Nearly a dozen new UV models set to go on sale ahead of festive season

The peak festive season, which starts from Navratri and ends with Diwali, is critical for auto companies and accounts for a fifth of their annual sales

Utility vehicles — multi-purpose and sports utility — will come in big numbers in the run-up to the festive season.

Close to a dozen new models, expected to be priced between Rs 550,000 and more than Rs 25 lakh, are set to hit the road — the highest in two years.

This excludes refurbished existing models, also expected to be launched.

Unlike this year, when most new launches are scheduled for the festive season, the launches in FY21 — eight in all — were spread over the year.

There were seven launches in FY22, while the figure was five-six each for FY18, FY19, and