Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest passenger carmaker, has increased the prices of its cars. The range of the price hike is quite varied and swings from a figure as low as Rs 1,500 for entry-level cars to one as high as Rs 20,000 for the Vitara Brezza. Falling under the spike scanner, the Baleno too becomes costlier by Rs 10,000. According to Maruti, the Vitara Brezza's price tag of Rs 6.99 lakh during its launch in March was just an introductory price. So, the prices going up for the model should not come as a surprise, as it was just a matter of time it increased the prices. The rise in the costs comes as a let down for those who were looking forward to deals from Maruti during the festive season. The automaker cited increased forex movement as well as strategic production decisions as the reasons behind the price hike.
This is the fourth price hike by the largest car manufacturer in India in a period of 12 months, and, the third one in this calendar year. In January 2016, the price for Baleno was hiked by Rs 20,000 and the company pointed it to rising input costs. Even the Union Budget that came out earlier this year did not work in the customer's favour, forcing all manufacturers to revise their price list because of the infrastructure cess imposed by the government.
Most of the car manufacturers are expected to toe Maruti's line and increase prices of their respective models starting with, perhaps, Hyundai which last hiked prices by up to Rs 30,000 in January 2016.
Source: Zigwheels.com
