Maruti Suzuki reports drop in domestic sales while exports continue to rise. Check details

Leading Indian carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India has posted domestic sales of 135,962 units in May 2025. This marks a year-on-year fall of 5.58 per cent for the carmaker from the 144,002 units it sold domestically in May 2024. On the other hand, the carmaker’s exports rose by 79.7 per cent in the month with total exports of 31,219 units as opposed to 17,367 units in the same period last year.

Continuing the trend, the passenger vehicle segment for the carmaker which includes models like the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, Swift, Dzire, Ciaz and others, saw a downfall of 12.81 per cent YoY from 78,838 units in May 2024 to 68,736 units in May 2025. Meanwhile, the utility vehicle segment which includes models like the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Grand Vitara, Ertiga and others, saw a slight increase of 1.2 per cent YoY to 54,899 units in May 2025 from 54,204 units in the same period last year.

Earlier during a press conference, RC Bhargawa, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India re-iterated the need for the revival in the small car segment for the sustained growth for the passenger vehicle industry. He expressed that the Indian passenger vehicle market will continue to witness muted growth unless the small car segment sees growth.

Tax reduction to revive the segment

In order to regain momentum in the small car space, Bhargava proposed the introduction of tax structures tailored specifically for smaller cars—lower taxes compared to other segments. Drawing a parallel with Japan’s Kei cars, which benefit from lower taxes and regulations, he suggested India should adopt a similar approach. By making small cars more affordable and accessible, India could see a shift from motorcycles to four-wheelers, helping to accommodate the 30 crore two-wheeler owners in the country, the chairman emphasised.

Without these critical policy changes, Bhargava warned, India’s car market will continue to struggle with limited growth, and mass car ownership will remain an exclusive goal for the vast majority of the population.

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