Most Indian car manufacturers have recorded an impressive sale of their small cars in the month of March. Rise in the sale of small cars is being attributed to the cut in excise duty from 16 percent to 12 percent on small cars in the union budget- 2008-09.

Hyundai Motors has registered highest overall growth with a 66 % jump in sales. The company recorded sales of 47,001 units. For the month of March, sales performance went up by 52.3 %, after it sold 29,401 units while Mahindra and Mahindra also grew by 16.6 per cent after it posted sales of 23,128 units.  In the same month last year the company had sold 19,841 units.

General Motors witnessed the highest sales in March after selling 6,836 cars as against 4,542 units recorded in the same month last year. It recorded a 51 % growth in March this year.  Its annual sales also went up to 71 % and 66,543 units in the outgoing financial year.

Even Honda Siel Cars grew 5 % in March when it sold 8,895 units in March as against 6,215 units last year. Toyota Motors also registered rise in sales by 15 % for the month of March. A total of 6,215 units of Innova, multi-purpose vehicles were sold.

However, the leading car companies of India Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors faced a minor set backs in sales.