Pakistan car sales rise in April but still a fraction of India's gigantic volume

The Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA) has released sales data for four-wheelers in the country for the month of April. While the month saw sales rise, not just when compared to the previous month but even against April of 2023, the figures were still quite abysmal and reflects the continuing stress in the country's automotive market.

In the month of April ths year, a total of 8,873 units of cars were sold in all of Pakistan, up from 5,023 units sold a month earlier and a significant leap from 2,844 units sold in April of last year. The year-on-year rise in sales is at 212 per cent.

The data from PAMA also breaks down the sales of cars based on engine capacity. On expected lines, car models in the under 1,000cc were the most popular with 5,023 units sold. The Suzuki Alto and Bolan models feature in this segment. The above 1,300cc segment was the next most popular - at least in terms of sales volumes. The segment features Honda City and Civic, Suzuki Swift, Toyota Corolla, Yaris and Corolla Cross, Hyundai Elantra and Sonata and BAIC D20, and a total of 3,212 units of these models were sold in April.

Then there is the 1,000cc to 1,300cc segment featuring Suzuki Cultus (Celerio in India) and Suzuki WagonR. This segment saw sales of 638 units.

While the sales jump would come as a ray of hope for a battered and bruised automotive market in Pakistan, it does not reflect a comprehensive escape from troubled waters that have been marred by factors such as high interest rates, production hurdles as well as a concerning economic situation of the economy at large.

India vs Pakistan vs the world

The Pakistani automotive market is microscopically small when compared to some of the biggest markets across the world. In terms of sales alone, China is by far the biggest playfield for automotive manufacturers, followed by the United States. India overtook Japan last year to become the third-largest vehicle market.

In the month of April, Indian automotive industry reported retail sales of 3.35 lakh car units, up by three per cent from figures of April of 2023. Maruti Suzuki remains the top manufacturer, both in terms of units manufactured and sold, followed by the likes of Hyundai, Tata Motors, Mahindra and Kia.

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