Domestic passenger vehicle sales declined 6.2 per cent in January, falling for the fifteenth consecutive month, stressed by rising cost of ownership and slower GDP growth, automobile industry body Siam said on Monday.

The demand could be further hit with the industry shifting to stricter emission norms from April, which will push the prices of vehicles by 8-10 per cent.

According to data shared by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), total passenger vehicles sales during January declined 6 per cent to 2,62,714 units compared with 2,80,091 units in the same month last year.

“Sales of vehicles continue to be stressed due to rising cost of vehicle ownership and slower growth in GDP,” Siam president Rajan Wadhera said.

Vehicle prices have gone up as manufacturers gear up for the transition to stricter emission norms under BS-VI beginning April 1. Besides, many companies had increased prices in January, citing rising input costs.

Wadhera said, “We are hopeful that the recent announcements by the government on infrastructure and rural economy would support growth of vehicle sales going forward, especially in the commercial vehicle and two-wheeler segments.”

Sales of commercial vehicles were down 14.04 per cent to 75,289 units in January against 87,591 units in the year-ago month. Two-wheeler sales in January fell 16.06 per cent to 13,41,005 units from 15,97,528 units in the same month last year.

In the passenger vehicle segment, sales of Maruti Suzuki India rose 0.29 per cent to 1,39,844 units, while Hyundai’s sales fell 8.3 per cent to 42,002 units.