Maruti Suzuki posts 5.5 per cent decline in March sales

Maruti Suzuki India (MSI), India's largest carmaker, on Tuesday reported a 5.5 per cent decline in total sales in March at 1,13,350 units as against 1,19,937 units in the same month a year ago.

The company said its domestic sales declined  5.2 per cent during the month to 1,02,269 units as against 1,07,890 units in March 2013.

Sales of mini segment cars, including M800, Alto, A-Star and WagonR, declined 11 per cent to 40,085 units as compared to 45,047 units in the year-ago month, MSI said in a statement.

The company said sales of the compact segment comprising Swift, Estilo, Ritz rose 9.3 per cent to 28,285 units in March this year as against 25,868 units last year.

MSI said sales of its popular compact sedan Dzire declined by 14.1 per cent during the month under review at 17,237 units as against 20,078 units in March 2013.

The company's mid-sized sedan SX4 registered a decline of 54.5 per cent to 411 units as against 903 units in the same month last year. There was no sale of premium sedan Kizashi during the month.

Sales of utility vehicles - including Gypsy, Grand Vitara and Ertiga - rose marginally to 6,499 units in March this year from 6,488 units in the corresponding month last year.

Sales of vans Omni and Eeco rose 2.6 per cent to 9,752 units during the month as compared to 9,506 units in the same month a year ago.

Exports during the month declined 8 per cent to 11,081 units as compared to 12,047 units in March last year, MSI said.