Maruti Suzuki sales down 5% in May

However, in the compact segment comprising the Estilo, Swift and Ritz models saw a 15% rise

The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki today reported 4.99% fall in total sales at 98,884 units for May.

The company had sold 1,04,073 units in the same month last year, Maruti Suzuki India said in a statement.

In May, MSI recorded domestic sales at 89,478 units, compared to 93,519 units in the year-ago period, registering a fall of 4.32%.

Similarly, MSI's exports went down 10.88% to 9,406 units last month from 10,554 units in the year-ago period, the company said.

Total passenger car sales in the domestic market declined by 5.94% to 72,309 units from 76,874 units in the same month of 2011, it added.

Sales of the company's mini-segment cars, including the M800, A-Star, Alto and WagonR, fell by 29.03% to 29,895 units during the month, from 42,125 units in May, 2011.

However, in the compact segment (comprising the Estilo, Swift and Ritz models), MSI witnessed a 14.66% rise in sales to 24,290 units, from 21,185 units in the same month a year ago.

Sales of MSI's DZiRE model increased by 63.77% to 17,707 units in May, from 10,812 units in the same month last year.

MSI's mid-sized sedan SX4 sales slipped 85.01% to 405 units last month, from 2,702 units in May 2011.

Luxury sedan Kizashi witnessed 76% fall in sales at 12 units as against 50 units in the year-ago month.