{
  "id": 2678983,
  "title": "India’s car buyers get more choice, more confusion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/indias-car-buyers-get-more-choice-more-confusion",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-22T23:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/auto/cars-uvs/indian-car-buyers-face-difficult-choices-as-automakers-offer-hundreds-of-variants-across-price-points/articleshow/133429270.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mumbai: Car buyers in India are enjoying increased choice, but the decision process has become more complicated. Automakers are rapidly introducing new variants, powertrains, and feature combinations, offering customers more ways to personalize a vehicle. However, this abundance of options also means more decisions to make before buying a car.\n\nSince 2021, the number of passenger-vehicle models in India has grown by 8%, with a 56% increase in variants across existing models. This trend allows manufacturers to quickly adapt to changing demand without waiting for a new model cycle. Amit Dhaundiyal, head of product strategy & planning at Hyundai Motor India, explained that developing variants is faster and more cost-effective than launching entirely new models.\n\nDespite the added complexity, the goal is to maintain clear differentiation between variants and create a straightforward hierarchy that simplifies the customer's decision-making process. Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer at Maruti Suzuki, noted that the rapid growth in variants reflects the diverse needs of consumers, who seek different combinations of powertrain, transmission, features, and price points.\n\nThe scale of choice is vast, with Maruti Suzuki alone offering over 1,100 variant-color combinations. For consumers, the challenge lies in selecting the right combination of features, performance, and running costs that align with their needs and budget. Ravi Bhatia, president of Jato Dynamics, highlighted the paradox of easier car purchasing but more complex choice-making for customers.\n\nAs competition intensifies, carmakers are focusing on fine-tuning their offerings to cater to individual buyer preferences. Dealers report that customers are arriving better informed, but the sheer number of variants can still complicate the final decision. Sai Giridhar, VP of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), advised customers to remain vigilant and focus on understanding the value of each added feature or price increase.\n\nWhile more choice can result in a car better suited to a buyer's needs, it also means investing more time in determining whether the incremental features, powertrain, or equipment upgrades are worth the additional cost. The typical price difference between variants is approximately ₹50,000-75,000. Ultimately, the proliferation of variants presents both opportunities and challenges for Indian car buyers.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Car buyers in India enjoy increased choice.",
    "Decision process becomes more complicated.",
    "Over 1,100 variant-color combinations available."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}