Automakers Expect Strong Dhanteras-Diwali Deliveries as Festive Demand Holds Up

India's leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, including Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors PV and Hyundai Motor India, are witnessing strong festive demand, with the companies expecting substantial vehicle deliveries during Dhanteras and Diwali, supported by new launches and sustained consumer interest.

Maruti Suzuki India expects to deliver approximately 30,000 vehicles on Dhanteras, while Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles anticipates more than 12,000 deliveries during the day. Hyundai Motor India expects around 16,000 deliveries across Dhanteras and Diwali, nearly 14% higher than the corresponding festive period last year.

"The festive season has delivered strong and sustained demand across markets, with customers nationwide choosing our vehicles to mark the occasion. Newly launched products have added further momentum, strengthening traction across the portfolio," said Amit Kamat, Chief Commercial Officer, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles.

Kamat said the company's retail sales had grown more than 20% year-on-year since Ganesh Chaturthi, reflecting sustained demand across its portfolio.

"Since Ganesh Chaturthi, we have recorded retail growth of over 20% compared with the same period last year, reflecting the strength of underlying demand. Dhanteras saw an outstanding response, with single-day deliveries expected to cross 12,000 vehicles," he said.

He added that Diwali muhurat deliveries would continue until Wednesday, with the company expecting the sales momentum to continue over the coming days.

Hyundai Motor India is also expecting strong deliveries during the festive period. "Dhanteras and Diwali are among the most auspicious days to bring home a new vehicle, and we are witnessing strong customer demand this year as well. We expect to deliver around 16,000 units, nearly 14% higher than last year," said Tarun Garg, Managing Director and CEO, Hyundai Motor India.

Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki's Dhanteras delivery estimate follows a strong festive season, during which its sales grew 36% year-on-year through Dussehra.

"We will be delivering approximately 30,000 vehicles today," Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, told Autocar Professional in an interview.

The carmaker reported approximately 2.44 lakh retail deliveries in October, while its dealer inventory stood at just 12 days at the end of the month. Maruti Suzuki's total wholesale volumes rose 25% year-on-year to a record 2.76 lakh units during October.

The strong festive delivery expectations come against a mixed industry-wide retail performance in October. According to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), passenger vehicle registrations declined 14% year-on-year to 5,07,768 units, although they increased 19% over September.

FADA attributed the annual decline largely to a high comparison base, as both Navratri and Diwali fell in October last year, alongside demand generated by the GST rate reduction. This year, Dhanteras and Diwali fall in November, shifting a significant part of festive purchases into the current month.

The dealer body expects the Dhanteras-Diwali buying period to support November registrations and help reduce passenger vehicle inventory, which remained elevated at around 43-45 days at the end of October.