Passenger vehicle sales drop 21.9 percent, two-wheelers slip 2.8 percent; automakers optimistic on growth for the entire festive period that ends with Diwali
ByHimani Kothari
Last Updated: Oct 22, 2026, 09:37 IST3 min
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India’s retail auto sales fell 6.5 percent during Navratri due to a shorter festival period and high base effect, with passenger vehicles dropping 21.9 percent and two-wheelers slipping 2.8 percent. Despite this, automakers remain optimistic for growth through Diwali.
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Retail vehicle sales declined 6.52 percent year-on-year this Navratri as a shorter festival period and an unusually high base weighed on numbers.
Some 1.12 million vehicles were sold during the 10-day festival, which ran from October 11 to 20, compared with 1.2 million in the 11-day Navratri period last year, according to provisional data from dealers’ body Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA).
Passenger vehicle retail sales dropped 21.91 percent to 1,82,728 units, while two-wheeler sales slipped 2.79 percent to 8,34,075 units.
The festive season in North India runs from Navratri through Diwali.
Last year’s base was inflated because Navratri coincided with the Goods & Services Tax (GST) cuts taking effect on September 22, bringing pent-up demand into showrooms as buyers had held off purchases in anticipation. Carmakers also offered steeper discounts last year, while prices have risen this year as manufacturers pass on higher input costs.
First Published: Oct 22, 2026, 09:37
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