From Tata to Maruti, these are India’s top auto newsmakers of 2019 – mostly for the wrong reasons

One of India’s biggest car manufacturers, Maruti Suzuki continues to reel under the pressure of an auto slowdown. From laying off employees to shutting down plants, Maruti was in the news for several reasons. But it was most in news in September as it saw a record a jump in sales thanks to the festive season. According to the Wizikey report, Maruti’s announcement of having sold over two lakh BSVI vehicles brought in hope and cheer.

Honda was not one to be spared by the auto slowdown and the negative coverage around it. Reports of flailing sales to reported layoffs , made Honda a top newsmaker of 2019. In November alone, Honda saw a 50% year-on-year decline in sales.

Another auto manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra has been another newsmaker of the year. The Anand Mahindra-led group hit the headlines for its decision to stop production. But it also received coverage over government’s decision to cut tax on the purchase of Electric Vehicles in July. Mahindra stood to directly benefit from this move as its e20 was then the only commercial EV available. It then followed up with more EV launches like the E-KUV 100.

The Korean manufacturer was another big newsmaker in India, thanks to its push into the Indian market. The relief it received from the government, to the launch of its electric vehicle Kona and then the subsequent investment of ₹7000 crores in Indian EV sector, kept the company’s name buzzing.