Car buyers in India moving up value chain despite salary cuts, job losses

Carbuyers in India are ditching entry-level models for mid- and top-end variants that are packed with more features.

Bells and whistles like a touchscreen with infotainment applications and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available in the top two variants that enjoy a “higher perceived value”.

This is even as disposable incomes have taken a hit amid salary cuts and job losses.

Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), the market leader, has seen the contribution of mid- and top-end variants as the percentage of a model’s sales mix goes up.

For MSIL, the trend is visible across the categories in which it has a presence. The