Carmakers ride into festive season with 14% sales growth in August

Volume to dealers grew 14% in August as they are building inventory for festivals

With the festive season round the corner, domestic sales of passenger vehicles — cars, utility vehicles and vans — surged 14 per cent in August as dealers built inventory. The industry is estimated to have sold almost 290,000 vehicles last month, with double-digit growth from market leader Maruti Suzuki, besides Honda and Tata Motors. Hyundai, the second-biggest player, saw volume grow at nine per cent. July sales had grown 15 per cent. 

Maruti, which now commands a 50 per cent share in the domestic market, sold 151,270 units to dealers last month, against 119,906 units in August last year. Sales of