KARACHI, July 12: Buyers purchased 23 per cent more locally-assembled cars in 2011-2012 as compared to 2010-2011 despite increase in prices, few months’ suspension/slowdown in sales of Honda cars and Suzuki Liana coupled with discontinuation of Daihatsu Cuore’s production from May this year and rising import of used cars.

Other segment of the auto sector gave a mixed performance with 18 per cent and 28 per cent decline in trucks and tractor sales followed by 0.7pc fall in two/three wheeler sales.

Sale of buses and light commercial vehicles (pick ups) rose by 18.3 and 21 per cent.

A total of 157,325 units of cars were sold in 2011-2012 as compared to 127,944 units in 2010-2012, thanks to sale of 20,000 units of Suzuki Mehran and Bolan to the Punjab government for taxi scheme, 18pc increase in workers’ remittances and rising from income.

Zeeshan Afzal at Top Line Securities said that other reasons of sales hike was June to July 2011, deferred sales on account of reduced tax structure announced in 2011-2012 and escalating fiscal deficit creating monetisation phenomena. Even consumers also lifted 16,310 units in June as compared to 14,934 units in May 2012, due to prompt buying in anticipation of rise in prices before EURO II compliance.

In 1,300cc and above category, overall sales grew by 7.64 per cent to 65,816 units as compared to 61,147 units despite 22pc fall in Honda Civic and Honda City sales. A total of 4,977 and 7,142 units of Honda Civic and Honda City were sold as compared to 6,365 and 9,121 units. Production of Honda Civic remained suspended from December 2011 to February 2011 followed by halt in City’s production from December 2011 to March 2012 owing to delay in parts and accessories supplies from flood-hit Thailand.

Much support came in high engine power cars sales from 73 per cent jump in Suzuki Swift sales to 7,040 units as compared to 4,080 units, while Toyota Corolla sales registered 12.4 per cent rise to 46,207 units as compared to 41,111 units. Suzuki Liana sales plunged by 4.26 per cent to 450 units from 470 units.

In 1,000cc, production and sales of Hyundai Santro remained zero in 2011-2012 as compared to 2010-2011, while Suzuki Cultus sales surged by 20 per cent to 13,693 units from 11,428 units. Sale of Suzuki Alto swelled by 36.5 per cent to 16,288 units in 2011-2012 from 11,932 units in 2010-2011. In 800cc and below 1,000cc, Suzuki Bolan topped with 69 per cent sales rise to 22,540 units from 13,311 units followed by Suzuki Mehran’s sales to 35,131 units from 24,119 units.

Daihatsu Cuore sales fell sharply by 36 per cent to 3,857 units from 6,007 units. A total of 609 buses (mainly Hino) were sold in 2011-2012 as compared to 515 units in 2010-2011.

Hino bus sales stood at 490 units as compared to 409 units while truck sales (Hino, Nissan, Master and Isuzu) plunged to 2,394 units from 2,942 units.

Whereas, tractor sales (Fiat and Massey Ferguson) remained flat by 28 per cent in 2011-2012 to 49,745 units as compared to 69,203 units; tractor sales faced problem as growers remained reluctant due to confusion over removal of 16pc general sales tax which was later reduced to five per cent.