Maruti, the local unit of Suzuki Motor Corp. (7269.TO) and India''s biggest carmaker by sales, posted a 51% rise in total sales in December at 84,804 units.
Maruti''s local sales grew 37% to 71,000 vehicles, while exports rose more than threefold to 13,804 units, the company said.
Auto sales in India started picking up in February, after declining for four straight months, as the federal government provided incentives to purchase new vehicles through tax cuts and commercial banks lowered interest rates.
Sales during the just-ended year were also helped by an increase in the salaries of government employees, who received a large amount of money as pay arrears.
Sales of Maruti''s small-car models--A-Star, Alto, Wagon-R, Estilo, Ritz and Swift--grew 42% to 52,236 units.
TVS Motor, a maker of two- and three-wheeled vehicles, said its sales rose 34% to 119,701 units in December. The company''s motorcycle sales surged 24% to 49,560 units, while scooter sales grew 45% to 21,566.
It sold 1,212 units of its three-wheeled vehicles in December. These passenger carriers are currently sold only in some northern and southern cities and the company plans to launch them across India soon.
TVS Motor, which also makes mopeds, said its exports rose 2% to 17,222 units.