Hyundai Creta Creates a Stir in India's SUV Market... Hyundai Strengthens Market Share

Hyundai Creta Surpasses 30,000 Cumulative Reservations in Just Over 3 Months Since Launch

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] Hyundai Motor Company's mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) Creta (photo) has created a sensation in India, emerging as a new powerhouse in the Indian SUV market. Hyundai, ranked second in local market share, is solidifying its position by expanding online sales, which have gained attention in the era of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

According to Hyundai Motor India on the 26th, the second-generation model of Hyundai's mid-size SUV Creta surpassed 30,000 cumulative reservations just over three months after its launch. In May, despite the local sales contraction caused by the COVID-19 crisis, Creta achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the top-selling model in the Indian market for the month. At the same time, it easily surpassed Maruti Suzuki's Ertiga (2,353 units) and Desire (2,215 units), the leading manufacturer in the Indian market.

The Indian automobile market was virtually paralyzed until April due to COVID-19 but has been gradually recovering since May. Hyundai's market share in May was 18.8%, ranking second and significantly narrowing the gap with the leader Maruti Suzuki (37.5%).

Hyundai's strong performance amid the COVID-19 crisis is attributed to its effective strategy of expanding online sales tailored to local conditions. Hyundai operates the online retail sales platform 'Click to Buy' in India.

Click to Buy is India's first online car purchasing platform, connected with over 600 dealerships nationwide. Consumers can complete the entire purchasing process online, including viewing real footage videos, booking test drives, and scheduling vehicle delivery.

Within just over two months of introducing this system, it has attracted more than 700,000 visitors and facilitated over 15,000 contracts online, receiving enthusiastic responses locally. Among these, Creta was the most searched model by Indian consumers on 'Click to Buy.'

A Hyundai Motor India official said, "Since its launch, Creta has garnered 258 million media exposures and over 19.5 million ad views, making it a highly notable model," adding, "We are striving to change market trends by providing customers with various channel touchpoints."

Meanwhile, following the physical clashes between India and China in the border region on the 15th, a boycott movement against Chinese products has spread in India, leading to expectations that Korean companies may gain a windfall benefit. This has created an unexpected variable for Chinese companies preparing to enter the Indian market.

So far, Hyundai-Kia Motors has firmly maintained its second-place market share, but Chinese automakers are also knocking on the door of India, the world's third-largest market. Shanghai Automotive has already acquired the British car brand MG and is selling vehicles bearing the MG logo in India, while Great Wall Motors plans to transform the GM India plant it acquired into an advanced manufacturing facility.

An industry insider said, "If the current boycott atmosphere continues, Chinese companies that were expected to compete with Korean cars in the Indian market will inevitably face setbacks in their schedules," adding, "It is true that Korean companies are likely to benefit from this windfall."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.