Festive sales of automobiles in the country hit a high even before peak Diwali, with the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) reporting a buoyant 36 lakh-plus units sold in the month of Navaratri.
Almost all categories, from mopeds to commercial trucks, witnessed an increase, with passenger vehicles hitting their own milestone.
The Director General of SIAM, Rajesh Menon, said, “The Indian automobile industry continues to witness healthy demand momentum. The Passenger Vehicle segment achieved its strongest-ever October performance, crossing a significant milestone of 5 lakh units in monthly sales.”
That is a 12 per cent growth in the passenger vehicle segment. Two-wheelers excelled even more, crossing a quarter crore in unit sales. This sale of over 25 lakh bikes and scooters is commendable for two reasons.
One is the fact that the year-on-year figures for last year were at the peak festive month, with Diwali landing in October itself, and had just taken place after the GST rate rationalisation.
Secondly, the high figures compared to last year’s Diwali month suggest consumer confidence, especially considering that many models had increased their prices in the last few months.
“In the two-wheeler segment, demand continues to be supported by improved credit availability and replacement demand, across both rural and urban markets,” said Menon.
“For three-wheelers, last-mile mobility requirements and rapid electrification remain strong structural drivers. Overall, the demand outlook remains positive,” he added.
Despite worries over the economic sentiment in recent times, the spreading of festive cheer across two months (November, being Diwali and Gur Purab month, is expected to fare equally well) is spurring the automakers with confidence.
Interestingly, the SUV craze among auto buyers shows no signs of abating. While regular car sales (sedans, compact cars and hatchbacks) remained stable, from 1.1 lakh units sold last October to 1.3 lakh this October, SUVs continued their juggernaut, scaling up from 2.7 lakh last year to above 3 lakh this time. This number also includes other vehicles classified as utility vehicles. Thus, SUV sales are more than double that of regular cars.
However, it is the stellar growth of two-wheelers which is the talking point. Particularly in scooters, where year-on-year sales spiked nearly 32 per cent to 11 lakh from roughly 8 lakh.
Scooter sales rising compared to motorcycles (which rural users conventionally prefer) could also mean they are an urban commute option for the middle and lower middle-class. Whether this signals a lack of confidence in the economic future of urban dwellers, or whether it means rural distress, is an open question.
Premium vehicles, as expected, continue to do exceptionally well. To give an example, in the UV5 category, that is, premium SUV’s costing more than ₹30 lakh, the sales nearly doubled in October 2026, compared to October 2025.
