Isuzu Production Milestone

Isuzu Motors India, a subsidiary of Isuzu Motors Japan, has rolled out its 100,000 vehicle - the D-Max V-Cross - from the Sri City facility in Andhra Pradesh.

The company had started its operations in 2016 in Sri City and in 2020 opened its Press Shop facility and engine assembly plant under Phase-II. It currently sells the Pick-up vehicles such as - D-Max V-Cross, Hi-Lander, mu-X in the personal vehicle space and variants of Isuzu D-Max pick-ups – S-Cab and Regular Cab in the commercial segment space in India. Till date, more than 14,00,000 pressed parts have been rolled out from the facility.

The event saw the presence of Dr N Yuvaraj, Secretary to Government, Industries Commerce & Food Processing Department, Andhra Pradesh as the Chief Guest, along with guests of honour Dr Ravindra Sannareddy, Founder & MD, Sri City along with Makoto Sado, Chairman, Sri City Japanese Company Group.

Rajesh Mittal, President & MD, Isuzu Motor India, said, “At Isuzu Motors India, we take immense pride in our journey here in India. Over the years, the company has achieved significant milestones in both production and exports. One key highlight is that, around 22 percent of our production line workforce comprises talented women. This showcases our commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion. Additionally, 100 percent of our production workforce are diploma engineers and they make world-class vehicles adhering to the same global standards of Isuzu’s manufacturing and operational excellence. This has enabled us to become the leading exporter of commercial vehicles from India. As we continue to grow, we remain committed to provide products and services of the highest level of quality in India and in the overseas market."

Toru Kishimoto, Deputy MD, Isuzu Motors India, said, “Achieving this milestone is a testament to the trust our customers place in delivering vehicles of reliable and versatile products of the highest quality that are made for India. This is a proud moment for us and it reflects our unwavering commitment to India, a market of immense potential and strategic importance to Isuzu. We remain focused on delivering value-driven, reliable, and innovative mobility solutions to the delight of our customers.”

Toyota Innova HyCross - BNCAP

Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s popular offering the Innova HyCross has become a more attractive offering with the recent 5-star safety rating achievement for both adult and child occupant protection under the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP). Since its launch in November 2022, the Innova HyCross has quickly become a segment leader, with over 135,000 units sold in India.

The certificate was formally presented in New Delhi by the Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari to Vikram Gulati, Country Head & EVP, Corporate Affairs & Governance and Sudeep Dalvi, CCO, SVP & Head State Affairs, Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

The Innova HyCross is built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, which is said to be engineered for robust crash safety and structural rigidity. It integrates the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) suite, an advanced driver assistance system that includes features like a Pre-Collision System, Lane Trace Assist and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

Further enhancing its safety credentials, the Innova HyCross is equipped with six airbags across all grades, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and ISOFIX child seat mounts.

 Varinder Wadhwa, Vice-President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “At Toyota Kirloskar Motor, safety is the fundamental pillar of our product development, manufacturing process, and also our customer-first approach. The Innova HyCross embodies this commitment, delivering a mobility experience where ownership experience is just as important as performance and comfort. The 5-star Bharat NCAP rating for the Innova HyCross is a recognition of this philosophy as it assures our customers that they are not only investing in advanced and sustainable mobility but also one of the safest vehicles. With a safety mindset, we will continue to raise the bar in making advanced safety accessible, thus strengthening trust in the Toyota brand as a pioneer in safe and reliable mobility.”

Lotus Technology To Take Full Control Of Lotus UK

Lotus Technology

Geely-owned British-luxury brand Lotus Technology, a leading provider of intelligent and luxury mobility, is set to acquire the remaining 49 percent stake in Lotus Advance Technologies (Lotus UK) from Etika Automotive. This follows a similar move by Geely International (Hong Kong), which exercised its put option earlier.

With this, Lotus Technology will acquire 100 percent of Lotus UK through non-cash transactions based on pre-agreed valuations. This strategic acquisition, expected to be completed by the end-2025 pending regulatory approvals, will allow Lotus Technology to fully integrate all businesses and operations under the Lotus brand and consolidate Lotus UK's financial results.

Lotus UK is responsible for the manufacturing of Lotus's sportscars and hypercars and also houses Lotus Engineering, a consultancy providing services to various original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 suppliers worldwide.

The put options granted to Geely HK and Etika were part of a previous business combination agreement. These options became exercisable after Lotus UK and its subsidiaries exceeded 5,000 vehicle sales in 2024. The acquisition will involve Lotus Technology issuing new shares, valued at USD 10 per share, in exchange for the Lotus UK shares.

Maruti Suzuki India Experiences Decline in Domestic Sales for June and Q1 FY2026

Maruti Suzuki India

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has reported its wholesales for June 2025 and Q1 FY2026.

The company sold 118,906 passenger vehicles in the domestic market in June 2025, 8,812 units in sales to other OEMs and 37,842 units in exports. This translates to a decline of 13 percent, 12 percent and growth of 22 percent YoY, respectively.

For Q1 FY2026, the company’s domestic volumes contracted by 6 percent at 393,572 units in the domestic market, as compared to 419,114 units last year. Sales to other OEMs, grew by 19 percent at 28,807 units, as against 24,248 units sold a year ago. The company grew its exports by a robust 37 percent at 96,972 units, as against 70,560 units shipped last year. Overall, the company reported flat growth at 527,861 units across categories and segments. 

Interestingly, the company witnessed a decline across segments, including SUVs.

MARUTI SUZUKI INDIA
  June '25 June '24 Change (in %) Q1 '26 Q1 '25 Change (in %)
Domestic PVs 118,906 137,160 -13% 393,572 419,114 -6%
LCV Sales 2,433 2,758 -12% 8,510 7,946 7%
Exports 37,842 31,033 22% 96,972 70,560 37%
Sales to other OEMs 8,812 8,277 6% 28,807 24,248 19%
Sub-Total 159,181 170,951 -7% 527,861 521,868 1%

Hyundai India June Sales In Red, Q1 Sales Down 6%

Hyundai India

Hyundai Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers in the country, has announced its wholesales for June 2025 and Q1 FY2026.

The company sold 44,024 units in the domestic market last month, which was 12 percent lower YoY, while exports grew by 15 percent at 16,900 units.

On the other hand, the company’s Q1 FY2026 sales came at 180,399 units, which was 6 percent lower, as compared to 192,055 units for the same period last year. Despite 13 percent growth in exports in the first quarter, the domestic volumes were down 12 percent, thus dragging the overall growth momentum.

Tarun Garg, Whole-time Director and Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor India, said, “Underscoring the global appeal of Hyundai vehicles, we recorded a 13% year-on-year growth in export volumes for Q1 FY2026, with 48,140 units shipped compared to 42,600 units in the same period last year. This has elevated the share of exports to 26.7 percent of total sales in Q1 FY2026, up from 22.2 percent in Q1 FY2025. In the domestic market, the geopolitical situation continued to affect the market sentiment with domestic sales registering 44,024 units in June 2025. As we come closer to the beginning of production at the Talegaon plant, we remain cautiously optimistic about a gradual recovery of demand, supported by reduction in repo rates and improving liquidity on account of cut in CRR. We are closely watching the global geopolitical scenario and are committed to delivering value and innovation to our customers across both domestic and export markets.”

HYUNDAI MOTOR INDIA
  June '25 June '24 Change (in %) Q1 '26 Q1 '25 Change (in %)
Domestic 44,024 50,103 -12% 132,259 149,455 -12%
Exports 16,900 14,700 15% 48,140 42,600 13%
Sub-Total 60,924 64,803 -6% 180,399 192,055 -6%