NEW DELHI, November 3: India’s biggest carmakers reported record sales for October as festive-season demand lifted showroom traffic. Maruti Suzuki sold 2,76,120 vehicles in total — its highest-ever monthly figure — including record domestic sales of 2,16,789 units and exports of 49,872, the company said. Mahindra, Hyundai and Kia also reported their best-ever domestic months, and Tata Motors’ passenger-vehicle sales rose 21% with electric vehicles up 75%.
Key highlights
- Maruti Suzuki: total sales of 2,76,120 units in October, the highest in its history; domestic sales 2,16,789; exports 49,872.
- Mahindra: record domestic SUV sales of 73,338 and record total sales of 1,31,109 vehicles.
- Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles: domestic sales of 73,894 (+21%); EV sales of 16,244 (+75%).
- Hyundai Motor India: record domestic sales of 62,799 (+16.7%).
- Kia India: 33,462 units (+13.2%), its highest monthly domestic wholesales.
October 2026 at a glance
| Company | October 2026 | Change on a year earlier | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maruti Suzuki (total) | 2,76,120 | — | Highest-ever monthly sales |
| Maruti Suzuki (domestic) | 2,16,789 | about +20% | All-time high |
| Maruti Suzuki (exports) | 49,872 | about +59% | From 31,304 |
| Mahindra (domestic SUVs) | 73,338 | +2.4% | From 71,624 |
| Mahindra (total vehicles) | 1,31,109 | +9.1% | From 1,20,142 |
| Tata Motors PV (domestic) | 73,894 | +21% | EVs 16,244 (+75%) |
| Hyundai (domestic) | 62,799 | +16.7% | Record month |
| Kia (domestic wholesales) | 33,462 | +13.2% | From 29,556 |
Maruti’s growth was led by utility vehicles, which rose about 26% to 97,787 units, while its passenger cars rose about 18% to 1,00,877. Mahindra’s automotive president Velusamy R called October “a landmark month”, pointing to the festive season and a refreshed line-up, and Hyundai attributed its record to festive demand and healthy domestic momentum.
Our calculation
- Exports matter more for Maruti: 49,872 exported cars were about 18% of its October sales.
- Mahindra’s growth came beyond SUVs: domestic SUVs rose 2.4%, but total vehicles rose 9.1%, meaning commercial vehicles and exports contributed more of the gain.
- EVs gaining share at Tata: 16,244 EVs against 73,894 domestic passenger vehicles is a ratio of about 22%, although the EV figure includes exports.
What it means
October’s numbers show strong festive demand and a continued shift towards SUVs. But these are wholesale dispatches from factories to dealers, not retail sales to customers. Dealers stock up before festivals, so the true test will be retail registrations in October and November and whether inventories stay at comfortable levels after the festive season ends.
What to watch
- Retail registration data for October and November on the government’s Vahan portal.
- Dealer inventory levels after the festive season.
- Export momentum at Maruti and Hyundai, and EV sales across carmakers.
File photo: the 2026 Maruti Suzuki Brezza facelift. Image: Blthippeswamy, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Photo source · Licence
Sources
- Maruti Suzuki India: Maruti Suzuki sales in October 2026 (November 1, 2026)
- Mahindra: Press releases (October 2026 sales)
- Mahindra: October 2025 sales release (base figures)
The Business Desk covers markets, the economy, companies and personal finance. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
