Deep discounts on offer to light up car sales in India before Diwali

Average October discounts are up 40-50% compared to last year

As the festival season peaks, car dealerships across India are offering discounts ranging from Rs 25,000 to more than Rs 1 lakh on various models. These discounts are higher than those offered in the 2022 festival period, which was affected by supply-chain issues related to electronic components for cars, dealers said. 

The average increase in discounts from 2022 to 2023 is 40-50 per cent, depending on the car model and dealership location. Discounts on certain models have jumped up to 75 per cent. Some of these schemes are offered by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and others by dealers. These discounts primarily apply to less popular models. Dealership sources indicated models such as the Maruti Suzuki Celerio, Swift, and Ciaz had discounts in the Rs 35,000-Rs 50,000 range.

“At Maruti Suzuki dealerships, customers purchasing any CNG variant from either Nexa or Arena will receive a CNG coupon worth Rs 20,000 from Mahanagar Gas. For instance, if you’re eyeing the Celerio CNG, which is already offering discounts of up to Rs 30,000 this month, you’ll get an additional Rs 20,000 discount through this coupon, making it a total saving of up to Rs 50,000,” an executive at a Mumbai-based dealership of Maruti said. These offers are valid for October and may be discontinued after the festive season, he added. 

The Maruti Suzuki Ignis MT is offering the highest discount of up to Rs 65,000 compared to Rs 23,000 in October 2022. The discount on the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz has also increased from up to Rs 25,000 in October 2022 to up to Rs 53,000 in October this year. The Celerio and the Swift also have higher discounts this October. Discounts are higher for models which have lesser traction, and not so much on the in-demand SUVs. 

MG Motor is offering discounts on their popular models such as Hector, the MG Astor Sharp, MG Astor Smart, and Gloster in the range of Rs 30,000 to Rs 1 lakh. In September, the discount was up to Rs 25,000 on the Hector (5, 6, and 7-seater versions).

Models like MG Comet EV came with insurance benefits, but there was no discount on it due to its recent launch in April. A Mumbai-based dealership of MG Motor explained: “Customers are getting significant discounts on MG vehicles due to its 100-year anniversary celebration where it included benefits for existing and potential customers.” 

“Last October, car prices were lower due to the absence of Real Driving Emissions (RDE) compliance. However, with the implementation of BS6 Phase 2 RDE norms on April 1, 2023, vehicle prices have witnessed an increase ranging from Rs 35,000 to Rs 70,000. But MG has updated its models compared to the previous year, including the transition from the Hector to the next-generation Hector,” it said.

MG Motor did not comment

Similarly, Tata Motors’ models such as Harrier ADAS offer discounts of up to Rs 1.25 lakh, and the Tigor (Petrol) and Tiago (petrol) provide savings of up to Rs 50,000 and Rs 45,000, respectively. SAFARI (Adas), Altroz MT petrol, and Nexon MT Petrol come with discounts of up to Rs 1.25 lakh, Rs 30,000, and Rs 50,000, respectively.

Discounts on Tata cars in October 2023 are generally higher than those offered in October 2022. The Tata Harrier ADAS and Tata Safari ADAS now have the highest discount of up to Rs 1.25 lakh, compared to Rs 40,000-45,000 in October 2022. The Tata Tigor and Tata Tiago also have higher discounts in October 2023.

Mahindra & Mahindra is offering discounts of up to Rs 1.25 lakh on the XUV400, while the Bolero (all variants) offers a discount ranging from Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000. The Bolero Neo, Marazzo (M2 all variants), and XUV300 are all part of the festive discounts, with savings of up to Rs 50,000, Rs 73,000, and Rs 80,000, respectively. Models such as Thar, Scorpio N, Bolero B2, Bolero Neo Plus, and XUV700, do not have any discounts in October due to the demand being good.

The discounts in October 2023 are higher than those offered in October 2022. The discount on Marazzo increased from up to Rs 35,000 in October 2022 to up to Rs 73,000 in October 2023. The Bolero and XUV300 also have higher discounts in October 2023. 

Hyundai is offering discounts from Rs 20,000 to Rs 43,000 on the Verna, i10 nios, i20 automatic and Aura CNG models. In September, buyers of i20 automatic and Aura CNG buyers could get discounts of up to Rs 30,000 and Rs 33,000, respectively. As the calendar flips to October, these discounts continue, with the i10 Nios and Aura CNG retaining their discounts. Creta and Exter did not have any price reductions in September and October. Hyundai is offering discounts of up to Rs 25,000 on the Verna, which was not present in the last month. 

As compared to 2022’s October Hyundai Aura CNG remains the same in terms of discount. However, the Hyundai Verna has a discount of Rs 25,000, which was not present in October of 2022. And the i10 Nios observed a decline in discount as it stood at Rs 43,000 in October 2023 as compared to Rs 48,000 in October 2022. Hyundai did not wish to comment.