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Domestic car sales have grown for the seventh month in a row in May, with a jump of 7.73 percent as the auto industry is in the path to recovery. Domestic passenger car sales in May 2015 stood at 1,60,067 units against 1,48,577 units in the year-ago month, as per the data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

“Currently, we are in a slow recovery mode, with some segments showing growth and some declining. Even those segments like cars, which have shown growth, haven’t reached peak levels,” SIAM Director General Vishnu Mathur said. “For LCVs, barring an increase in September 2014, the segment has been witnessing decline for the past 25 months,” Mathur said.

Motorcycle sales have slid by 3.04 percent to 9,53,322 units, from 9,83,210 units in May 2014, while those of LCVs were down by 7.19 percent at 28,226 units against 30,414 units a year ago.

Market leader Maruti Suzuki India has seen its sales grow by 14.29 percent to 85,190 units in the current year against 74,536 units in the previous year. Hyundai Motor India posted a growth of 3.8 percent at 37,328 units when compared with 35,955 units in May 2014. Honda Cars India, had a decline of 8.78 percent at 12,134 units against 13,303 units in the previous year. Tata Motors, sales increased by 32.37 percent to 9,176 units against 6,932 units in the same month previous year, while those of Mahindra & Mahindra came down by 4.77 percent at 16,980 units compared with 17,831 units in 2014.

By Premji