Car purchases in India are largely limited to the top 12 per cent of households with an annual income exceeding Rs 12 lakh, while even small cars have become unaffordable for the remaining 88 per cent, said R C Bhargava, chairman of Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), on Friday. "How can you get high car sales growth if 88 per cent of the country are below the levels of income where they cannot afford these cars costing Rs 10 lakhs and above?
The January-March quarter (Q4) results for 2024-25 (FY25) from the country's largest passenger vehicle (PV) maker, Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), were a mixed bag, with revenues broadly in line but operating profit missing Street expectations. Given cost pressures, margins at the operating level were the lowest in the past seven quarters.
For hatchbacks and sedans, offers range between Rs 40,000 and Rs 80,000 while SUVs and multi-purpose vehicles carry benefits exceeding Rs 1 lakh.
Leading passenger vehicle maker Maruti Suzuki on Saturday reported marginal growth while Hyundai and Tata Motors posted a decline in their sales in February as a slowdown in the market continued with demand remaining muted. On the other hand, Mahindra & Mahindra and Toyota Kirloskar Motor posted double-digit growth riding on their SUV and MPV models.
From the Sensex firms, Bharti Airtel, Power Grid, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Bajaj Finance and Reliance Industries were among the major laggards. However, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Electronics, UltraTech Cement and Maruti were among the gainers.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd expects contribution of SUVs to its overall sales to go beyond 70 per cent with it making foray into the fast growing mid-sized segment with a premium positioning of its Sierra model, according to its Managing Director & CEO, Shailesh Chandra.
In an event-heavy week, stock investors will track ongoing quarterly earnings, the US Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, and macroeconomic data for market direction, analysts said. Moreover, progress in India-US trade negotiations will remain a key focus for investors, an expert said.
The Supreme Court of India has made public the asset details of its judges, including Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna who has Rs 55.75 lakh in a fixed deposit, a three-bedroom DDA flat in south Delhi, and a four-bedroom apartment measuring 2,446 square feet in the Commonwealth Games Village. The court has also uploaded the complete process of appointments to the high courts and the Supreme Court on its website for public awareness.
Stock market sentiment is likely to remain optimistic going ahead, though some consolidation cannot be ruled out after the recent sharp rally in the benchmarks, analysts said. According to experts, the Nifty and Sensex could indeed move towards new record highs before the end of the year, if global cues stay supportive, crude oil prices remain benign and there is continued domestic earnings momentum.
'GST reduction will help larger and high-end cars too.'
Festivals also contribute to the rise in overall automobile retail sales, says dealers association.
The GST Council on Wednesday approved two slabs of 5 per cent and 18 per cent effective from September 22, the first day of Navaratri.
Maruti Suzuki India is targeting markets like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Mexico and other Latin American countries with its upcoming new version of compact sedan Dzire to accelerate exports as it eyes over 3 lakh units of overseas shipments this fiscal, a senior company official said on Wednesday. In the domestic market, the company hopes to enhance its share in the sedan market amid the passenger vehicles market shifting towards SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles), with the new Dzire which is slated for launch next week. "We have been growing (exports) at a rate of about 11.9 per cent in the first seven months of the financial year and we hope to continue on that momentum.
Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation will invest Rs 70,000 crore in the next five to six years in India to strengthen its operations in the country, its representative director and president Toshihiro Suzuki said on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday kicked off exports of Maruti Suzuki India's first electric vehicle e VITARA to 100 countries and also inaugurated the production of lithium-ion battery cells for strong hybrid electric vehicles at its facility in Gujarat.
Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India cut production of its passenger cars by 16 per cent last month but increased those of utility vehicles by 33 per cent compared to October 2023, according to a regulatory filing by the company. Its passenger cars production stood at 89,174 units last month against 1,06,190 units in October 2023, down 16 per cent, Maruti Suzuki India said in the filing.
Automobile exports from India rose 26 per cent year-on-year in September quarter driven by highest-ever shipments of passenger vehicles, two-wheelers and three-wheelers during the period, as per the latest data released by industry body SIAM.
A day before US President Donald Trump's additional 25 per cent tariff kicks in, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made a vehement pitch for swadeshi and Make in India that should help create jobs in the country.
Among the Sensex firms, State Bank of India, Maruti Suzuki India, Axis Bank, NTPC, BEL, Adani Ports, Eternal, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Power Grid, ITC, UltraTech Cement, Trent, HCL Technologies, Mahindra & Mahindra, and HDFC Bank were the major gainers. On the other hand, Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services, Tech Mahindra, Titan, Bajaj Finserv, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel and Bajaj Finance were among the laggards.
Eyewitnesses described a deafening blast that rattled windows and left locals in a state of panic, with seven fire tenders rushing to the scene to battle the flames.
Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday said it has commenced export of its sports utility vehicle Fronx to Japan. The first consignment of over 1,600 vehicles left for Japan from Gujarat's Pipavav port, the country's largest carmaker said in a statement. Fronx will be the first SUV from Maruti Suzuki stable to be launched in Japan, it added.
From the Sensex firms, Tata Steel climbed the most by 3.40 per cent, followed by Power Grid, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Electronics and Bharti Airtel. In contrast, Tech Mahindra, Maruti, UltraTech Cement and Bajaj Finserv were among the major laggards.
Auto majors Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra reported robust sales in September as reduced price tags owing to GST rationalisation led to record demand in the Navaratri period. The month also saw Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra settling at number two and three positions, respectively in vehicle wholesales ahead of Hyundai Motor India.
However, the company has not provided a timeline for the launch of the small electric car.
Cash holdings of equity mutual fund (MF) schemes moderated in September amid a slowdown in fresh inflows. Equity MF schemes held cash worth Rs 1.76 trillion at the end of September 2025 - about Rs 400 crore lower than the previous month, according to a report by Nuvama Alternative & Quantitative Research.
Ten days after the devastating car explosion near the Red Fort, in which 13 people lost their lives and several others were injured, investigators say the incident is part of a broader terror conspiracy involving a professional network of radicalised individuals based in Faridabad, Saharanpur and Kashmir.
Among major Sensex gainers Bajaj Finserv rose the most by 1.42 per cent, Axis Bank gained 0.80 per cent, Infosys by 0.72 per cent, Mahindra & Mahindra by 0.60 per cent, Tata Motors by 0.55 per cent, Bajaj Finance by 0.53 per cent and Tata Steel by 0.52 per cent. Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, HCL Technologies, Bharti Airtel, Maruti Suzuki India, Trent Ltd and Tata Consultancy Services were the losers.
Among Sensex firms, Maruti, Axis Bank, Larsen & Toubro, ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, Infosys, Adani Ports and Hindustan Unilever were the laggards. However, Titan, State Bank of India, Eternal and Trent were among the major gainers.
Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday said it will hike prices by up to Rs 32,500 across various models from February 1 to partially offset the rise in input costs. Due to rising input costs and operational expenses, the company plans to increase car prices, starting February 1, 2025, Maruti Suzuki India said in a regulatory filing.
Multiple tailwinds for the automobile sector, including a cut in goods and services tax (GST) rates, are keeping analysts bullish on auto stocks from a long-term perspective, even as they see the rally running its course in the near term.
Among Sensex firms, Trent, Tech Mahindra, Hindustan Unilever, UltraTech Cement, Asian Paints, Eternal and ITC were the major laggards. Selling in HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank also dragged the key indices. However, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finance, Maruti and State Bank of India were among the gainers.
Auto majors Maruti Suzuki India and Hyundai reported muted sales performance in October as the companies curtailed dispatches to dealers in order to cut inventory build up.
Tourism stakeholders are raising concerns about the safety and environmental impact of ageing diesel-powered safari vehicles operating in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve after a recent breakdown left tourists stranded.
Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Mahindra, and Tata Motors saw a dip in dispatches to dealers in August amid dip in demand with many prospective buyers postponing their buys anticipating a reduction in vehicle prices on account of the new GST framework. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India reported an 8 per cent year-on-year dip in dispatches of passenger vehicles in the domestic market last month.
The average car price in India has increased rapidly in the last 5-6 years due to new emission regulations and demand for more spacious and comfortable cars loaded with advanced technology.
Among Sensex firms, Tata Steel, HCL Tech, UltraTech Cement, Bharat Electronics, Sun Pharma and Tata Consultancy Services were the major gainers. However, Axis Bank, Titan, Maruti and Tata Motors were among the laggards.
Among Sensex firms, State Bank of India, Bharat Electronics, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Maruti, Trent and UltraTech Cement were the major gainers. However, Bajaj Finserv, Titan, ITC and Tata Steel were among the laggards.
Among Sensex firms, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti, Bharti Airtel and Tata Steel were the major gainers. However, Asian Paints and Bajaj Finance were the laggards.
Manufacturers of passenger vehicles (PVs) in the first half of the calendar year (2025) reported a modest 0.5 per cent year-on-year increase in wholesale dispatches, while retail sales grew 2.5 per cent for the same period, reflecting a calibrated approach by automakers amid elevated dealership inventories and cautious consumer sentiment. According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), dispatches rose marginally to 2.16 million units, up from 2.15 million units a year earlier.
From the Sensex firms, Bharat Electronics, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank, Maruti and Tata Motors were among the gainers. However, Eternal, Hindustan Unilever, Trent and Titan were the major laggards.
Between January and August 2025, over 65,000 units of the Bolero were sold, making it the third-highest contributor to Mahindra's overall SUV sales. Bolero annually achieves sales of over 1 lakh units.
