Brands
Maruti Suzuki’s WagonR reigns as India’s bestselling car four years running
MUMBAI: Maruti Suzuki’s WagonR has maintained its pole position as India’s highest-selling car for the fourth consecutive year, with 198,451 units sold during the financial year 2024-25.
The ubiquitous box-on-wheels has now amassed an impressive customer base of 3.37 million owners since its introduction, solidifying its status as the nation’s most beloved four-wheeled companion.
“WagonR’s sustained leadership in the Indian automotive market underscores strong customer trust and an unmatched value proposition over 25 years,” said Maruti Suzuki India senior executive officer for marketing and sales Partho Banerjee.
The company points to remarkable customer loyalty as a key factor in the model’s continued success, with one in four WagonR owners returning to purchase another—a rare feat in India’s notoriously fickle automotive marketplace.
Despite the rise of SUVs and crossovers that have left many traditional hatchbacks gathering dust in showrooms, Banerjee remains bullish about the segment’s prospects: “Hatchbacks are an integral pillar of India’s automobile industry… this segment will continue to be a cornerstone in spreading the joy of mobility to every Indian household.”
The WagonR’s enduring popularity flies in the face of automotive fashion trends, suggesting that practicality trumps posturing for many Indian buyers. The model’s winning formula combines spaciousness that belies its compact footprint, fuel efficiency that protects wallets, and just enough tech to keep pace with modern expectations.
Under the bonnet, customers can choose between two K-Series Dual Jet engines—1.0L for the budget-conscious and 1.2L for those craving a bit more snarl in their steering wheel. Both come with manual and auto gear shift transmission options.
The CNG variant continues to be a hit with eco-conscious penny-pinchers, offering superior fuel economy without sacrificing performance—a claim that might raise eyebrows among enthusiasts but resonates with family accountants.
Safety features include the requisite alphabet soup of modern protection systems: ABS with EBD, ESP, and Hill Hold Assist, all built on Maruti’s Heartect platform that uses high tensile steel to keep occupants secure in the event of an unscheduled meeting with roadside obstacles.
Inside, the WagonR offers modest luxuries including a 17.78cm infotainment system compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, steering-mounted controls, and dual-tone interiors that aim to elevate the cabin ambience beyond utilitarian transport.
As India’s car market continues its rapid evolution, the WagonR’s persistent chart-topping performance suggests that in a country where value still reigns supreme, this unassuming hatchback remains the undisputed king of the road.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
