The country's largest car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has reported a 50 per cent increase in sales, over the same month last year, to 1,62,462 units for July while its arch rival Hyundai clocked a 46 per cent increase in sales at 60,249 units during the month.

Although the numbers mark a revival in the economy, part of the high growth can be attributed to the fact that it is in comparison to the low sales during July last year when the economy was battered due to a strict lockdown to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. This is what economists call the base effect.

Maruti Suzuki had sold 1,08,064 units in July last year. Domestic sales increased by 39 per cent at 1,41,238 units last month as against 1,01,307 units in July 2020, according to a company statement.

Sales of mini cars comprising Alto and WagonR stood at 19,685 units as compared to 17,258 units in the same month last year.

Sales of compact segment, including models such as Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno and Dzire, rose to 70,268 units as against 51,529 cars in July last year. Mid-sized sedan Ciaz sold 1,450 units as compared to 1,303 units earlier.

Sales of utility vehicles, including Vitara Brezza, S-Cross and Ertiga, stood at 32,272 units last month as compared to 19,177 in the year-ago month, MSI said.

Exports in July were up at 21,224 units as against 6,757 units in the corresponding month last year, the company said.

Hyundai Motor India registered total sales of 60,249 units in July 2021. The company reported a growth of 45.9 per cent as compared to 41,300 units sold in July 2020. Domestic sales for the company stood at 48,042 units last month, registering a growth of 25.8 per cent, while exports were up by 293.8 per cent last month with 12,207 units shipped. In contrast, exports in July 2020 stood at 3100 units.

Hyundai's strong sales growth comes on the back of a large UV line-up of products. On a month-on-month basis, Hyundai India's sales grew by 10.60 per cent when compared to 54,474 units in June this year.

Tata Motors

Tata Motors on Sunday said its total domestic sales increased by 92 per cent to 51,981 units in July as compared to the same month last year.

The company had sold 27,024 units in July 2020.

The auto major said its passenger vehicle sales in the domestic market stood at 30,185 units in July, as compared to 15,012 units in the same month last year.

Commercial vehicle sales in the domestic market stood at 21,796 units, up 81 per cent from 12,012 units in July 2020, it added.