From Maruti to Hyundai & more, why you don't have to wait long for your new car

The Indian passenger vehicle (PV) or car market is going from strength to strength with robust demand for new units continuing to rise. Helped ably by an influx of new and updated models, the mass-market PV segment in India is getting a whole lot of traction since Covid-19-related factors began to ebe away. But manufacturers haven't been able to respond with timely production cycles at all times. And this is exactly what is now changing.

Covid-19 times saw production coming to a grinding halt or occuring at a much slower pace than normal. The need for personal mobility during pandemic times did spur demand but supply remained iffy. Even in the aftermath of the pandemic, when it was expected that supply would return to normal, a new factor emerged. The global semiconductor shortage had unprecedented repercussions for almost every car manufacturer in the world. Closer home in India, this major stumbling block has nearly flattened to reveal a smooth way forward.

Vehicle manufacturing in the country is firing on all cylinders and this is clear from the record sales numbers that many brands revealed for the month of September. The likes of Maruti Suzuki, Toyota and Hyundai reported record sales in the month and now point to the clear possibility of newer records shattering in the festive period that beckons.

Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest car manufacturer, has been in top gear and its focus on the SUV body type is giving it rich dividends. Sales of small cars like Alto and S-Presso may have come down last month but the propulsion in sales of models like Fronx, Grand Vitara and Brezza - all SUVs, has more than made up for any lost ground. The Grand Vitara mid-size SUV in particular has been a runaway hit with around 1.20 lakh units sold since its launch in September of 2022. At present, the order bank for the model stands at around 23,000. The numbers are as healthy for Brezza (40,000), Fronx (20,000) and Jimny (10,000).

Hyundai too has been aggressive with its offerings, driving out the Exter earlier this year. The Exter is the company's most-affordable SUV and combined with Creta and Venue, has bolstered the prospect of the company in India. The new Verna scoring a five-star rating in Global NCAP is likely to further the brand image.

Others like Toyota, Mahindra and Tata Motors too are doing brisk business, and the continuing preference for SUV body type is allowing for the respective - and relevant - models to find their intended mark. With production cycles improving consistently, waiting periods for many of these models are on the decline.