Festive season lifts Delhi vehicle registrations to 2026 high in October

Delhi recorded 91,153 new vehicle registrations in October, the highest monthly figure of 2026 so far, The Times of India reported on Thursday, 5 November. The number was 8.67% higher than September's 83,884 but lower than October 2025's 1,14,776. Two-wheelers accounted for 70.4% of the total, while electric vehicle sales jumped 50.7% year-on-year to 13,296.

Nationally, retail vehicle sales fell 23.80% year-on-year in October to 31.72 lakh units, CNBC-TV18 reported on Friday, 6 November, citing the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA). FADA said the decline was largely due to Diwali shifting to November this year. Passenger vehicle inventory remained at 43 to 45 days, well above the recommended 21-day level, Business Line reported. FADA flagged elevated inventories and rising financing costs as risks to post-festive demand but retained a cautiously optimistic outlook for the November 2026-January 2027 quarter.

Dealers reported healthy festive footfalls but cited pockets of rural stress from deficient rainfall, Business Line added. Dhanteras and Diwali fall on 6 and 8 November, and a Delhi government official said the upcoming registration figures will be watched to assess if festive buying continues.

Update, 6 November 2026: Business Line adds that passenger vehicle inventory at 43 to 45 days is well above FADA's recommended 21-day level, and that dealers flagged pockets of rural stress from deficient rainfall. CNBC-TV18 reports national retail sales fell 23.80% year-on-year to 31.72 lakh units and provides market share data for two-wheeler and passenger vehicle makers. Both sources confirm FADA's cautious optimism for the November-January quarter.