Domestic car sales went up by 15.89 per cent during December 2002 as auto-makers like Maruti, Hyundai, Tata Engineering and Honda witnessed increased demand during the month.

Companies like Fiat, Ford and Hindustan Motors, however, suffered decline in sales, data released on Wednesday by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers showed.

Total sales stood at 36,709 cars against 31,673 cars soldin December 2001. Cumulative (April-December 2002) car sales rose by 8.4 per cent to 3,81,650 units from 3,52,076 cars a year ago.

Continuing with their good run this fiscal, commercial vehicle sales jumped by 43.5 per cent to 16,768 units during December 2002 (11,683 in December 2001). Cumulative sales in this segment stood higher by 32.3 per cent at 1,30,856 vehicles (98,902 vehicles last year).

Domestic two-wheeler sales rose by 10.3 per cent to 3,83,057 units in December 2002. For the first nine months this fiscal, sales in this segment surged by 21 per cent to 37,13,067 units.

Motorcycles contributed largely to this growth posting a 16.6 per cent rise at 2,93,525 units during the review month. Cumulative motorcycle sales was higher by 36.9 per cent to 28,07,305 units.

Scooters also made a turnaround and recorded a nearly one per cent rise at 62,465 units during December 2002. However, cumulative scooter sales fell by 8.6 per cent to 6,50,851 units.

Sale of mopeds dropped by 19.5 per cent to 27,067 units with cumulative sales being 16.3 per cent lower at 2,54,911 units.

Utility vehicle sales increased by a modest 2.7 per cent to 8,517 units in December while cumulative sales in this segment went up by 3.1 per cent to 78,064 units.

However, multi-purpose vehicle sales fell by 27.8 per cent to 3,661 units during the review month.

Three-wheelers posted a 20.2 per cent rise at 18,828 units as both passenger and goods carriers recorded growth in sales. Cumulative three-wheeler sales increased by 14 per cent to 1,67,142 units.