Hero MotoCorp Sales Plunge While Suzuki Records Growth: Hero and Suzuki Sales in April 2025

India's Two-Wheeler Sales Plummet 17% YoY in April 2025. April 2025 presented a stark contrast in the sales performance of two major players in the Indian two-wheeler market: Hero MotoCorp and Suzuki Motorcycle India. While Hero, the country's largest two-wheeler manufacturer, faced a substantial decline, Suzuki managed to register year-on-year growth. Let's delve into the specifics of their sales figures.

Hero MotoCorp's April 2025 Sales: Impacted by Production Halt

Hero MotoCorp reported a significant downturn in sales for April 2025, selling a total of 3,05,406 units. This represents a sharp 42.76% year-on-year (YoY) decline compared to the 5,33,585 units sold in April 2024. The month-on-month (MoM) comparison also reveals a substantial 44.43% drop from the 5,49,604 units sold in March 2025.

Key Highlights for Hero MotoCorp:

• Total Sales: 3,05,406 units
• YoY Decline: 42.76%
• MoM Decline: 44.43%

Segment-wise Performance:

• Motorcycles: Sales plummeted to 2,86,089 units, marking a 42.38% YoY decrease and a 43.53% MoM decline. Popular models like the Hero Splendor (a consistent bestseller) and the Hero HF Deluxe (known for its fuel efficiency) contributed to the bulk of these sales but still witnessed a significant drop.
• Scooters: The scooter segment also faced a heavy blow, with sales falling by 47.85% YoY to 19,317 units and 55.04% MoM.
• Exports: Hero's exports stood at 16,882 units in April 2025, reflecting a 16.79% YoY decrease and a steep 57.28% MoM fall.

Reason for the Decline: Planned Production Halt

Hero MotoCorp attributed this significant dip in sales to a planned production halt across its multiple manufacturing facilities. The company temporarily suspended production at its Dharuhera, Gurugram, Haridwar, and Neemrana plants from April 17th to 19th, 2025. This strategic move aimed to realign supply chains and facilitate scheduled maintenance and infrastructure upgrades. Hero anticipates a normalization of production and dispatches starting from May 2025.

Positive Indicators: Strong Retail Demand and VIDA EV Growth

Despite the lower dispatch numbers, Hero MotoCorp highlighted robust underlying retail demand for its internal combustion engine (ICE) two-wheelers, indicating healthy customer interest. Furthermore, their electric vehicle arm, VIDA, continued its strong growth trajectory. In April 2025, 7,116 units of the VIDA V2 electric scooter were dispatched, and VAHAN registrations reached 6,123 units, showcasing a significant year-on-year increase and VIDA's growing presence in the electric scooter market.

Suzuki Motorcycle India's April 2025 Sales: Registers YoY Growth

In contrast to Hero, Suzuki Motorcycle India reported positive year-on-year growth for April 2025, having recently updated its lineup to comply with the BS6 P2 OBD2B emission standards. This included popular scooters like the Suzuki Access (its best-selling model) and the Suzuki Burgman Street (a comfortable and stylish maxi-scooter), along with motorcycles such as the Gixxer and V-Strom series.

Key Highlights for Suzuki:

• Total Sales: 1,12,948 units
• YoY Growth: 13.66% (compared to 99,377 units in April 2024)
• MoM Decline: 10.31% (compared to 1,25,930 units in March 2025)

Domestic Market Performance:

Suzuki sold 95,214 units in the domestic market, representing 84.3% of its total sales. This reflects an 8.12% YoY growth compared to the 88,067 units sold in April 2024. However, there was a 9.95% MoM decline from the 1,05,736 units sold in March 2025.

Export Performance:

Exports accounted for approximately 15.7% of Suzuki's total sales, with 17,734 units shipped. This signifies a strong 56.8% YoY growth compared to the 11,310 units exported in April 2024. However, similar to the domestic market, exports also experienced a 12.18% MoM decline from the 20,194 units shipped in March 2025.

Conclusion: Two Different Paths in April 2025

The April 2025 sales figures highlight contrasting paths for Hero MotoCorp and Suzuki Motorcycle India. Hero's significant decline was largely attributed to a planned production shutdown, while underlying retail demand and the growth of its EV segment offer a positive outlook for the future. Suzuki, on the other hand, demonstrated robust year-on-year growth in both domestic and export markets, even though it experienced a month-on-month dip. These figures underscore the dynamic nature of the Indian two-wheeler market, where strategic decisions and product updates can significantly impact sales performance.