Swift Dzire has become the top-selling car in the country, overtaking its hatchback cousin, the alto, in the April-November 2018 period, reports Times Of India (TOI).

According to data released by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), in the first eight months of the current financial year (FY19), Dzire’s sales increased by 19 per cent, to 1.8 lakh units. However, Alto’s volumes declined by 4 per cent, selling only 1.69 lakh cars. Both the vehicles are products of Maruti Suzuki.

“The general rise in income has gone up for the customers, but car prices have not gone up in the same proportion. So, bigger cars are more comfortable. Also, while smaller car models are more concerned about giving an attractive entry price, and so compromise in certain features such as infotainment and safety. So, a lot of convenience is seen in the mid-size models,” said Ravi G Bhatia, India president for the consultancy firm, JATO.

Maruti Suzuki is India’s top car manufacturer and it commands a market share of 49.6 per cent in the Indian passenger vehicle space. It is trailed by Hyundai India and Mahindra & Mahindra, in the respective order.

In March 2018, India overtook Germany, to become the world’s fourth-largest automobile market. While ahead of nations like Canada and France, the country is lagging behind China, the US and Japan.

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