The slowdown in the auto industry continues with Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) sales growing just 12.6 per cent in the month of September 2019. HMSI's overall sales fell below the 5 lakh mark to 4,85,659 units in the month of September, a drop of 12.6 per cent against 5,55,730 units sold in the same month a year ago. The percentage drop in sales may seem to be not much, but it's the sales volumes which will be a concern for HMSI. HMSI's domestic sales stood at 4,55,892 units with exports accounting for 29,767 units. This is the second consecutive month HMSI's sales have not been able to breach the 5 lakh sales volumes mark.
Also Read: Bajaj Sees Massive 35 Per Cent Dip In Domestic Motorcycle Sales
HMSI has also recently launched the new, and updated Honda Activa 125 BSVI, the company's first two-wheeler which meets the upcoming Bharat Stage VI (BS6) emission regulations, which will come into effect from April 1, 2020. The new Activa 125 BSVI offers a long list of new features, along with superior emissions technology, and fuel-injection. Deliveries for the new Activa 125 BSVI have already begun with the onset of the festive season.
(The Activa 125 Std is priced at Rs. 67,490, the alloy variant is priced at Rs. 70,990 while the top-spec Dlx variant is priced at Rs. 74,490)
The company expects sales in October 2019 to pick up, with customer sentiment showing some positivity in the first two days of Navratras on September 29 and September 30. In any case, HMSI has rolled out a long list of festive season offers to attract customers in a hope to revive some sales during the period which is seen as a sales bonanza for auto manufacturers. This festive season, Honda is offering any two-wheeler model purchase with benefits of up to Rs. 11,000, with Rs.8,900 benefit on purchase through special retail finance schemes against general market finance, and limited period free enrolment of Honda Joy Club with benefits of up to Rs. 2,100.
Customers can also pay online and get cashbacks and benefits of paying through PayTM with benefits of up to Rs. 7,000. Honda has also rolled out an association with Pine Labs, a unified point of sale system, which allows customers to purchase any Honda two-wheeler through debit and credit cards of over 10 banks with EMI options as well. Traditionally, HMSI has always reported record sales during the festive season, and these offers are expected to boost sales in the middle of one of the worst slowdowns in the Indian auto industry. Whether this festive season will see two-wheeler sales bounce back, though remains to be seen.
