BHOPAL: After doing well in the month of June after the lockdown restrictions were eased, car and SUV sales are witnessing a decline in July. However, the dealers say that the sales are likely to be higher than the corresponding period in 2020.
The bookings in the fourwheeler segment also reflect shifting of choice from cars to SUVs ever since automobile companies have launched compact SUVs and decline in the sales of diesel cars/SUVs with the diesel prices catching up with petrol.
“Sales and inquiries in June was encouraging due to pending orders. However, it has slightly come down in July. Car dealers are now expecting sales to be higher than the sales during the corresponding month in 2020,” said president of Bhopal Automobile Association, Ashish Pandey.
Talking about reasons for the decline in sales and inquiries, he said that prices of cars and SUVs have gone up in July and people are apprehensive of a third wave of Coronavirus and therefore they are trying to save funds or at least not spend their money where they can wait.
The growing charm of SUVs as compared to cars is reflected in the booking figures of various four-wheeler producing companies at Bhopal and elsewhere in the state. While cars are available at most of these places off the shelf, there is booking of one month to a year for SUVs.
“Tata Motors’s SUVs have a booking of 1 to 3 months,” said a marketing personnel with Tata Motors.
Maruti is hoping for a 5 to 10% growth in sales as compared to previous year but its premium products are available off the shelf, said an executive at the counter of a Maruti Showroom in the city.
Sales of Hundai saw a growth of 15% in June but in July, the sales and inquiries have dropped slightly, dealers said. Its new SUV model has a booking period of one to three months. Cars are available off the shelf here too. Compared to the corresponding month last year, dealers of the company at Bhopal expect a 10% growth.
SUV models of Mahindra too have a waiting period of 3 months.
Some of Kia’s brands have four months of booking but booking-inquiries have dropped slightly in July compared to last month. One of the brand of MG Motors also has a booking period of a month.
