Cars with the highest waiting period in May 2021, extend from 6 month for the Renault Kiger to 1 year for the Mahindra Thar
India is in the midst of the 2nd wave of the Corona Virus pandemic and lockdowns have been announced across various states. The dire shortage of semiconductors and logistic constraints have hit the auto industry and hit hard, affecting production and thereby waiting periods of several models, some of which extend upto 1 year. Demand for new cars are on the rise especially where new entrants are concerned and we list out top 10 cars that have the highest waiting period.
1. Mahindra Thar – Waiting Period – Upto 1 year
Enjoying strong demand in India, the new Mahindra Thar commands a waiting period of 10-12 months depending on variant. It has been 7 months since its launch and the company has increased production of the second generation Thar. Automatic variants have the longest waiting period, while convertible and hard top, petrol manual variants have the shortest waiting duration.
2. Maruti Suzuki Ertiga – Waiting Period – Upto 9 months
Currently with a waiting period of around 9 months for CNG-powered models, the waiting period for other petrol powered variants of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga MPV is around 4-5 months. The Ertiga is regaled by buyers in India for its spacious interiors and affordable pricing which ranges between Rs 9.06-12.44 lakh.
3. Nissan Magnite – Waiting Period – Upto 9 months
This sub 4 meter compact SUV is the brands most successful model in India with its waiting period extending upto 9 months. It has been just 4 months since launch and the Magnite has already amassed over 50,000 unit bookings out of which only 10,000 deliveries have been completed to date. Magnite top spec XV and XV Premium variants see over 60 percent bookings while 15 percent bookings are for the Magnite CVT. To meet this demand, the automaker plans to ramp up production at the Chennai plant from a current 2,700 units to 3,500 units per month from July 2021.
4. Hyundai Creta – Waiting Period – Upto 9 months
The Hyundai Creta is the best-selling SUV in India. Demand extends upto 9 months for the top spec variants while the lower E and EX variants see a waiting period of around 7-8 months. The company has revealed that demand for the Creta is around 3 times its production capacity and pending bookings have led to a backlog. However, Hyundai plans to increase production so as to cut waiting periods. The Hyundai Creta is currently priced between Rs 9.99 lakh and Rs 17.53 lakh
5. Renault Kiger – Waiting Period – Upto 6 months
Another successful model with a 6 month waiting period is the Renault Kiger. The Kiger marked its entry into India in Feb 21 and has been a smashing hit in the compact SUV segment which has been seeing growing demand in the country. The current waiting period extends to 6 months and the company has just announced a price hike from 1st May 2021 by Rs 14,000-30,000 depending on variant and two-tone paint shades demanding Rs 3,000 over that of its mono-tone counterparts.
6. Kia Sonet – Waiting Period – Upto 5 months
The Kia Sonet, in the sub 4 meter SUV segment, enjoys strong demand in India. The company recently updated the Sonet with new features and logo and despite the fact that the company increased prices by a sizeable margin, it has not affected demand. The Kia Sonet commands a 2-4 month waiting period for the 1.0 liter turbo-petrol variants, while the 1.5 liter diesel trims command a waiting period of around 3-5 months. The 1.2 liter petrol models have a waiting period of up to 5 months.
7. Kia Seltos – Waiting Period – Upto 5 months
Kia’s new logo, new variants and upgraded features for the Seltos has spurred up demand with waiting period extending to 5 months. Like the Sonet, the Seltos has also appealed to buyers in the country and dealers have been asked to communicate with customers to advise them on 3.5-5 months of waiting period depending on variant and dealer location.
8. Tata Nexon – Waiting Period – Upto 5 months
Tata Nexon, Tiago, Tigor, Altroz, Harrier and Safari, all have high waiting periods. However, the Nexon has the highest waiting period of all Tata passenger vehicles. Depending on location, this waiting period can extend from 3-5 months for the Nexon petrol and diesel variant while there is a 2 month waiting period for the Nexon EV. Tata Nexon is priced from Rs 7.09 -11.46 lakh for petrol variants going up to Rs 8.45-12.79 lakh for its diesel models and the Tata Nexon EV retails from Rs.13.99-16.39 lakh.
9. Maruti Swift – Waiting Period – Upto 5 months
Maruti Suzuki has been citing long waiting periods for a number of models in their lineup. Semi-conductor supply constraints and lockdowns have compounded the issue leading to a 1 month waiting period for the S-Presso extending to around 3-5 months for the Maruti Swift hatchback depending on variant.
10. MG Hector – Waiting Period – Upto 4 months
MG Motor India launched the Hector in 2019. It immediately gained in popularity while the Hector Plus was introduced in January 21 and added to its success. Both the Hector and Hector Plus command a strong waiting period extending upto 4 months for some variants. Apart from rising demand, the company has also to contend with shortage of semi-conductor chips leading to an even longer waiting period.
Disclaimer – Waiting period depends on the dealer as well as the city / town / village you are planning to buy the vehicle. It also depends on the variant and the colour option. Please check with the nearest dealer for exact waiting period.
