Pakistan’s 2024 best-seller: Suzuki Alto beats all cars

By Sadaan Moeez Khan

Pakistan’s car market is diversifying rapidly, with new entrants coming in, and there are now a variety of options that car buyers can choose from—whether they want to buy a traditional fuel-powered vehicle or a fully electric SUV. The Pakistani car market now has it all.

Despite this variety, car sales in Pakistan have mostly been led by the big companies that have dominated the country’s auto market for decades—namely Suzuki, Toyota, and Honda.

Let’s take a look at the top-selling cars in the local market and those which saw the worst sales in 2024.

Suzuki Alto: The new ‘Mehran’ steals the show

Even though the brand does not currently offer a single sedan, Suzuki has been in the spotlight for its impressive sales of the Suzuki Alto, which has consistently beaten every other car in terms of sales throughout 2024.

The Kei car has clearly filled the gap for the automaker since its launch, and it is now often called Suzuki’s new Mehran. To note, Suzuki discontinued the Mehran in 2019 to make way for this Alto, which has turned out to be highly successful for Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC).

From July to November 2024, Pak Suzuki was able to sell 15,479 units of the Suzuki Alto, a number higher than the sales of any other car—not just in the sub-1,000cc category, but across all categories. To put this into perspective, the Alto also outsold Suzuki’s other models, such as the Suzuki Cultus, which recorded sales of just 808 units during the same period.

Pak Suzuki also sold 939 units of the Suzuki Wagon R. The Alto’s sales were even higher from January to June 2024, with Pak Suzuki selling 22,478 units during this period, making it the best-selling car of 2024.

If we look at the total sales data released so far by PAMA, Suzuki has sold around 37,957 units in the calendar year 2024, excluding the month of December.

Toyota’s trio: Corolla, Yaris, and Cross drive impressive sales again

PAMA now releases combined sales data for the Toyota Corolla, Yaris, and Corolla Cross, so it is difficult to pinpoint exactly how many Toyota Corollas were sold each month in 2024. However, it’s safe to say that the Corolla has been the best-selling sedan in the country and is expected to drive sales numbers up.

The sales were impressive in early 2024, with Toyota Indus Motor Company (IMC) selling 2,293 units of the three cars in June 2024, the highest sales figure for these models in the past 11 months.

From January to June 2024, Toyota sold 11,028 units of these cars, while from July to November, Toyota sold 8,477 units of the Corolla, Yaris, and Cross. This means Toyota IMC sold a total of 19,505 units of these models in 2024.

Hyundai struggles: Elantra and Sonata fall short in 2024

Hyundai Nishat sold 728 units of the Elantra from January to June 2024, and 458 units from July to November, bringing the total to 1,186 units sold from January to November. The highest sales were recorded in November, with 150 units sold.

Hyundai Sonata’s sales were even worse, as the carmaker managed to sell only 57 cars in January 2024 and another 57 in February. From January to June 2024, Hyundai sold 452 units, and from July to November, it sold 229 units, making a total of 681 units for the year.

A key reason for the low sales could be attributed to the high price of the Sonata, which left buyers hesitant, as the same price could buy them a crossover or SUV.

The worst seller: BAIC BJ40L’s struggles with Pakistan’s car buyers

When discussing the worst sales, the BAIC BJ40L seems to have claimed the title of the worst seller in Pakistan’s auto market, with only one unit sold in January 2024.

Interestingly, the highest sales for the BAIC BJ40L were recorded in June 2024, when 11 units were sold. In total, only 40 units have been sold in 2024, according to PAMA data. No other car has seen such low sales as the BAIC BJ40L.

It is clear that the Suzuki Alto has remained the buyer’s favourite throughout 2024, consistently beating every other car, while the BAIC BJ40L has recorded the lowest sales.

The BAIC BJ40L: A high-price flop?

Aamir Khan, a car showroom owner in Lahore, mentioned that another reason the BJ40L couldn’t attract many consumers was its high price, nearly Rs12 million. People with such a budget tend to consider other options rather than spending that much on a brand that hasn’t yet established itself in Pakistan.

“I have seen people considering older Fortuner and Land Cruiser Prado models in that budget,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with the car itself, but it’s just that Pakistanis take time to trust new brands.

The price is both big and not big at the same time, as it is a big and attractive car, but it’s not a V6 or V8—it comes with a 1981cc petrol engine, which may seem underpowered to some. This leads to concerns about how well the car will perform, especially in challenging conditions like hill climbs,” he pointed out.

Why the Suzuki Alto continues to rule the roads in Pakistan

Aamir also explained that the high demand for the Suzuki Alto stems from its reliability, as buyers in Pakistan value cars with strong resale value. “The Alto has excellent resale value compared to other kei cars,” he added. “On top of that, it is highly fuel-efficient, offering up to 22 kilometres per litre, which costs around Rs260. What more could you ask for at this price?”

Another car dealer, Roail Wasim, who has been in the car business for 30 years, said, “Suzuki is the new Mehran. Previously, the Suzuki Mehran was the go-to car for many, but since Pak Suzuki discontinued it and introduced the Alto, the Alto has taken its place. It’s what people now call ‘the boss’. Its presence on the roads is a clear sign of how popular and in demand it has become. Every day on my seven-kilometre commute, I spot at least five or six Altos. That gives you an idea of just how common and successful this car is.”

Despite the fact that the Alto’s price in Pakistan is not particularly cheap—it starts at Rs2.3 million for the base variant and goes up to Rs3.05 million—it is still much more affordable than other used Japanese 660cc cars in the market.