Tepid car sales in June as buyers delay purchase decisions ahead of GST

Vehicle buyers the world over always scout for the best deal and haggle for the best discounts. Indian consumers are no different and having known, well in advance, that the prices of most vehicles – particularly the much-in-demand SUV category – would see a dip after the Goods & Services tax kicks in on July 1, they preferred to adopt a wait-and-watch policy in June 2017. Proof of that customer stance is in the lacklustre sales numbers released by most automakers, beginning with the bellwether of the Indian automobile industry.

With GST directly impacting the ex-showroom prices of cars, ...