India's Maruti car sales top 100,000 for fifth month

India's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India, on Wednesday reported car sales topped 100,000 vehicles for a fifth straight month in November, driven by strong consumer demand.

Japanese-owned Maruti Suzuki India said sales jumped 28.2 percent to 112,554 vehicles in November from 87,807 units in the same month a year earlier.

Sales were led by the growth in the small-car segment, including the Alto, Swift, Zen and A-Star cars, the company statement showed.

Sales were robust due to the just ended festival season, which runs from August to November, when Hindus make big-ticket purchases such as cars and other consumer goods as it is considered an auspicious time.

Total Indian car sales hit a record 182,992 units in October led by festive demand and the launch of new models, according to industry data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

The Maruti sales figures come as India's economy grew a forecast-beating 8.9 percent year-on-year in the July-September quarter, according to data Tuesday, underscoring the country's brisk recovery from the global financial crisis.