Diwali and Dhanteras have put the auto sales on the fast lane. Buoyed by, the new GST reforms that boosted consumer sentiment, leading automakers report record Dhanteras deliveries and strong demand for new cars across India.
Dhanteras, which marks the beginning of the five-day Diwali festival, is considered an auspicious day for making new purchases, especially of gold, silver, and vehicles. Automakers highlighted that this year, the occasion was spread over two days—from the afternoon of October 18 to the afternoon of October 19—giving buyers more time to make purchases and contributing to higher sales numbers for carmakers.
Tata Motors expects over 25,000 deliveries during Diwali period
Tata Motors says it estimates deliveries to exceed over 25,000 vehicles during this period. Amit Kamat, Chief Commercial Officer, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles said, “This year, Dhanteras and Diwali deliveries are spread over two to three days in line with the auspicious mahurats. Overall demand has been robust, and the GST 2.0 reform has further provided positive momentum. We expect to deliver over 25,000 vehicles during this period.”
Maruti Suzuki eyes record 51,000 deliveries
Maruti Suzuki estimates crossing the 50,000 mark in deliveries during this period. This would be almost 10,000 more than last year. The tally for last year stood at 41,500 units for the country’s largest passenger vehicle maker by market share.
According to Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki, “Every day, we are getting about 14,000 bookings. Since the day we announced reduced prices, we have received 4.5 lakh bookings, of which 1 lakh are for small cars.”
He also added that retail deliveries have touched 3.25 lakh vehicles, representing a 50% growth over the same period last year.
Hyundai expects 20% growth in Dhanteras sales
Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) is also seeing strong Dhanteras demand. According to Tarun Garg, Whole-time Director & COO, Hyundai Motors said, “We are witnessing strong customer demand, with deliveries expected to be around 14,000 units, approximately 20% higher than last year.”
Garg added that the festive spirit, a buoyant market environment, and the positive sentiment following the GST 2.0 reforms have collectively boosted sales momentum.
Industry sees festive tailwinds
With the festive season in full swing, automakers are reporting strong footfall and delivery numbers. The combination of auspicious buying days, improved affordability due to GST 2.0 benefits, and new model launches has lifted sentiment across the passenger vehicle segment.
