Hyundai Santro Xing beats i10 in sales

Published On Jan 20, 2009 05:18 PM By Vikas

Hyundai Motors India is the largest car exporter and the second largest car manufacturer of India.
Its boxy yet once the best selling car, Hyundai Santro Xing, which was sidelined after the launch of its next generation hatchback model Hyundai i10, seems to be back in action. Hyundai records that Hyundai Santro Xing beats i10 in sales in the month of December 2008. Hyundai Santro Xing sales figures have risen in the month of December last year so that, Hyundai is now planning to manufacture almost equal numbers of both, the Hyundai Santro Xing and the Hyundai i10, in 2009. This decision comes at a time when all auto manufacturers are cutting production and processing pink slips to their staff.

HS Lheem, the Managing Director, Hyundai Motor India, said, “The Hyundai Santro Xing sales was much better than our expectations. In year 2009, we are expecting at almost the same overall sales figure as last year, around 2.3 lakh cars. In this sales figure, Hyundai Santro Xing and Hyundai i10 are contributed around 85,000 units each.”

In December 2008, Hyundai Santro Xing beats i10 in sales for the first time since the Hyundai i10 was launched, after Hyundai announced a discount offer where the Santro Xing was offered at a decade-old price. Hyundai Dealers point out that though the Hyundai i10 is more in vogue because of its contemporary styling features and superior Kappa engine technology, Hyundai Santro Xing sales increases however is mainly due to its low price. On an average, the Hyundai Santro Xing sales is around 7,500-8,000 units a month in 2008 against about 10,000 units of the Hyundai i10. Due to good sales of both its small cars, Hyundai makes a good presence in the hatchback segment car market, due to good sales of both small cars.

Apart from these, Hyundai Motors India on Thursday launched the upgraded version of its luxury sedan Sonata, called Sonata Transform. Hyundai expects to gain 1/8th of the sales in luxury car segment, with the launch of Sonata Transform.