Automobile dealerships across the country witnessed massive customer turnouts on the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras, concluding weeks of strong festive inquiries with substantial deliveries. Following an encouraging momentum established during the Navratri period, vehicle handovers surged sharply as buyers stepped up to take delivery of personal and commercial mobility assets. Despite an exceptionally elevated base created last year following tax-related demand surges, consumer sentiment stayed resilient throughout the festive trading window.
Maruti Suzuki Achieves Over 30,000 Vehicle Handovers
Market leader Maruti Suzuki India marked a notable delivery milestone, expecting to deliver more than 30,000 passenger vehicles on Dhanteras Friday alone. By comparison, the automaker delivered approximately 50,000 units over the two-day Dhanteras celebration held in the previous year. On a broader scale, from the beginning of Ganesh Chaturthi on 14 September up to Dhanteras, the company's total retail volume surpassed 4 lakh units. This marks an expansion over the 3.46 lakh units registered across the exact same festive window during the prior year.
Tata Motors Sees Sustained Customer Appetite
Tata Motors recorded brisk showroom activity, projecting the delivery of around 12,000 passenger vehicles on Dhanteras. Amit Kamat, Chief Commercial Officer for Tata Motors Passenger Car Business, noted that customer reception throughout this festive period has been extraordinary. Dealerships will continue disbursing newly purchased vehicles through Wednesday under auspicious Diwali timings, with management maintaining high confidence that this buying pattern will stretch further into the subsequent weeks.
Hyundai Projects 14 Percent Surge Across Festive Window
Hyundai Motor India also reported robust delivery timelines across its product range. Tarun Garg, Managing Director and CEO of Hyundai Motor India, stated that the company expects vehicle handovers during the combined Dhanteras and Diwali corridor to climb by approximately 14 percent, touching an estimated total of 16,000 units. The uptick highlights consumer preference for personal mobility upgrades as economic activity gains seasonal momentum.
Depleted Dealership Inventory and Fivefold Sales Spikes
The operational scale of festive buying was highlighted by Vinkesh Gulati, former president of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), who observed that Dhanteras sales generally jump to around five times the daily averages seen during routine trading periods. This buying pace has visibly reduced available dealership inventory. Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director and CEO of Mahindra and Mahindra, revealed that showroom stocks for the majority of their vehicle models are practically exhausted, with dealers holding fewer than 8 to 9 days of supply when vehicles in transit are excluded.
Logistical Hurdles in Electric Segments Amid Broad Demand
Assessing the retail landscape, current FADA President Sai Giridhar confirmed that demand continues to exhibit resilience across the two-wheeler, private car, and commercial vehicle categories. Nonetheless, the delivery flow has experienced operational constraints in select pockets, particularly involving electric two-wheelers and electric passenger cars. Even with these specific bottlenecks, dealership networks remain optimistic that footfalls will stay healthy throughout the remainder of the wedding and winter purchasing season.
