If you are planning to buy a new car, the timing of your booking could have a direct impact on both what you pay and also on how long you can use the vehicle, especially if you live in Delhi. With OEMs raising prices from January 2026, prospective buyers can expect to pay tens of thousands more on the ex-showroom price tag, depending on the exact hike.
Why are prices going up from January 2026?
Carmakers have been announcing price hikes across their portfolios, with the new prices set to kick in from January 1, 2026. The primary reason behind these hikes is sustained cost pressure caused by the Indian rupee’s sharp depreciation against major currencies such as the US dollar and the euro. The rupee hit its all-time low of 91.01 to the dollar in mid-December 2025 and declined by around 6 per cent over the year, making it the weakest-performing currency in Asia in 2025. This has raised the cost of imported components, raw materials and logistics, forcing manufacturers to pass on part of the burden to customers.
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Nissan Motor India is among the latest in this regard and will hike prices by up to 3 per cent from January 1, depending on the variant. For instance, the entry-level Nissan Magnite in its VISIA variant equipped with the manual gearbox, currently priced at ₹5,61,643 (ex-showroom), would see its price rise by nearly ₹17,000 if the maximum hike is applied. At the other end of the range, the Magnite Turbo CVT TEKNA+ could become approximately ₹32,000 more expensive. Similar price announcements have already come from JSW MG Motor India and Mercedes-Benz India, and more OEMs are expected to follow.
Should you book before January 1?
If your preferred car is already available and you are not waiting for a facelift or an all-new model, booking before the end of December makes financial sense. Most manufacturers allow customers who book before the price revision to take delivery at the old ex-showroom price, even if the car is delivered slightly later, subject to stock availability and dealer terms. In simple terms, booking before January 1 enables you to lock in today’s price and avoid the hike.
{{/usCountry}}If your preferred car is already available and you are not waiting for a facelift or an all-new model, booking before the end of December makes financial sense. Most manufacturers allow customers who book before the price revision to take delivery at the old ex-showroom price, even if the car is delivered slightly later, subject to stock availability and dealer terms. In simple terms, booking before January 1 enables you to lock in today’s price and avoid the hike.
{{/usCountry}}However, Delhiites might find the registration angle particularly important. Cars registered in 2025 will officially age out a year earlier than those registered in 2026. In Delhi, petrol cars are allowed to run for up to 15 years from the date of registration before being barred from plying on public roads. Booking now and registering the car in 2025 means your vehicle’s end-of-life date will arrive sooner than a 2026-registered car. For some buyers, especially those who keep cars for long periods, this is a factor worth considering.
(Also read: Mercedes-Benz India Considers Quarterly Price Hikes in 2026)
The bottom line
If avoiding a price hike of tens of thousands of rupees matters more than the registration year, booking before January 2026 is the safer choice. However, if you intend to maximise the usable life of your car under Delhi’s vehicle age rules, waiting and registering in 2026 could make sense, provided you are comfortable paying the higher price. As with most purchase decisions, it will ultimately come down to a choice between upfront savings and long-term ownership considerations.