September 2026 Auto Sales Show Flat Growth as Maruti Leads and Kia Surges

UPDATE - follow-up to September 2026 car sales: 4 out of top 5 carmakers record MoM decline: India's passenger vehicle wholesale numbers stayed near 4 lakh units in September 2026, with Maruti Suzuki holding the top spot while Kia and Renault recorded rare month-on-month growth. Tata Motors took second place by beating Mahindra by a margin of just 227 units.

Manufacturer Breakdown

Maruti Suzuki led the market with 1,68,744 units, which is up over 27 percent from the year before but down 4.7 percent from August. Tata Motors sold 56,972 units, falling 12.7 percent from August, and Mahindra followed closely with 56,745 units. Hyundai recorded 49,998 units, while Kia sold 32,017 units, marking a 10.2 percent jump from August and 41 percent year-on-year. Toyota clocked 27,652 units, JSW MG Motor registered 5,226 units, Renault sold 3,399 units with a 19.6 percent monthly rise, and Nissan reached 2,960 units.

New Launches and Safety

Car makers rolled out several new updates and models during the month. Maruti launched the Baleno facelift and CNG AMT versions of the Swift, Baleno, and Dzire. Tata introduced the Aeris and the Sierra Dark and Sierra Legend Series, while expanding its battery rental scheme to electric models. Mahindra launched the updated Thar OG and added new variants to the XUV 3XO range, while its XUV 7XO earned a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating with 30.76 out of 32 points for adults and 44.97 out of 49 points for children. Kia brought out CNG variants for the Carens and Carens Clavis alongside new automatic options, and Toyota announced plans to launch an updated Glanza in October.

Context

Monthly auto wholesale numbers serve as a key economic indicator for consumer demand in India. Automakers often time new model launches and variant additions to capture buyer interest ahead of the festival season.