The automotive retail sales in India is back in the green, and for October 2024, the convergence of Navratri and Diwali has helped register robust growth across segments.

According to the latest data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA), a total of 2.8 million vehicles were registered last month, up 32.14 percent YoY, compared to 2.14 million vehicles sold last year.

This included 2 million two-wheelers (+36.34 percent YoY); 122,846 three-wheelers (+11.45 percent YoY); 483,159 passenger vehicles (+32.38 percent YoY); 64,433 tractors (+3.08 percent YoY) and 97,411 commercial vehicles (+6.37 percent YoY).

C S Vigneshwar, President, FADA stated that festivities traditionally account for 30–35 percent of total annual auto sales. The industry was keenly observing how October would unfold.

He said, “With dealers entering this crucial period fully committed and carrying all-time high inventory levels, the month did not disappoint!”

FADA shared that the rural market once again played a leading role in driving growth, particularly in the two-wheeler and passenger vehicle segments. Additionally, the Government of India's announcement of an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Rabi crops further boosted market sentiments.

The two-wheeler sales were driven by festive schemes, discounts along with new model launches that drove consumer interest. The dealers were able to support the demand on the back of better stock availability and suppliers from OEMs.

In the passenger vehicle segment too, aggressive offers, attractive schemes and new model introductions further stimulated demand.

“Enhanced vehicle availability and strong market interest, especially for SUVs and new products, also contributed to the exceptional sales. However, despite strong sales, PV OEMs continue to heavily stock dealers, resulting in inventory levels decreasing by only five days, with overall inventory still at a high of 75–80 days. This may thus lead the season of substantial discounts to continue until the end of the calendar year,” cautioned Vigneshwar.

The commercial vehicle segment growth was driven by various factors such as supportive agricultural markets and bulk purchases, particularly for container movements.

FADA states that however dealers faced challenges such as slow demand, sluggish construction activities, financial issues among customers and increased vehicle prices leading to higher EMIs.

“Overall, while there were areas of growth, the CV market faced headwinds that tempered its overall performance,” he shared.

Great Indian wedding

While the automotive industry has been seeing a mixed results in terms of retail demand, the expectation for the rest of the calendar year remains positive. An estimated 4.8 million weddings are scheduled across the country in November and December 2024. This is expected to bring an ‘unprecedented surge’ in demand for wedding-related goods and services.

For the automotive industry this could further amplify demand for two-wheelers and passenger vehicles. In the CV segment, while supportive agricultural markets and continued bulk purchases may contribute positively, dealers remain vigilant due to factors like sluggish construction activities, financial constraints among customers and an anticipated decrease in demand post-festivities.

But on the other hand, for the passenger vehicle segment, there are apprehensions about potential slowdowns caused by customers postponing purchases in anticipation of better year-end discounts. FADA also urges, PV OEMs to further rationalise supply.

The auto retail body states that while the industry is optimistic about near-term growth driven by the wedding season and favourable market conditions, dealers are mindful of potential challenges that could affect sales momentum as the year concludes.

‘The mixed sentiments reflected in the survey highlight the need for strategic planning and cautious optimism as the auto sector navigates the remaining months of the year,’ the note concluded.

Representational image courtesy: TomFlick/Pexels

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Stellantis-owned French auto brand Citroen India and Milo Drive have signed an MoU to deploy 500 units of the Citroen e-C3 electric car.

Milo Drive operates ‘Fleet OS’, a platform that supports driver entrepreneurs and local fleet operators in managing cars across ride-hailing, travel and corporate mobility platforms.

The collaboration combines Citroen’s engineering with Milo Drive’s technology, which includes demand routing, utilisation analytics and driver performance tech. This is designed to create a scalable ecosystem.

Shishir Mishra, Business Head & Director - Strategic Partnerships & Institutional Business, Stellantis India, said, “Scaling electric mobility in India requires strong, future-ready partnerships, and our collaboration with Milo Drive reflects exactly that. The Citroen e-C3 offers the ideal balance of range, comfort and operating efficiency making it a proven performer for shared mobility. Together, we are enabling EV access at scale and contributing meaningfully to India’s transition toward a low-carbon mobility ecosystem.”

Monil Jayeshkumar Khatri, Co-Founder, Milo Drive, said, “With Citroen, we’re blending affordability with intelligence. Their support extends beyond vehicles to real-time battery insights and performance data; helping us further enable hundreds of entrepreneurs to build and run their own mobility businesses through Milo Drive’s tech platform. This collaboration is a significant milestone in our journey to electrify India’s urban mobility landscapes.”

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Spinny, a used car retail platform, has opened new car parks in Sonipat, Karnal and Ambala, increasing its presence in North India. The expansion gives customers in these cities and surrounding regions access to the company’s collection of inspected used cars.

The new car parks are located along the GT Road corridor, improving regional accessibility for customers across the North region.

The new parks function as single destinations where customers can explore, test drive, buy, or sell cars. The expansion aims to serve growing demand for pre-owned vehicles along this corridor, complementing Spinny’s customer base in Delhi NCR and Chandigarh.

Hanish Yadav, Senior Vice-President, Spinny, said, “With our new parks in Sonipat, Karnal and Amabala, we’re excited to bring Spinny’s trusted car experience closer to our customers. These parks not only expand our reach but also make it easier for customers to explore our 200-point inspected cars in person. At Spinny, we’re committed to making every step of buying or selling a car transparent, comfortable, and filled with joy.”

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has launched its ‘Winter Carnival – Service Campaign’ across all authorised Toyota dealerships in Northern India. The campaign runs from November to December 2025.

The initiative aims to enhance customer satisfaction by offering value on services, treatments and genuine accessories during the winter period.

Under the service campaign, the automaker is providing a complimentary 20-point vehicle safety and health check-up, which includes inspection of tyres, batteries, rubber components, lights and fog lamps to ensure performance during winter. Special value packages and offers on essential service parts replacement. Deals on accessories and gifts with the purchase of TGLOSS treatments to keep customer vehicles looking new.

The campaign covers the NCR (National Capital Region), Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

Sabari Manohar, Vice-President & Chief Representative – North Region, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “With our Customer-First philosophy, we remain committed to delivering best-in-class service experiences to our valued customers. Drawing from customer insights, we have curated the Awesome Winter Carnival Campaign, featuring customized service value packages designed to keep our customers’ vehicles winter-ready. We are confident that this initiative will further enhance ownership satisfaction and strengthen the joy of driving a Toyota vehicle.”

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has inaugurated its 1,500th Parts and Accessories distributor touchpoint in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

The new facility was inaugurated by S D Chhabra, Executive Officer, Maruti Suzuki India and Kohsuke Hattori, Executive Vice-President - Parts, Accessories and Logistics, Maruti Suzuki India.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Nothing gives customers greater peace of mind than the confidence that they can easily access company-tested and certified parts and accessories nearby. These genuine parts and accessories help maintain performance, safety, and longevity of the vehicle, one of the key reasons why customers continue to choose Maruti Suzuki. To further strengthen this trust, we are expanding our parts and accessories distribution network beyond our already widespread sales and service footprint.”

The automaker’s genuine parts and accessories network plays an important role in the company’s customer-focused ecosystem, complementing its extensive sales and service footprint across India.

It’s network is operated by authorised distributors, comprising warehouses and retail outlets, which are strategically located to provide easy access to genuine, high-quality parts and accessories across the Maruti Suzuki vehicle range.

These touchpoints primarily cater to smaller independent workshops and mechanics.

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