The rise of Punch in recent months has ended Maruti Suzuki’s domination of the top slot for several years.It also shows the rise of alternative fuel options, which now command nearly half of the top 5 sales. In the case of Punch, electric and CNG comprise 47% of the sales, while CNG has garnered a large share even for WagonR (45%), Brezza (27%) and Ertiga (58%).
Auto industry experts say Punch has driven to the top thanks to a new category it has carved out for itself. Besides, the fuel mix of electric and CNG has given it the market edge.
“As a micro SUV, the Punch offers SUV-like features at a more accessible price point. Also its multi-fuel approach (it was all-petrol in 2023) caters to varying consumer preferences and concerns about fuel costs,” Jato Dynamics president Ravi Bhatia said.
Car dealers agree that Punch’s current top-gear run is due to its fuel mix. “It went from just over 79,000 units last Jan-July to 1.26 lakh units now thanks to its electric and CNG variants,” said a Chennai-based dealer. The other four in the top five list either have CNG or diesel as the only alternative to petrol.
Vivek Srivatsa, chief commercial officer, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, said that the Punch has become the fastest vehicle to cross the 4 lakh sales milestone in SUVs.
Auto marketers say other car manufacturers are also taking note of the two-pronged strategy that has worked well for Punch. The Hyundai Exter launched in July 2023 has gone from 7,000 units in its launch year to 52,684 units in 2024. “For OEMs, the strategy appears to be diversifying fuel options to cater to different consumer needs and regulatory environments and focusing on the micro SUV segment to capture price sensitive customers who want to own an SUV,” added Bhatia.