e-commerce
CarTrade.com raises Rs 185 crore
MUMBAI: Online auto classifieds platform CarTrade.com has raised Rs 185 crore to diversify and strengthen the portal’s offerings for consumers and dealers.
The infusion of capital was led by an affiliate of Warburg Pincus along with participation from existing investors Canaan Partners and Tiger Global.
Speaking about the fund raising, CarTrade.com founder and CEO Vinay Sanghi said, “We are extremely happy to have Warburg Pincus on board as a partner. The funds raised shall be employed to further expand our services to help us offer our consumers and dealers a seamless online experience.
“We also plan to focus significantly on the mobile space and provide products and services, which will be best in class and in many cases the first of its kind,” he added.
CarTrade offers a selection of over 100,000 listings, price information and certification for used cars. For new buyers, it offers reviews, on-road prices, car comparisons and latest auto news.
Warburg Pincus is focused on growth investing and has over $ 39 billion in assets under management spanning over 125 companies.
“We see tremendous potential in the Indian automobile market. CarTrade is one of the most innovative platforms in the online auto sector, and has shown strong growth momentum in the last couple of years. Warburg Pincus is excited about the opportunity to partner with a very talented team to further build on its position and to accelerate its growth plans,” commented Warburg Pincus India managing director Nitin Nayar.
CarTrade is promoted by former head of Mahindra First Choice Sanghi and Nirvana Venture Advisors ex-managing director and eBay India former country head Rajan Mehra.
e-commerce
Indian used car market matures with steady 6-10 per cent monthly sales in 2025
Cars24 report shows Baleno tops charts, Tier-2 cities drive 62 per cent demand and financing hits 52 per cent.
MUMBAI: Buckle up India, the used car market isn’t just cruising anymore; it’s shifting into a smooth, confident overdrive, proving that pre-loved wheels have officially become the nation’s smartest first choice. According to the latest Gears of Growth 2025 report by Cars24 and Team-BHP, every single month chipped in a rock-steady 6-10 per cent of annual volume in 2025. No wild festival spikes, no desperate year-end discounts just consistent, need-driven buying that screams market maturity.
Discovery has gone fully digital, with trust now riding shotgun on video. Pre-delivery inspections were googled by over 1.7 lakh Indians last year, while Youtube reviews turned casual scrollers into confident buyers. Even AI is steering decisions: search volumes for “buy” rocketed 7.2x, “new car” 8.1x, “sell” 2.3x and “challan” a whopping 9x year-on-year, with overall AI queries surging 6.7x.
The old NCR monopoly is history. Maharashtra now leads with 20.1 per cent share (up from 16.4 per cent), Karnataka jumped to 16 per cent (from 10 per cent), Gujarat surged to 13.1 per cent (from 8.7 per cent), Uttar Pradesh climbed to 12.5 per cent, Tamil Nadu to 11.7 per cent and Telangana to 10 per cent. Delhi’s slice shrank dramatically from 13.8 per cent to 5.8 per cent, and Haryana from 10.7 per cent to 5.6 per cent. The centre of gravity has clearly shifted: Tier-2 cities now command 62 per cent of sales versus 38 per cent in metros.
Hatchbacks still steal the show with 52 per cent share, SUVs revved up to 32 per cent (up sharply from previous years), while sedans eased to 16 per cent. Baleno became India’s undisputed used-car king at 15.5 per cent, followed by Grand i10 at 13.2 per cent and Kwid at 11.3 per cent. Nexon, Tiago, Elite i20, City, Swift, Amaze and Creta rounded out the top 10, with compact SUVs and feature-packed rides clearly winning hearts.
Buyers are spending more average selling price settled at Rs 5.47 lakh but not uniformly. Karnataka led at Rs 5.06 lakh thanks to newer models, Tamil Nadu at Rs 5.49 lakh, Maharashtra Rs 5.06 lakh, Gujarat Rs 5.05 lakh and Uttar Pradesh the most value-driven at Rs 4.90 lakh. Petrol ruled with 84.5 per cent share, diesel 9.46 per cent, petrol+CNG 5.96 per cent and EVs/hybrids a tiny 0.08 per cent. Manuals still dominate at 72 per cent, automatics at 28 per cent, with younger buyers, women and metro residents leaning more towards self-shifters.
Silver emerged as the nation’s favourite shade (over 30 per cent), teaming with white to claim 57 per cent of all cars. Financing is now the real hero, 52 per cent of buyers went the EMI route in 2025 (average Rs 11,400 monthly), up dramatically from 23 per cent in 2024, with non-metro markets hitting an impressive 58 per cent penetration. Digital lending handled the heavy lifting, especially for cars above Rs 7 lakh where financing crossed 60 per cent by early 2026.
From AI-powered confidence to feature-packed upgrades and EMI-friendly ownership, 2025 proved one thing loud and clear: India isn’t just buying used cars, it’s choosing smarter, bolder and far more exciting rides than ever before. The future of driving? It’s already on the road, and it’s looking remarkably well-certified.
