“>Tata Motors’ Punch has grow to be India’s top-selling automobile, surpassing Maruti Suzuki’s WagonR with over 1,26,000 models offered between January and July 2024. Punch’s success marks the top of Maruti Suzuki’s long-standing dominance on this section.
Nevertheless, in July, Punch slipped to the fourth place, with Hyundai Creta taking the lead, in accordance with information from auto market analysis agency Jato Dynamics.
The rise of Punch signifies a shift in client desire in the direction of different gasoline choices, which now signify almost half of the highest 5 gross sales. Electrical and CNG variants make up 47% of Punch’s complete gross sales, whereas CNG has grow to be a major contributor to the gross sales of Maruti Suzuki’s WagonR (45%), Brezza (27%), and Ertiga (58%).
Auto business consultants attribute Punch’s success to the brand new class it has created. “As a micro SUV, the Punch provides SUV-like options at a extra accessible value level. Additionally, its multi-fuel strategy (it was all-petrol in 2023) caters to various client preferences and considerations about gasoline prices,” stated Ravi Bhatia, president of Jato Dynamics.
Automobile sellers additionally spotlight the impression of Punch’s gasoline combine on its gross sales. A Chennai-based seller famous, “It went from simply over 79,000 models final Jan-July to 1.26 lakh models now due to its electrical and CNG variants.” The opposite 4 vehicles within the prime 5 both have CNG or diesel as the one different to petrol.
Vivek Srivatsa, chief industrial officer of Tata Passenger Electrical Mobility, acknowledged, “The Punch has grow to be the quickest car to cross the 4 lakh gross sales milestone in SUVs.”
The success of Punch’s dual-fuel technique has not gone unnoticed by different automobile producers. The Hyundai Exter, launched in July 2023, has seen its gross sales rise from 7,000 models in its launch yr to 52,684 models in 2024.
“For OEMs, the technique seems to be diversifying gasoline choices to cater to totally different client wants and regulatory environments and specializing in the micro SUV section to seize price-sensitive prospects who need to personal an SUV,” added Bhatia.
