Retail demand in the passenger vehicle market has surged after the recent GST cuts, with Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL) reporting strong traction in bookings and sales. The country’s largest carmaker has registered sales of 75,000 units between September 22–25, with volumes set to cross 80,000 by end of September 25.
Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki, said customer response has been “very strong,” with overall bookings up 35%. Small cars are driving the surge, recording 50% growth compared to earlier levels. In markets beyond the top 100 cities, bookings for small cars have nearly doubled.
On the first day of Navratri (September 22) following the GST cut, the carmaker registered 30,000 units of delivery and 80,000 enquiries. “Enquiries have also spiked, moving from an average of 40,000–45,000 daily to nearly 80,000 now”, said Banerjee. Daily bookings are averaging 18,000 units.
The sales momentum comes as all major carmakers, including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Mahindra and Kia, fully pass on the GST rate cuts to customers. Several OEMs have added further discounts to the deal.
Maruti Suzuki has announced price cuts across its entire portfolio, with benefits ranging up to Rs 1.29 lakh. The S-Presso is now the most affordable car in its lineup after a Rs 1.29 lakh reduction, while rival OEMs have also rolled out hefty reductions such as the Mahindra Bolero and Bolero Neo are cheaper by up to Rs 2.56 lakh, the Tata Punch by Rs 1.6 lakh, and the Kia Syros by a similar margin.
The most significant price reductions were announced for Maruti Suzuki’s entry-level and small car segments. The S-Presso now starts at Rs 3,49,900; Alto K10 begins at Rs 3,69,900, reduced by Rs 1,07,600; Celerio at Rs 4,69,900, lowered by Rs 94,100; and Wagon-R at Rs 4,98,900, cut by Rs 79,600.
Premium hatchbacks and sedans also saw price cuts, with Swift at Rs 5,78,900 after a Rs 84,600 reduction, Baleno at Rs 5,98,900 (down Rs 86,100), and Dzire at Rs 6,25,600 (reduced by Rs 87,700).
SUVs and MPVs were included as well: Fronx now starts at Rs 6,84,900, down Rs 1,12,600; Brezza at Rs 8,25,900 (Rs 1,12,700 lower); Grand Vitara at Rs 10,76,500 (Rs 1,07,000 cut); Ertiga at Rs 8,80,000 (Rs 46,400 reduction); and XL6 at Rs 11,52,300 (Rs 52,000 lower).
Commercial vehicles also benefited, with Eeco priced at Rs 5,18,100 after a Rs 68,000 cut, and Super Carry at Rs 5,06,100, reduced by Rs 52,100.