Hero MotoCorp Struggles in Scooter Market Despite Aggressive Launch Strategy
Competitors continued to gain ground in the same month. Bajaj Auto reported a 73.2 per cent increase in April scooter sales, TVS rose 23.5 per cent, and Suzuki climbed 9 per cent.
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Hero MotoCorp, one of India's top two-wheeler manufacturers, is grappling with a surprising downturn in scooter sales in FY25, even as the broader scooter segment recorded double-digit growth. According to data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), Hero's scooter sales dropped by 2.3 per cent, slipping from 4,00,453 units in FY24 to 3,91,419 in FY25.
This slump stands in stark contrast to the 17.4 per cent growth the overall scooter market experienced during the same period, with rival manufacturers making strong gains. Bajaj Auto saw its scooter volumes surge by 139.7 per cent to 2,77,183 units, while Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) posted a 12.4 per cent rise, reaching 2.84 million units. TVS Motor and Suzuki Motorcycle India also logged notable growth at 24.9 per cent and 14.8 per cent, respectively.
Hero's decline comes despite the company's aggressive strategy of launching several new scooter models. The Xoom 110 debuted in January 2023, followed by the Destini 125 Prime in August 2023 and the Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports in March 2024. In January 2025, Hero introduced three more models—the Destini 125, Xoom 125, and Xoom 160. But the expanded portfolio has not translated into lasting traction in the market.
While the new models briefly lifted Hero's scooter sales—showing 34.9 per cent growth in January 2025, 12.1 per cent in February, and 22.5 per cent in March—the momentum was short-lived. By April 2025, sales plummeted 43.3 per cent year-on-year, from 31,712 units to 17,978. Though the steep drop is partly due to a high base effect, the result remains starkly out of sync with the broader industry trend.
Competitors continued to gain ground in the same month. Bajaj Auto reported a 73.2 per cent increase in April scooter sales, TVS rose 23.5 per cent, and Suzuki climbed 9 per cent. Even Ather Energy, the electric scooter company in which Hero has invested, grew its volumes by 44 per cent, delivering 155,405 units.
With total scooter sales rising to 6.85 million in FY25, up from 5.84 million in FY24, and motorcycles growing at a slower pace of 5.1 per cent, the market signals a clear consumer pivot toward scooters.
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Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 9.3 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 4.6 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 6.0 sec Top Speed (C/D est): 125 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 176 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.82 g C/D FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 23 mpg 75-mph Highway Driving: 29 mpg 75-mph Highway Range: 400 mi EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 27/25/30 mpg C/D TESTING EXPLAINED Joe Lorio Deputy Editor, Reviews and Features Joe Lorio has been obsessed with cars since his Matchbox days, and he got his first subscription to Car and Driver at age 11. Joe started his career at Automobile Magazine under David E. Davis Jr., and his work has also appeared on websites including Amazon Autos, Autoblog, AutoTrader, Hagerty, Hemmings, KBB, and TrueCar.
