Carmakers look to Diwali to rev up festive sales

Chennai: India’s carmakers are counting on Dhanteras and Diwali to sustain festive sales momentum, even as dealers’ body FADA reported a sharp year-on-year decline in passenger vehicle (PV) registrations during Navratri. The decline, however, needs to be seen against the high base created by the GST rate cuts in Sept 2025, which lowered vehicle prices and unleashed a surge in demand during the festive season.Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai Motor India and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles -- among the country’s top players, together accounting for two-thirds of PV sales -- have reported strong bookings and deliveries during Navratri, raising hopes that demand will hold up through Diwali.However, FADA reported a 22% year-on-year decline in PV retail sales during Navratri to 182,728 units from 234,004 units in 2025. Last year, buyers had deferred purchases ahead of the GST rate cuts that took effect on Sept 22, driving pent-up demand and inflating the base for this year’s comparison.Maruti Suzuki said retail sales between Ganesh Chaturthi and Dussehra rose 35% year-on-year, with small-car sales increasing around 16% and SUV sales doubling. Its retail sales during Navratri were almost on a par with last year. “The festive season has been encouraging for Maruti Suzuki, with strong customer demand through Navratri,” said Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer, marketing and sales of the company.Maruti began Oct with pending bookings of around 2 lakh units, which increased to 2.7 lakh after Dussehra. We expect double-digit growth over the overall festive period through Diwali, Banerjee said.Hyundai Motor India has also reported healthy demand, supported by sales during Onam and Ganesh Chaturthi. Registrations during Shardh and Navratri rose 30% year-on-year to nearly 41,000 units. “Considering the pace of bookings, we expect momentum to continue through Dhanteras and Diwali. Demand remains healthy across both urban and rural markets,” said Tarun Garg, MD & CEO of the company.Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles said it delivered more than 50,000 vehicles during the Navratri festive period, including over 10,000 on Dussehra alone. With bookings remaining healthy, it expects the momentum to continue through Diwali.Electric PVs recorded a standout performance during this Navratri, with sales growing 26% year-on-year to 12,305 units, bucking the broader trend in retail registrations.Carmakers are looking to the final stretch of the festive season to convert bookings into sales. New launches, discounts and financing offers are expected to draw customers into showrooms as manufacturers and dealers prepare for the traditional spike in buying around Dhanteras and Diwali.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.