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GST relief for small cars, bikes set to rev up auto demand
GST relief for small cars, bikes set to rev up auto demand
India's top automakers received a much-needed boost after the goods and services tax (GST) Council approved a 10% cut in taxes on small cars and commuter motorcycles, starting 22 September.
After income-tax relief and lower interest rates failed to lift consumer demand, the government is betting on GST rationalisation to make compact cars and commuter bikes more affordable. The cut could ease affordability pressures for millions of buyers, while higher levies on premium bikes and SUVs rebalance the tax burden.
Who benefits
Cars smaller than four meters with engine capacity below 1500cc (diesel) and 1200cc (petrol) will now attract 18% GST without cess, covering models like Tata Altroz, Maruti Swift, Hyundai i10, i20, and Renault Kwid.Earlier, small cars attracted 28% tax with additional cess in the range of 1–3% depending on engine capacity and fuel type.
Mass-market motorcycles such as Bajaj Pulsar and Hero Splendor also move to the 18% slab from 28% earlier.
Most small cars in India are priced between ₹6–10 lakh. A 10% GST cut could lower prices by ₹60,000–1 lakh, if passed on fully to buyers. However, analysts caution that companies and dealers are unlikely to pass on the entire benefit.
Who pays more
Premium bikes with engine capacity over 350cc, including Royal Enfield and Bajaj's KTM, will face 40% GST versus the earlier 28% with 3% cess.For mid and large size sports utility vehicles, the GST rate has gone from 28% to 40% but without any cess. In the current regime, such SUVs were being charged 28% GST with 17-22% cess, which took the effective tax rate to 45-50%.
This means that popular SUVs in these categories such as Tata Harrier, Mahindra XUV700, Maruti Grand Vitara, and Hyundai Creta, among others, will see tax rates going down by 5-10% which can help in boosting demand.
All electric vehicles, including models such as Tata Nexon EV, TVS iQube, Hyundai Creta EV and Bajaj Chetak, will continue to attract a concessional GST rate of 5%.
Industry cheer
Industry executives and analysts expect the move to help automakers beat the slow domestic demand environment.“The move makes tractors and farm machinery more affordable for farmers, reduces costs for commercial vehicles, and improves accessibility for personal mobility. Together, these measures are expected to stimulate demand, and drive inclusive growth across the entire ecosystem,” said Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director & CEO - auto and farm sector, Mahindra & Mahindra.
Earlier on 28 August, Maruti Suzuki Chairman RC Bhargava batted for the GST rate cuts, saying that a potential GST cut from 28% to 18% on small cars may give the original small-car maker in India a big boost by making them more affordable.
“Lower GST rates are needed as US tariffs are causing disruptions in other Indian industries,” Bhargava had said at Maruti Suzuki's annual general meeting on Thursday.
According to Gaurav Vangaal, associate director at S&P Global Mobility, GST tax cuts can help in boosting affordability of vehicles, which has been a challenge in recent times.
“Affordability has been a challenge this year, with rising prices dampening entry-level demand. The GST cut to 18% on small cars comes at the right time, it helps offset earlier price hikes and brings renewed value to the sub-4 meter segment,” Vangaal said.
“We expect this move to re-energise sales and make compact cars more accessible to Indian buyers, especially during the festive season.”
Demand on decline
In the April to June period of financial year 2026, passenger vehicle sales declined 1.4% to 1.01 million, two-wheeler sales fell 6.2% to 4.67 million, and commercial vehicle sales declined by 0.6% to 223,215, as per Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).Total wholesale dispatches, putting together all the vehicle categories, in the April-June quarter fell 5% year-on-year. This was the first such instance since financial year 2023 that automakers saw total automobile sales post a year-on-year decline.
Since the announcement of GST cuts during Prime Minster Narendra Modi's speech on 15 August, Nifty Auto has gone up by nearly 7% as against a 0.3% rise in benchmark Nifty index.
Source: LiveMint
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