BS EDIT: India’s Small Car Market Is Stalling

By Business StandardPublished On May 23, 2025

A Tale of Two Segments

???? SUVs: 50%+ of car sales in FY25

???? Small cars: Sales barely grew; fell for Maruti, Tata, Hyundai

The market is skewing upscale

Affordability Barrier

Only 12% of households earn over ₹12L/year

No small car under ₹4L on-road

High taxes and safety rules add to costs

Demand Still Exists

First-time buyers now pick SUVs

???? Two-wheelers grew 7%

???? Used small cars are booming

Value-seeking buyers haven’t vanished

Innovation Has Stalled

No major design rethink since the Tata Nano

Unlike telecom or FMCG, car pricing hasn’t adapted to lower-income segments

Learn from Others

???? Telecom used bundling

✈️ Airlines used dynamic pricing

???? FMCG used sachets

Cars need innovation too—at the entry level

A Way Forward

???? Small cars taxed like luxury goods (29–31%)

???? Lower taxes + smarter strategy = revival

India’s car market can’t grow by leaving most households behind