The festive season is giving Chandigarh's automobile dealers a lift. Around Dhanteras this year, dealers say sales are running ahead of last year, with sport utility vehicles and electric vehicles drawing the strongest interest from buyers.
Dealers estimate roughly 1,200 car deliveries and 2,500 two-wheeler deliveries in Chandigarh over the festive period, according to a report by Hindustan Times. Across the wider Tricity region, four-wheeler deliveries are expected to exceed 5,000.
Four-Wheelers Set the Pace
The passenger vehicle segment has been the clear performer in recent days. Dealers describe a market that is steady and improving, with buyers committing to purchases as Dhanteras, traditionally an auspicious day for big-ticket buying in India, arrived.
Ranjeev Dahuja, president of the Chandigarh Automobile Dealers Association and owner of a Tata dealership in the city, said sales were better than a year earlier and that dealers were securing good business.
Electric Vehicles Gain Ground
Electric vehicles have emerged as one of the notable trends of the season. Dealers reported increased demand for EVs during the festive period, alongside the continued shift toward SUVs.
Nitin Mehan, owner of Maruti Suzuki dealer Autopace Network and vice-president of the Federation of Chandigarh Automobile Dealers, said around 300 electric vehicles had already been delivered in the monthly market. He described buyer response to EVs as good.
Mehan also noted that business picked up considerably over the last two to three days before Dhanteras. "This Dhanteras is in favour of the automobile business," he said.
A Market Tilting Toward SUVs
Beyond EVs, dealers said the local four-wheeler market is becoming increasingly oriented toward SUVs. That mirrors a broader pattern across India, where buyers have steadily moved away from smaller hatchbacks toward larger, higher-riding vehicles.
For dealers, the combination of SUV preference and growing EV interest suggests customers are willing to spend more and are open to newer powertrains when making festive purchases.
Two-Wheelers Recover After a Slow Navratri
The two-wheeler segment has had a more uneven run. Dealers said demand was relatively sluggish during Navratri, the festival period that precedes Dhanteras.
Sales then recovered as Dhanteras approached, with deliveries improving compared with the earlier festive weeks. The estimated 2,500 two-wheeler deliveries in Chandigarh reflect that late pickup.
Jewellers Also Report Better Business
The festive boost extended beyond showrooms. Vinod Talwar, president of the Chandigarh Jewellers Association, said jewellery sales were satisfactory and better than last year, with silver attracting more customers this time.
With 22-carat gold at around Rs 1.3 lakh per 10 grams and silver near Rs 1.9 lakh per kg, some buyers were also looking at lighter and lower-carat pieces, including 18-carat jewellery.
What the Festive Numbers Signal for the EV Market
Dealers in both the automobile and jewellery sectors expect the weekend leading into Diwali to close stronger than last year. For the auto trade, the key takeaway is where the demand is concentrated.
The roughly 300 EV deliveries in a single month in Chandigarh are modest in absolute terms but point to growing comfort with electric cars in a mid-sized Indian city. For automakers, charging providers and startups in the EV ecosystem, festive buying patterns like these offer a useful read on how quickly mainstream consumers are warming to electric mobility.
Source: Hindustan Times
