New Delhi, Jan 3 (IANS): Automobile sales in December revealed a downturn in passenger car sales due to a sluggish economy plagued by high fuel and interest costs.

Sales of the country's largest passenger car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki declined by 4.4 percent in total sales for December which stood at 90,924 units due to a fall in exports.

The company sold 95,145 units in December 2012.

There was a sharp drop in the company's exports. Maruti Suzuki exported just 4,311 units last month, which was 67 percent less than 13,072 units sold overseas during the corresponding month of 2012.

However, the company's domestic sales increased by 5.5 percent to 86,613 units during the month under review as compared to 82,073 units sold in December 2012.

Sales in passenger cars segment, which comprises of brands like M800, Alto, A-Star, WagonR, Swift, Estilo, Ritz, Dzire, SX4 and Kizashi, inched higher by 6.4 percent at 73,155 units from an off-take of 68,729 in the corresponding month of 2012.

Chennai-based Hyundai Motor, on the other hand, reported an increase of 2.6 percent December sales at 49,069 units over an off-take of 47,833 units in the corresponding period of 2012.

“With December retails of 45,911 units, Hyundai achieved its Annual Business Plan and highest market share since inception. Manufacturing operated at 99 percent capacity utilization and had the fastest 5 million rollout in India," Rakesh Srivastava, Hyundai senior vice president, sales and marketing, said in a statement.

According to the company, its domestic sales in the month under review rose by 6.2 percent at 26,697 units, up from 28,345 units logged in December 2012.

However, the country's largest passenger car exporters' sales overseas declined by 1.9 percent at 21,136 units last month from 20,724 units shipped-out in the corresponding month of 2012.

Other major players in the Indian auto market, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) reported a drop in sales.

Tata Motors' total sales, including exports, in the month under review fell by 42.28 percent, which stood at 37,852 units from an off-take of 65,582 units in the corresponding month of 2012.

The company’s domestic sales, including commercial and passenger vehicles, in the month under review too declined. The off-take fell by 43.25 percent at 35,010 units from 61,700 units sales in December 2012.

The company's passenger vehicles sales fell by 34.63 percent at 9,272 units from 14,185 units. The company's commercial vehicles sales fell by 45.83 percent at 25,738 units from an off-take of 47,515 units in December 2012.

The company's exports declined by 26.79 percent and stood at 2,842 in the month under review from 3,882 vehicles shipped-out during the corresponding month of 2012.

M&M's off-take last month was down 13 percent at 39,611 units from at 45,297 units sold in the corresponding month of last year.

Domestic sales stood at 36,881 units during last month, as against 42,307 units during December 2012, a decline of 13 percent.

The company's exports during the month under review grew by nine percent at 2,730 units from 2,990 units being shipped off in the corresponding period 2012.

Others like Ford and Toyota too logged negative sales.

Ford India, a subsidiary of American automobile major Ford Motor Company, closed December 2013 with three percent sales growth over the comparable period of the previous year. It sold 11,209 units last month.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor's sales during the month under review went down by 12.21 percent at 12,622 units from an off-take of 14,378 units in the corresponding period of 2012.

Luxury car manufatuere Mercedes-Benz reported a sales growth of 32 percent for full year 2013, which stood at 9,003 units from 6,840 units sold in 2012.)

Two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp reported a fall of 3.06 percent at 5,24,990 units sold in the month under review from 5,24,990 units despatched during the corresponding month 2012.

The company reported an increase of 1.03 percent in its 2013 full year sales, which stood at 683,784 units from an off-take of 620,259 units in 2012.

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India too logged healthy sales of about 36 percent last month which stood at 296,144 units.

Yamaha Motor India reported a sales growth of 37 percent last month at 64,997 units from an off-take of 47,483 units sold in December 2012.