In second place ranks the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV with 189,863 sales (-49.6%), ahead of the Maruti Wagon R  at 176,156 new registrations (-8.5%).

The Daihatsu Tanto rises 11 spot into 4th with 131,612 sales (+63.2%), followed by the Maruti Alto -down 1 spot- with 116,596 sales (-15.7%) and the Wuling Bingo  -up 131 spots- with 116,282 cumulative registrations.

The Hyundai Grand i10 falls 2 spots into 7th with 115,108 units sold (-15.3%), followed by the Fiat 500 -down 2 spots- with 108,326 sales (-5.3%), the Renault Kwid with 108,036 units (-1.6%) and in 10th place the Changan Lumin rises 17 spots with 107,492 sales (+176.5%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for top 50 models.

Market Trend and Outlook

After rapid economic growth of 7.2% in the 2022-23 fiscal year, economic momentum has remained strong in the first half of 2023. The S&P Global India Services PMI Business Activity Index for July signalled continued rapid expansion in output and new orders, while July’s Manufacturing PMI survey also showed strong expansionary conditions.

India has also become an increasingly attractive location for multinationals across a wide range of industries, with foreign direct investment inflows (FDI) having reached a new record high of USD 85 billion in the 2021-22 fiscal year. FDI investment inflows into the manufacturing sector rose by 76% year-on-year (y/y) in 2021-22, reaching a level of over USD 21 billion.

In such positive economic environment, no surprise if the Indian auto market in October 2023 posted the 20th growth in a row, reporting 390,672 new sales (+13.1%). YTD figures at 3.56 million are up 8.9% from the previous year.

Looking at cumulative data up to October 2023, brand-wise Maruti leads the rankings with 1.50 million sales (+9.6%), Hyundai with 504,540 (+8.3%), Tata with 461,330 (+4.7%), Mahindra with 357,219 (+30.2%) and Kia with 219,702 (+2.0%).

Toyota with 181,083 sales (+31.5%) ranks in 6th place, followed by Honda at 67,556 sales (-16.5%), MG -up 2 spots- with 48,348 sales (+20.6%), followed by Renault with 43,881 new registrations (-41.2%) and Skoda in 10th with 40,302 units sold (-9.5%).

Looking at specific models the Maruti Swift becomes the new best seller growing 18.2% in sales, followed by the Maruti Wagon R down 8.5%.

Medium-Term Market Trend

The Indian autos market alternated positive years with negative ones, from 2010 to 2013, reaching a minimum in 2011 at 2.5 million and a peak in 2012 at 2.8 million sales. 5 years of consecutive growth followed, with a maximum reached in 2018 at 3.4 million registrations.

In 2019 started a negative trend that would continue through the covid pandemic moving sales from nearly 3 million to 2.5 million at the end of 2020.

The fall in sales in the Indian market was not due to a structural problem in the economy, in fact sales started to recover extremely quickly after the pandemic. In 2021 they rose above the 3 million mark (+26.6%) and in 2022 they grew another 23.1% to 3.82 million, setting a new all-time high.

This confirms a common trend in asian countries that, unlike European ones, are recovering well from the pandemic and are responding outstandingly to the change in market sentiment cause by a shift to Evs and a disruption in the supply chains caused by lack of raw materials for microchip production.

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for top 10 Brands, top 10 Manufacturer Groups and top 10 Models.

World Best Selling City Cars of 2022: Wuling Hongguang Mini EV remains the segment leader, followed by the Maruti Wagon R.

In 2022 the segment leader is the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV with 443,384 units sold (+4.0%).

In second place ranks the Maruti Wagon R with 271,317 sales (+18.2%), ahead of the BYD Dolphin -up 32 spots- at 204,946 new registrations.

The Maruti Alto falls 1 spot into 4th with 162,548 sales (-6.8%), followed by the Fiat 500 -down 1 spot- with 158,045 sales (+4.2%) and the Hyundai Grand i10  with 148,993 cumulative registrations (+4.8%).

In seventh place ranks the Suzuki Alto with 140,726 units sold (+14.0%), followed by the Fiat Panda -down 2 spots- with 127,398 sales (-5.3%), the Renault Kwid -up 1 spot- with 120,895 units (-0.8%) and in 10th place the Daihatsu Tanto with 107,809 units (-7.8%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for top 50 models.

Market Trend and Outlook

The Indian auto market totals 3.81 million new car registrations, a 23.1% increase from the prior year and a new all-time high. December hits the 10th consecutive growth of the year, with 280,630 sales (+9.0%)

Looking at cumulative data from 2022, brand-wise the top 6 remain unchanged compared to 2021: in order we have Maruti with 1.58 million sales (+15.5%), Hyundai with 552,511 (+9.4%), Tata with 526,821 (+59.1%), Mahindra with 332,949 (+65.3%), Kia with 254,556 (+40.2%) and Toyota with 159,801 sales (+22.2%).

Honda with 95,022 sales (+6.6%) rises into 7th place overtaking Renault at 87,118 sales (-9.1%). In 9th place ranks Skoda with 53,763 sales (+125.4%) registering the best performance in the Top 10, followed by MG at 48,063 sales (+19.2%) in 10th position.

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for top 10 Brands, top 10 Manufacturer Groups and top 10 Models.

The Indian Market in 2022 has performed exceptionally, scoring a new all-time high.

The main protagonists of this escalade are within a group of vehicles reported in the present post, representing the top 50 models sold in the country.

Maruti Wagon R maintains 1st position with 217,317 sales in the year (+18.2%), followed by the Maruti Baleno with 185,665 sales (+7.8%) overtaking the Maruti Swift at 176,424 sales (+0.8%) .

The Tata Nexon Jumps 6 spots into 4th securing 168,278 sales (+55.0%), in front of the Maruti Alto with 162,548 (-2.2%) and the Maruti Dzire with 159,919 registrations (+37.6%).

The Hyundai Creta -down 2 spots- ranks in 7th with 140,895 sales (+12.3%) in front of the Maruti Ertiga with 133,814 sales (+17.0%).

In ninth place  the Maruti Vitara with 130,814 (+12.2%) followed by the Tata Punch entering the Top 10 for the first time with 119,309 sales (+475.5%).

Other remarkable performance within the Top 50 are those of Mahindra Bolero (+44.1%), Maruti Celerio (+121.4%) and that of the new Mahindra XUV 700.

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for Top 50 models.

World Best Selling City Cars 2021 final data: the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV is the new segment leader, followed by the Fiat Panda and the Fiat 500. The Kia Picanto rises in 6th place, jumping 5 spots.

In 2021 the new segment leader is the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV rising 10 spots with 426,484 units sold holing 10.7% market share.

In second place we have the Fiat Panda with 247,570 sales (6.2% market share), ahead of the Fiat 500, with 194,239 units (4.9% market share).

The Maruti Wagon R fell in 4th position with 183,851 sales (4.6% share) followed by the Maruti Alto –down 3 spots- with 174,409 sales (4.4% share) and the Kia Picanto –up 5 spots- with 147,969 units (3.7% share).

In seventh place we have the Hyundai Grand i10 with 147,645 units (3.7% share) followed by the Suzuki Spacia with 128,900 units (3.2% share), the Suzuki Alto -up 6 spots- with 122,216 units (3.1% share), and in 10th place the Renault Kwid -dropping from ninth place- with 120,118 units (3.2% share).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for top 50 models.

In 2021, the Maruti Wagon R becomes the new leader after overtaking the Maruti Swift, which fell in 2nd position. Indeed, the Wagon R is first this year with 183,851  sales and holds 6% market share, ahead of the Maruti Swift with 175,052 sales and 5.7% share.

The third position is taken by the Maruti Baleno with 172,237 sales (5.6% share), followed by the Maruti Alto -dropping 2 spots-, which sold 166,233 units (5.4% share), and by the Hyundai Creta -up 2 spots- with 125,437 sales (4.1% share).

The Maruti Dzire ended up in 6th place with 116,222 units sold (3.8% share). The Maruti Vitara reached 7th place with sales at 115,962 (3.8% share), followed by the Hyundai EECO -down 2 spots- with 114,524 sales (3.7% share). 

In ninth place, we find the Maruti Ertiga -up 3 spots- with 114,408 sales (3.7% share), ahead of the Tata Nexon –up 8 spots- selling 108,577 units YTD (3.5% share).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for Top 50 models.

Market Trend

The Indian car market this year recovers effectively from the pandemic crash of 2020 and reported a very promising performance in the first half, falling in double-digits only in Q4.

It is currently the 5th largest in the World but it is very close to outpacing Japan to gain the fourth position.

Following five years of continuous vigorous growth, in 2018 the Indian car passenger market hit the last all-time record with 3.38 million sales, despite the introduction of the new National Automotive Plan, in mid-year, blocked the growth. In 2019 the market pushed the brakes, falling down 7.4% and registering 3.11 million units.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic sales have fallen in  2020. In fact, sales have been 2.47 million, reporting a decline of 16.5% compared to 2019.

In 2021 the year started positively for the Indian market, in fact, in Q1 932,479 units have been sold, reporting a 44.5% increase in sales compared to Q1 2020, and in Q2 sales started growing quickly, reporting a 320.3% increase in sales with 645,132 units due to the incredibly low volumes in Q2 2020.

In Q3 sales slowed down significantly, gaining 2.1% sales with 739,521 units, while in Q4 sales dropped 14.8% with 759,599 units.

Indeed, Full-Year sales for 2021 have been 3.08 million, reporting a 26.7% increase compared to 2020. 

Brand-wise, the leader Maruti (+12.6%) lost 5% market share, followed by Hyundai (+17.9%), which lost 1% share this year. Tata on the other hand gained 3.9% share, rising 98.9%.  Mahindra jumped 1 position and gained 43.9%, overtaking Kia which gained 29.2%.

Toyota gained 58.6%, followed by Renault (+18.3%) and Honda which gained 26.3% sales. Closing the leaderboard we have MG -up 1 spot- gaining 45.6% this year and Nissan entering the leaderboard by jumping 9 spots, gaining 1553.4%.

The most sold vehicle this year has been the Maruti Wagon R (+24%) with 183,851 units sold and jumped 3 spots, overtaking the Maruti Swift, which gained 8.9% registering 175,052 new sales this year. The Maruti Baleno (+11.9%) closes the podium and reports 172,237 new units sold.

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for top 10 Brands, top 10 Manufacturer Groups and top 10 Models.

World Best Selling City Cars in 2020 final data: the Maruti Alto remains the unchallenged leader, followed by the Maruti Wagon R and the Hyundai Grand i10, climbing 8 spots. The Fiat Panda falls down in 10th place.

In 2020, the segment leader remains the Maruti Alto with 161.580 units sold and 5% market share, 0.1% more than the previous year.

In second place we have the Maruti Wagon R -up 7 spots- with 148.298 sales (4.6% market share), ahead of the Hyundai Grand i10 -up 8 spots- with 140.000 units (4.3% market share).

The Suzuki Spacia reached 4th position by jumping 3 spots with 139.869 sales (4.3% share) followed by the Daihatsu Tanto –up 1 spot- with 129.681 sales (4% share) and the Renault Kwid –down 2 spots- with 123.128 units (3.8% share).

In seventh place we have the Chevrolet Spark -up 3 spots- with 119.267 units (3.7% share) followed by the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV entering the leaderboard with 119.255 units, the Fiat 500 -down 4 spots- with 118.363 units (3.7% share), and in 10th place the Fiat Panda -down 8 spots- with 117.125 units (3.6% share).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for top 50 models.