Latest news with #NalinikanthGollagunta
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
7-seater models riding high on boost from Indian families
Seating capacity matters when Indians choose their sport or multi-utility vehicle. Whether it's for accommodating visiting grandparents, planning weekend getaways with the extended family, or simply enjoying extra comfort during long commutes, Indians are increasingly looking for space and flexibility in their personal vehicles. And seven-seaters are often the default choice when they are shopping for a large SUV or an MPV. In the segment for SUVs that are 4.5 meters or longer, seven-seaters now account for 78per cent of sales, up from 58per cent in 2022, even as the share of five-seater SUVs shrank to 18per cent from 43%, show data from auto-motive analytics and intelligence firm Jato Dynamics . In MPVS longer than 4.0 meters, seven-seaters command 86per cent of the market. It's not just the big joint families that are buying these vehicles that can accommodate more people. Even smaller, nuclear families are now choosing seven-seaters for their flexibility, whether it's accommodating guests or embarking on long road journeys, said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, chief executive of the Automotive Division at M&M, the manufacturer of the Scorpio and XUV 700 SUVs. Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer at Maruti Suzuki , said young buyers are increasingly choosing MPVs for evolving family needs and versatility. 'The average age for one of our highest selling MPVs, Ertiga (a seven-seater), has fallen from 40 years to 37 years as per internal data in the last five years,' he said. The seven-seater models make up nearly the entire MPV portfolio for Maruti Suzuki with Ertiga leading the segment. The seven-seater trend reflects a deeper lifestyle evolution, said Ravi Bhatia, president Jato Dynamics. 'This shift in configuration demand is not cyclical, it's structural.' While SUVs continue to dominate sales, consumers, especially families, are also increasingly considering the space and flexibility that MPVs offer. They now account for 11per cent of the auto industry sales volume compared with 8per cent in FY22. MPVs are also becoming more feature-rich, attracting younger buyers too. Hardeep Singh Brar, senior vice president and national head of sales and marketing at Kia India, said its MPV Carens offers features typically reserved for SUVs, like connected car technology, ventilated seats and a sunroof. MPVs now account for 25-27per cent of Kia's sales in India, he said.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
maruti suzuki: 7-seater models riding high on boost from Indian families
ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Mumbai: Seating capacity matters when Indians choose their sport or multi-utility it's for accommodating visiting grandparents, planning weekend getaways with the extended family, or simply enjoying extra comfort during long commutes, Indians are increasingly looking for space and flexibility in their personal vehicles. And seven-seaters are often the default choice when they are shopping for a large SUV or an the segment for SUVs that are 4.5 meters or longer, seven-seaters now account for 78% of sales, up from 58% in 2022, even as the share of five-seater SUVs shrank to 18% from 43%, show data from auto-motive analytics and intelligence firm Jato Dynamics In MPVS longer than 4.0 meters, seven-seaters command 86% of the market. It's not just the big joint families that are buying these vehicles that can accommodate more people. Even smaller, nuclear families are now choosing seven-seaters for their flexibility, whether it's accommodating guests or embarking on long road journeys, said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, chief executive of the Automotive Division at M&M, the manufacturer of the Scorpio and XUV 700 Banerjee, senior executive officer at Maruti Suzuki , said young buyers are increasingly choosing MPVs for evolving family needs and versatility.'The average age for one of our highest selling MPVs, Ertiga (a seven-seater), has fallen from 40 years to 37 years as per internal data in the last five years,' he seven-seater models make up nearly the entire MPV portfolio for Maruti Suzuki with Ertiga leading the segment. The seven-seater trend reflects a deeper lifestyle evolution, said Ravi Bhatia, president Jato Dynamics. 'This shift in configuration demand is not cyclical, it's structural.'While SUVs continue to dominate sales, consumers, especially families, are also increasingly considering the space and flexibility that MPVs offer. They now account for 11% of the auto industry sales volume compared with 8% in are also becoming more feature-rich, attracting younger buyers Singh Brar, senior vice president and national head of sales and marketing at Kia India, said its MPV Carens offers features typically reserved for SUVs, like connected car technology, ventilated seats and a sunroof. MPVs now account for 25-27% of Kia's sales in India, he said.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
7-seater models riding high on boost from Indian families
Indians increasingly prefer vehicles with more seating. Seven-seaters are becoming the default choice for SUVs and MPVs. Data shows a significant rise in seven-seater SUV sales. Even nuclear families opt for these vehicles for flexibility. Young buyers are also choosing MPVs. The average age of Ertiga buyers has decreased. MPVs are gaining popularity with feature-rich models. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Mumbai: Seating capacity matters when Indians choose their sport or multi-utility it's for accommodating visiting grandparents, planning weekend getaways with the extended family, or simply enjoying extra comfort during long commutes, Indians are increasingly looking for space and flexibility in their personal vehicles. And seven-seaters are often the default choice when they are shopping for a large SUV or an the segment for SUVs that are 4.5 meters or longer, seven-seaters now account for 78% of sales, up from 58% in 2022, even as the share of five-seater SUVs shrank to 18% from 43%, show data from auto-motive analytics and intelligence firm Jato Dynamics In MPVS longer than 4.0 meters, seven-seaters command 86% of the market. It's not just the big joint families that are buying these vehicles that can accommodate more people. Even smaller, nuclear families are now choosing seven-seaters for their flexibility, whether it's accommodating guests or embarking on long road journeys, said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, chief executive of the Automotive Division at M&M, the manufacturer of the Scorpio and XUV 700 Banerjee, senior executive officer at Maruti Suzuki , said young buyers are increasingly choosing MPVs for evolving family needs and versatility.'The average age for one of our highest selling MPVs, Ertiga (a seven-seater), has fallen from 40 years to 37 years as per internal data in the last five years,' he seven-seater models make up nearly the entire MPV portfolio for Maruti Suzuki with Ertiga leading the segment. The seven-seater trend reflects a deeper lifestyle evolution, said Ravi Bhatia, president Jato Dynamics. 'This shift in configuration demand is not cyclical, it's structural.'While SUVs continue to dominate sales, consumers, especially families, are also increasingly considering the space and flexibility that MPVs offer. They now account for 11% of the auto industry sales volume compared with 8% in are also becoming more feature-rich, attracting younger buyers Singh Brar, senior vice president and national head of sales and marketing at Kia India, said its MPV Carens offers features typically reserved for SUVs, like connected car technology, ventilated seats and a sunroof. MPVs now account for 25-27% of Kia's sales in India, he said.
Economic Times
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Economic Times
7-seater models riding high on boost from Indian families
Indians increasingly prefer vehicles with more seating. Seven-seaters are becoming the default choice for SUVs and MPVs. Data shows a significant rise in seven-seater SUV sales. Even nuclear families opt for these vehicles for flexibility. Young buyers are also choosing MPVs. The average age of Ertiga buyers has decreased. MPVs are gaining popularity with feature-rich models. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Mumbai: Seating capacity matters when Indians choose their sport or multi-utility it's for accommodating visiting grandparents, planning weekend getaways with the extended family, or simply enjoying extra comfort during long commutes, Indians are increasingly looking for space and flexibility in their personal vehicles. And seven-seaters are often the default choice when they are shopping for a large SUV or an the segment for SUVs that are 4.5 meters or longer, seven-seaters now account for 78% of sales, up from 58% in 2022, even as the share of five-seater SUVs shrank to 18% from 43%, show data from auto-motive analytics and intelligence firm Jato Dynamics In MPVS longer than 4.0 meters, seven-seaters command 86% of the market. It's not just the big joint families that are buying these vehicles that can accommodate more people. Even smaller, nuclear families are now choosing seven-seaters for their flexibility, whether it's accommodating guests or embarking on long road journeys, said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, chief executive of the Automotive Division at M&M, the manufacturer of the Scorpio and XUV 700 Banerjee, senior executive officer at Maruti Suzuki , said young buyers are increasingly choosing MPVs for evolving family needs and versatility.'The average age for one of our highest selling MPVs, Ertiga (a seven-seater), has fallen from 40 years to 37 years as per internal data in the last five years,' he seven-seater models make up nearly the entire MPV portfolio for Maruti Suzuki with Ertiga leading the segment. The seven-seater trend reflects a deeper lifestyle evolution, said Ravi Bhatia, president Jato Dynamics. 'This shift in configuration demand is not cyclical, it's structural.'While SUVs continue to dominate sales, consumers, especially families, are also increasingly considering the space and flexibility that MPVs offer. They now account for 11% of the auto industry sales volume compared with 8% in are also becoming more feature-rich, attracting younger buyers Singh Brar, senior vice president and national head of sales and marketing at Kia India, said its MPV Carens offers features typically reserved for SUVs, like connected car technology, ventilated seats and a sunroof. MPVs now account for 25-27% of Kia's sales in India, he said.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Car Sales Stick to Slow Lane in May
HighlightsIndia's passenger vehicle market saw a marginal year-on-year increase of 0.1%, with approximately 352,000 vehicles sold in May 2024. Mahindra & Mahindra achieved a significant sales increase of 21%, selling 52,431 units, while Tata Motors experienced an 11% decline in sales to 41,557 units during the same period. Toyota Kirloskar Motor reported a 22% growth in sales, reaching 29,280 units, driven primarily by demand for Multi-Purpose Vehicles and Sports Utility Vehicles. India's passenger vehicle market remained flat in May even as Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Toyota Kirloskar Motor clocked strong double-digit growth in volumes, riding on robust demand for their utility vehicle lineups. Overall, the industry sold about 352,000 cars, sedans and utility vehicles last month, marking a marginal 0.1% year-on-year increase, according to initial industry estimates. 'There is pressure in the market,' said a senior industry executive who requested not to be identified. 'But we also have to remember that the base is now very high. India is one of the very high markets in the world…selling more than four million passenger vehicles annually. So, even if the growth is modest, and is likely to remain so for some time, volumes are still good,' the person added. Retail sales are estimated to have declined by 0.8% year on year in May, industry insiders said. Most automakers in India report wholesale figures—factory dispatches to dealerships—and not retail sales to customers. Demand in the local market continues to be driven by SUVs. Homegrown auto major Mahindra continued to maintain its lead over rival Tata Motors in May, powered by demand for its range of utility vehicles. Mahindra sold 52,431 units last month, up 21% over 43,218 units sold in May 2024. Tata Motors' passenger vehicle sales fell 11% to 41,557 units from 46,697 units during the same period. 'Thanks to continued demand for our products, we were able to deliver industry-leading growth across our ICE (internal combustion engine powered by petrol or diesel) and BEV (battery electric vehicles) portfolio,' said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO of automotive division at M&M. Toyota Kirloskar reported an increase of 22% to sell 29,280 units last month, with MPV and SUV segments continuing to be the primary growth drivers.
