October auto sales: Maruti posts record 2.76 lakh units as festive dispatches lift Tata, Hyundai and Kia
Carmakers shipped record volumes to dealers ahead of Dhanteras and Diwali, though analysts caution that retail registrations may lag last year's high base.
India's carmakers reported their strongest dispatches of the year for October, led by Maruti Suzuki, which posted its highest-ever monthly total as companies stocked dealerships for Dhanteras and Diwali.
Maruti Suzuki sold 2,76,120 units in October, up 25% from 2,20,894 a year earlier and above its previous peak of about 2.43 lakh in May. Domestic passenger vehicle sales rose about 20% to 2,12,384 units. Utility vehicles grew about 26% to 97,787, small and mid-size cars rose about 18% to 1,00,877, and the Eeco van was nearly flat. Exports jumped about 59% to 49,872 units.
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Tata second, Mahindra close behind
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles reported domestic sales of about 73,900 units, up about 21%. Mahindra & Mahindra sold 73,338 SUVs in the domestic market, up about 2%. Its automotive business president, Velusamy R, credited the festive season and a refreshed line-up.
Hyundai Motor India's domestic sales rose 16.7% to 62,799 units, with managing director Tarun Garg pointing to strong festive demand. Kia India posted record domestic wholesales of 33,462 units, up about 13%.
Industry near 5 lakh units
Estimates of the industry total vary. Autocar India's count across 14 manufacturers put October passenger vehicle wholesales at 4,98,208 units, while industry estimates cited by IANS placed them at 5.25 lakh to 5.3 lakh, against about 4.6 lakh a year earlier. Either way, it is among the strongest months on record for factory dispatches.
These numbers measure shipments from factories to dealers, not retail purchases by customers. Maruti's April-October total also rose about 27% to 16,55,498 units. Retail registration data from dealer bodies, due in the coming days, will give a clearer picture of actual demand.
Why it matters
The auto sector is a large employer and a key gauge of consumer spending. Strong dispatches, healthy exports and a rising share of SUVs point to solid festive demand, though stock building at dealers means the next few months will show whether the momentum holds.
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