Automobile
Maruti Suzuki adds 13 lakh customers in last five years
Maruti Suzuki’s Nexa, has gained over 13 lakh customers in past five years since its debut. In 2020, over 2.3 lakh sales were sold via this sub-brand. This makes Nexa equivalent to the third-largest car brand in India.
The first model to be sold across these sales outlets was the S-Cross in 2015, which in its BSVI petrol form has seen its sales double from earlier levels. The facelifted Ignis has sold 27,000 units until Dec 2020, a low figure by Maruti Suzuki standards but 45 per cent buyers have been below 35 years of age. Other strong sellers for Nexa are the Baleno which has been the fastest to reach the 8 lakh sales figure in 5 years and the Ciaz, which was the leader in the C-segment sedan market between 2016 and 2020.
The XL6, the six-seater derivative of the Ertiga, has also helped increase Maruti Suzuki’s share in the MPV segment to 58 per cent from 40 per cent. “Nexa, driven by the philosophy of ‘Create Inspire’ was launched in 2015 to offer a premium automotive retail experience to Indian customers through a world of ingenious innovation, exclusivity and inspiring experiences.
“We are proud to announce that Nexa continues to maintain its leading position as the third-largest automobile brand in India. It helped us attract a new set of customers who were earlier not considering us. This is evident from the fact that pre-determined buyers for Nexa cars have increased from 26% to over 50% in FY’2021 Over the years its share of contribution to total sales has enhanced from 5 % to 19% in FY 2021”, said Shashank Srivastava, head of sales and marketing at Maruti Suzuki of this development.
Automobile
Improved version of Hyundai Creta launched in Indian market: Check it out here
Hyundai India launched the much-awaited Creta Knight Edition in the country at a starting price of Rs 13.51 lakh (ex-showroom, all-India). This new variant is available in both petrol and diesel engine options and can be had either with a manual or an automatic transmission unit. To read more about the Creta Knight Edition, click here. In addition to this, the company has also introduced a model-year update for the Hyundai Creta with new feature additions.
The 2022 Hyundai Creta is now available in a new Denim Blue colour option and the Highline TPMS is now standard across all variants. The SX (O) trim now also gets a glossy black centre console. Furthermore, the company will offer the iMT option on the 1.5-litre petrol ‘S’ variant to further expand choices for the customers. The new S+ variant powered by a 1.4-litre T-GDi petrol engine with 7DCT now gets an additional set of features, such as –
– Smart panoramic sunroof
– 16-inch black alloy wheels
– Smartphone wireless charger
– Rear Disc Brakes
– Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
– Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)
– Hill start assist control (HAC)
– Paddle shifters
– Metal pedals
– Electric and auto-folding ORVMs
– Power window auto up/down
Mechanically, the SUV continues to be powered by the existing petrol and diesel engine options.