India's car sales cross 5 lakh units for first time in October

A record October

India's passenger vehicle makers dispatched 5,24,226 units to dealers in October 2026, up 12.3 percent from 4,66,814 units a year earlier and the first time the industry has crossed the 5 lakh mark in a single month, according to Autopunditz, which compiles manufacturer wholesale data. The festive season, which saw Dhanteras and Diwali bunched close together this year, pulled dispatches forward as dealers restocked for showroom footfall.

Maruti Suzuki alone dispatched 2,12,384 passenger vehicles, up 20.5 percent from 1,76,318 units in October 2025, its highest ever monthly number. Autocar Professional reported that Maruti's total sales, including exports and light commercial vehicles, reached 2,76,120 units for the month, up 25 percent, with nearly 87,000 of those CNG vehicles, close to 40 percent of its domestic sales. The company has said its CNG order backlog alone stands at 1.2 lakh units.

Winners and losers among makers

Tata Motors dispatched 73,894 units, its highest monthly tally ever and up 20.9 percent on 61,134 units in October 2025, enough to hold on to second place in the ranking. Mahindra was close behind with 73,338 SUV dispatches, also its best month on record, though growth there was a slower 2.4 percent over 71,624 units a year ago. Hyundai grew 16.7 percent to 62,799 units and Kia grew 13.2 percent to a record 33,462 units, Autopunditz reported.

Not every maker shared in the growth. Toyota Kirloskar Motor's domestic dispatches fell 26.7 percent to 29,521 units from 40,257 units in October 2025, and Honda Cars India fell 15.1 percent to 5,429 units, according to Autocar India's roundup of the month. Skoda and Volkswagen India's combined dispatches rose 10.1 percent to 9,083 units.

Electric cars accelerate

Electric passenger vehicle registrations on the Vahan portal totalled 36,064 units in October 2026, up 76.7 percent from 20,411 units in October 2025, Autopunditz reported citing Vahan data pulled on November 3. Tata Motors remained the largest electric car seller with 14,669 units, a 40.7 percent share, growing 77.6 percent on 8,259 units a year earlier on the strength of the Nexon EV and Punch EV. Mahindra was second with 8,542 units and a 23.7 percent share, up 85.7 percent from 4,599 units, as the BE 6 and XEV 9e built on their launch momentum.

MG Motor held 16.5 percent share with 5,940 units and VinFast, still new to the market with the VF 6, took 7.1 percent with 2,571 units. Kia, Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and BYD each held under 4 percent of the segment, and Toyota's electric registrations rose from just 1 unit a year ago to 190 units in October 2026.

Together the numbers point to a market where overall wholesales are being driven by Maruti Suzuki's CNG and small car range alongside record months for Tata and Mahindra, while the much smaller electric car segment is growing fastest off a low base, with Tata and Mahindra between them accounting for 64.4 percent of every electric car sold.

Sources

• October 2026 car sales: Monthly wholesales cross 5 lakh for first time
• India Car Sales Hit Record 5.24 Lakh in October 2026
• Electric Car Sales October 2026: Registrations Surge 77% YoY to 36,064 Units
• Maruti Suzuki's CNG order backlog hits 1.2 lakh units, supply to improve from January