“I began to be part of Hyundai Motor India just when I was becoming an actor in Mumbai. At that time I don’t think there was anything like an ambassadorship or modelling for a car. To be a brand ambassador of Santro at that time was a moment of bigness for me, a great honour as Hyundai was well known in the world. In India the foreign car companies were just coming in so when I was asked to be the ambassador it was very confidence invoking.

I was also a little worried not knowing how it was going to pan out; this was in 1997. An international brand was coming to India with me. I was thinking whether I was good enough to be its ambassador. One never expected that even after 23 years we will be working together. It has been a good journey so far.

Handling Relationships

I listen to her (wife). To be honest, I have had many long associations in branding. I have been very clear that when a brand signs me on, it should be something that would go long-term. It can be long-term only if the brand is doing well. Being a brand ambassador might be fashionable and very cool but I think a brand ambassador cannot help if the product is not good. I speak from experience. I started branding and advertising as far as cinema is concerned for two products. I think I must have been the first person to do it in India on such a large scale.

Unless Hyundai is doing well I have no voice. I have been with them for 23 years because they have been able to do something good with their cars. When people say, “I’ve signed a new brand and am moving on,” I think you don’t move on unless your brand or product is not good enough. I have had discussions with a lot of people who want to bring in fresh blood but your product has to be good. Fresh blood in a brand ambassador can never do anything for a product that’s not doing well; that’s my belief. Unless you bring in something new these shifting and signing of brands is no big deal.

Cars Are Different

I remember when Y S Kim handed me the keys to the car I felt it was very technical. We used to talk about 1.6 litre engines, BHP etc, it was very different. Normally, most of the brands at that time were more lifestyle and fun so when a car came along; I think we did 5 films over 5 days for a long stretch. Everybody was going in for advertising; it was very different. Kim was very sweet. He would give me the keys and land up wherever I went. By the last ad he gave me the keys before going back to Korea saying, “Now you handle it.” Apart from that part the rest of it was very tough. To be honest I didn’t know where it was going.

From Santro To Creta

I tell everybody that I’m a Santro walla. Since I’m now the corporate brand ambassador I talk about Creta also but for me the all-time favourite is Santro; 3-4 years ago I requested the whole office to give me one. The reason for this is because I love the name. I think certain things have a great name and Santro just had one; it had a ring to it. The advertising with ‘Santrowale and Santrowala’ was very nice. Two years ago they made a special one for me

I’ll be honest in saying that I’m not a very big car person. For me cars have always meant more of transportation. Other than an extension of fashion, manhood or macho I have never been a big car fiend. Actually I have about 700 cars (miniature models) like this one in my house. I like these much better. For me it’s never been that I should get one if my friends have it. It’s a misnomer that I have a lot of luxury cars. I just use one car, which I believe should get you from one place to the other.

Liking Hyundai Cars

The finish is very nice and the cars have very clean lines; the inside is also very clean. Creta is robust and straightforward. It doesn’t have too many entanglements, looks basic and uncomplicated but at the same time sporty enough. It looks like an SUV with a minimal look without any clutter. Hyundai is quite minimalistic; the simplicity is a plus point.

I love driving. All the stunts in the films I have done myself with Hyundai cars. Now I don’t drive that much but at night I have to take my kids out for a drive. Of course I love that but there is too much traffic today, even at night. I have come here to Delhi a year and a half ago; wanted to show the kids my old house. I like the manual cars more.

Mobility As A Service

I was told that they are going into sharing and leasing. What I notice is that there was a time when people thought that learning how to drive was essential and necessary but today you don’t really need to learn to drive a car anymore, as sad as it may sound, especially to those who love driving. So how do you get around? I think you are going to utilize these services and it is fantastic for the car manufacturer to start doing this because essentially this business goes back to the people who are making the product. They are in the business of mobility so that is very good. The concept is not just to sell the car anymore but to highlight functionalities of safety, security, cleanliness, etc. It’s also as essential as selling the product. So I find my role getting more into that. As and when new things come in, like the new model Aura, my role would go more towards that. We would have to talk more on all the innovations than just the cars.” (MT)

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Honda Cars India (HCIL), a leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, has reported its wholesales for April 2026.

In April 2026, the Japanese automaker sold a total of 4,938 vehicles, a flat growth, as against 4,871 units sold last year.

Interestingly, domestic sales grew by 21 percent at 4,069 units, as against 3,360 units last year. On the other hand, the exports saw a decline of 42 percent at 869 units, as against 1,511 units a year ago.

Kunal Behl, Vice-President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India, said, “The new fiscal year has begun on a positive note for us, with good sales momentum for Amaze, City and Elevate. Honda Cars India has recorded a 21 percent growth in domestic sales for April 2026. We remain confident of sustaining this growth trajectory in the coming months.”

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Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has kicked off the new fiscal year with a historic performance, reporting its highest-ever monthly sales in April 2026.

The company dispatched a staggering 239,646 units, bolstered by a significant resurgence in the small car segment and a relentless push in the SUV space.

During a post-sales conference, Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India and Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India highlighted a shifting landscape where traditional entry-level models are finding new life alongside the company’s aggressive EV and SUV expansion.

In a notable shift from recent industry trends, Maruti’s Mini segment (including Alto, Celerio, S-Presso and WagonR) witnessed a massive 253.7 percent growth. The overall small car category grew by 74.4 percent YoY, a surge management attributed to ‘unlocking’ production capacity that was previously constrained.

"As we had capacity to increase production, the sales of the mini segment have grown, especially from people upgrading from two-wheelers to passenger vehicles," noted Banerjee.

Simultaneously, the SUV portfolio reached an all-time high of 55,062 units. The newly launched Victoris has become a standout performer, clocking 13,700 sales last month and becoming the fastest model to hit the 50,000-unit milestone in India.

Maruti Suzuki India confirmed that SUVs now account for 30 percent of its total portfolio, and the company is closing in on the ‘pole position’ in the segment. Interestingly, the automaker’s other portfolio continues to grow as well.

CNG, EV Momentum and defying global headwinds

Sustainability and fuel efficiency continue to drive volumes. April saw the highest monthly CNG sales at 76,348 units. Remarkably, 4 out of every 10 cars sold by Maruti were now CNG-powered.

On the other hand, Maruti Suzuki India’s first electric SUV, the e-Vitara, saw 2,006 units domestic sales in April. Banerjee revealed that 85 percent of demand is skewed toward the higher 61kW variant. Full-scale production capacity is expected to be reached by the June-July window.

Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia and uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz, Maruti’s exports grew by 43.3 percent to 40,054 units.

Bharti emphasised a de-risking strategy, stating that leadership is about ‘growing exports with or without the war.’

The Jimny emerged as the star of the export stable, with 6,938 units shipped, primarily to Japan, making it the company’s highest-exported model for the month.

Focus on unlocking capacities

Going forward, Maruti Suzuki India remains upbeat on the remainder of the year, with on-ground stock remaining lean at 16-17 days as of May 1st.

At present, the focus is on unlocking and streamlining capacities with a massive pending booking list of 165,000 units, with the Ertiga remaining a key focus for ‘debottlenecking.’

Rural markets now contribute 52.3 percent of total sales, growing at 39 percent as Maruti penetrates deeper into the hinterlands.

Addressing the future of the Ignis, management hinted at a strategic refresh. While current production has ceased, the brand is expected to return in a ‘different avatar’ to meet evolving customer needs.

Overall, Banerjee expects the total industry volume (TIV) for April to land between 445,000 units and 450,000 units, a significant jump from 350,000 units last year. While rising fuel prices remain a potential threat to small car growth, the management remains bullish, citing ‘Triple Tailwinds’ – GST 2.0, income tax relief and reduced repo rates – as the primary drivers for a strong FY2027.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has announced its wholesales of 32,086 units for April 2026. This marks a 17 percent YoY growth, as compared to the 27,329 units sold in April 2025.

Interestingly, the company’s domestic volumes grew by 21 percent to 30,159 units, as against 24,833 units a year ago. On the other hand, exports declined by 23 percent to 1,927 units, as against 2,496 units for the same period last year.

Between January and April 2026, Toyota Kirloskar Motor has sold a total of 137,194 units, representing a 19 percent growth over the same period in 2025.

A significant achievement for the month was the Innova HyCross, which reached 200,000 cumulative sales milestone. The company noted that this reflects the increasing market acceptance of its hybrid vehicle offerings.

Sabari Manohar, Executive Vice-President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, stated, “Our sales performance in April 2026 reflects steady and sustained progress, driven by a strong focus on customer centricity, product excellence and disciplined execution across markets. A key highlight during the month was the Innova HyCross achieving the 2‑lakh cumulative sales milestone, reinforcing the positive and growing market acceptance of our hybrid offerings. Despite evolving industry conditions, we continue to see good performance due to the consistent efforts to align technological innovations with customer expectations. We remain confident that this momentum, supported by our expanding product portfolio and a robust dealer network will sustain our progress in the months ahead.”

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French automotive major Renault India has reported its domestic wholesales of 5,413 units in April 2026, which marks a 108 percent YoY growth, as compared to 2,602 units sold in April 2025.

The OEM said it has sustained double-digit growth following the launch of the new-generation Triber and Kiger in September 2025. Other key factors contributing to the April results include a strong response to the recently launched Renault Duster.

To support increasing demand, Renault India is growing its retail and service footprint, which includes the recently opened new "R store" and a workshop in Ranchi. With this, Renault India has expanded its sales and service touchpoints to 638 touchpoints across the country.

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