Car sales hit top gear on festival push

Up 15-35% during Navaratri-Diwali period

- SHINE JACOB

India's leading automobile manufacturers have recorded their best Diwali season ever, driven by recent goods and services tax (GST) reforms, repo rate relief, and buoyant consumer sentiment during the festival period from Navaratri to Diwali.

According to initial industry estimates, passenger-vehicle makers have seen between 15 per cent and 35 per cent sales growth during this period.

Industry major Maruti Suzuki on Saturday reported 450,000 bookings during the festival period, with retail sales touching a record 325,000 units. Tata Motors on Tuesday said it delivered over 100,000 vehicles, a 33 per cent increase over last year, while Hyundai Motor India saw retail sales surge 30 per cent year-on-year (yo-Y), averaging around 2,500 cars a day.