Maruti to sell 80,000 cars in 4 days as festive rush continues in GST 2.0 regime

Maruti's overall bookings across all models are up 35%.

The country's largest passenger vehicle (PV) manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki India, has reported strong festive season demand, with retail sales set to cross 80,000 units between September 22 and 25, led by the company's small car portfolio.

The company's Senior Executive Officer for Marketing and Sales, Partho Banerjee, said on September 25 that customer response has been 'very strong' in these four days. Retail sales have already touched 75,000 units and are expected to cross 80,000 units by the end of today, he added.

Bookings have maintained momentum, with small cars leading the charge. While bookings in the small car segment have grown 50% compared to earlier levels, the overall bookings across all models are up 35%, Maruti claimed.

Maruti is also witnessing a surge beyond the top 100 cities. "Booking growth for small cars in these markets is close to 100%," Banerjee said. On average, the company is recording 18,000 bookings per day. Enquiries have nearly doubled in this period. Against a daily average of 40,000-45,000 earlier, the current level is around 80,000 enquiries a day.

The company's strong sales performance comes in the backdrop of price cuts announced under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) 2.0 regime. Entry-level models saw the sharpest revisions. The S-Presso has become cheaper by up to Rs 1.29 lakh, bringing its new starting price to around Rs 3.49 lakh. The Alto K10 has seen a cut of up to Rs 1.07 lakh, with the new entry price pegged at Rs 3.69 lakh. The Celerio now starts at Rs 4.69 lakh after a reduction of up to Rs 94,100, while the WagonR is priced from Rs 4.98 lakh following a cut of up to Rs 79,600. The Ignis too has become more affordable by up to Rs 71,300.

In the premium hatchback space, the Swift and Baleno have both received notable price drops. The Swift now costs up to Rs 84,600 less than before, while the Baleno has seen a reduction of up to Rs 86,100. These adjustments have brought both Swift and Baleno under the Rs 6 lakh mark, further strengthening Maruti's position in the competitive premium hatchback segment.

Sedans and SUVs have also been part of the revision. The Dzire is now cheaper by up to Rs 87,700, while the Tour S sedan has received a cut of up to Rs 67,200. Among compact and mid-size SUVs, the Fronx and the Brezza have both seen reductions of around Rs 1.12 lakh, while the Grand Vitara is lower by up to Rs 1.07 lakh. The Jimny has become more affordable by nearly Rs 52,000, giving a price advantage in the lifestyle SUV segment.

The company has extended benefits to its MPVs and vans as well. The Ertiga is now cheaper by up to Rs 46,400, while the XL7 has seen a cut of up to Rs 52,000. The Invicto has received a reduction of up to Rs 61,700. The Eeco van, one of Maruti's long-standing models, has also become more affordable by up to Rs 68,000.

According to Maruti, while the net effect of the GST restructuring on the car prices is around 8.5%, the higher price reduction, particularly on the entry-level models, has been done to woo the two-wheeler customers so that they can upgrade to four-wheelers.