Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, is seeing retail sales growth along with robust export performance.

The company is seeing rising traction across its product portfolio, including demand for hatchbacks, SUVs and CNG models, even as it operates at nearly full capacity across plants.

For February, the company clocked total sales of 214,000 units, marking its highest-ever monthly performance across domestic and export markets. Overall wholesales for the month stood at an all-time high of 264,000 units, the highest in the company’s 40-year history. Retail sales touched 150,000 lakh units, up 12 percent YoY, with channel inventory maintained at a lean 12 days, including seven days of transit stock.

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer – Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said “We are currently operating at close to 100 percent capacity, with a new production line commissioned in April and scaling up from May. “Despite the capacity constrain, we have delivered an all-time high retail performance and are seeing robust bookings of 190,000 units, growing at around 20 percent,” he noted.

SUV Surge Lifts Market Share

A key growth driver has been the company’s sharper focus on higher-value vehicles, particularly in the mid-SUV segment. Maruti Suzuki has doubled its monthly SUV volumes from an average of 10,000 units in FY2024-25 to around 20,000 units currently. Its market share in the SUV segment has expanded from 12.8 percent to 19 percent.

Industry passenger vehicle wholesales stood at 381,665 units in February, with expectations of 420,000–450,000 units in the coming months. While the broader industry is projected to grow 11–12 percent, Maruti Suzuki’s retail growth of 12 percent has enabled it to gain share, reaching 40.06 percent on the Vahan portal. The company said it has gained market share following the recent GST revision, despite production constraints.

To reduce waiting periods and balance demand across models, the company is calibrating production. Waiting periods for SUVs have increased by two to three days, while the WagonR continues to see over a month’s wait. Capacity additions at the Kharkhoda plant are expected to gradually add 100,000–120,000 units annually, supporting production of two to three models and easing pressure across segments.

CNG Momentum Continues

CNG models remain a strong pillar of growth. CNG penetration stood at nearly 44 percent in February and close to 40 percent for FY2026 (up to February). The company has sold 670,000 CNG vehicles so far this fiscal, reflecting 18.2 percent growth.

Banerjee highlighted the success of the S-CNG portfolio, including the Victoris under-body CNG kit, as a key contributor to this expansion.

Exports Hit Target Early

On the exports front, the company dispatched over 39,000 units in February, up 56.5 percent YoY. For FY2026 (April 2025 to February 2026) exports have crossed 400,000 units, marking 33.7 percent growth and enabling the company to achieve its full-year export target ahead of schedule.

Rahul Bharti, Executive Director – Corporate Affairs, noted that while the overall passenger vehicle industry’s exports grew around 7 percent till January, Maruti Suzuki’s exports expanded by over 30 percent, rising above 33 percent in February. The company now exports to over 100 countries.

The eVitara has emerged as a strong export performer, crossing 21,000 units across more than 39 countries, including the UK, Denmark and Germany. The company said it is dispatching one eVitara to every Nexa outlet and increasing test-drive vehicles to meet rising customer enquiries, which are running at nearly 2,000 per day.

Addressing concerns around geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, Bharti said the company’s export exposure to the region stands at around 12.5 percent in FY2026. “Our export portfolio is well diversified. We are not just increasing exports, but doing so in a broad-based manner to de-risk ourselves. We continue to monitor the situation,” he said.

For FY2026, Maruti Suzuki India remains on track to achieve total sales of 2.2 million units, including domestic sales, exports and supplies to other OEMs. Additional capacity enhancement at its Gujarat facility from July will support electric vehicle production, while the ramp-up at Kharkhoda is expected to ease supply constraints across the portfolio.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers in the country, has introduced the 2026 Fortuner Leader Edition in India, featuring exterior styling revisions and interior equipment updates.

Bookings for the model open on 12 October 2026 across company dealerships, with ex-showroom prices set at INR 3.65 million for the 4x2 Manual Transmission variant and INR 3.87 million for the 4x2 Automatic Transmission variant.

On the outside, the Leader Edition include the new redesigned front grille design, black rear door garnish, gloss black alloy wheels with matching hub caps, body side mouldings, a hood emblem and a black-finished roof and antenna.

In the cabin, the model features dual-tone black and maroon seat upholstery, matching door trims, ambient lighting and illuminated scuff plates. Additional functional additions comprise auto-folding outside rear-view mirrors and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Sabari Manohar, Executive Vice-President of Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, "The Fortuner has always represented confidence, capability and a spirit of achievement. With the new Leader Edition of the Fortuner, we are further defining this legacy through exterior enhancements and convenience features that reflect the aspirations of today’s customers. As we continue to align with changing trends, it is our endeavour to continuously evolve the Fortuner experience while staying true to the inherent qualities that have made them iconic. We are confident that the Leader Edition will further strengthen our commitment to delivering ever-better cars and creating Mass Happiness for All."

The model will be offered in three exterior colour options: Super White, Platinum White Pearl and Attitude Black. Toyota offers ownership packages with the vehicle, including a standard three-year or 100,000 km warranty extendable to five years or 220,000 km, 5-years of complimentary roadside assistance, and financing options up to seven years.

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Kia India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has expanded its Assured Buyback Programme to cover internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid and electric vehicle models.

The programme provides customers with predetermined residual values at the time of purchase to simplify vehicle trade-in and upgrade procedures.

Under the updated terms, eligible internal combustion engine vehicles carry an assured residual value of up to 75 percent after three years, while electric vehicle models offer up to 70 percent over the same timeframe.

The scheme encompasses Kia's product range, including the Sonet, Syros, new Seltos, Carens, Carens Clavis and Sorento across petrol, diesel, CNG, hybrid and electric powertrains.

Atul Sood, Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Kia India, said, "A vehicle purchase is a long-term decision, and customers increasingly seek greater certainty around future value and upgrade convenience. By expanding our Assured Buyback Programme with industry best resale value of upto 75 percent on ICE and upto 70 percent for EV in 3 years, we are enabling eligible customers to understand their vehicle’s assured residual value at the outset and plan their ownership journey with greater confidence. The initiative reflects our commitment to building enduring customer relationships and delivering consistent value from the first purchase through to the next exchange or upgrade."

The programme offers tenure options of three, four, or five years for ICE models and three or four years for electric vehicles. Annual mileage limits can be set at 10,000 km, 15,000 km or 20,000 km, supporting total usage caps of up to 100,000 km across the contract period. Enrolment is managed through authorised Kia dealerships at the point of vehicle purchase, with guaranteed buyback values executed at the end of the selected tenure subject to contract terms.

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Renault India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has announced that its soon-to-be-launched Renault Duster strong hybrid E-Tech 160 has attained an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency rating of 29 kilometres per litre.

The company has started bookings for the model on 9 October 2026 across its dealership network and website for a booking amount of INR 21,000.

The SUV is powered by a strong-hybrid system combining a 1.8-litre petrol engine, two electric motors and a 1.4 kWh battery, producing a combined output of 160 PS. The system utilises a multi-mode automatic transmission to switch between combustion power, electric drive and energy recovery modes during deceleration. The onboard battery recharges through regenerative braking and engine operation without external charging infrastructure.

Francisco Hidalgo, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Renault Group India, said, "Bringing Renault’s proven E-Tech strong-hybrid technology from Europe to India is a significant moment for us. Indian SUV customers should not have to choose between performance and fuel efficiency. With a combined output of 160 PS and an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of 29 km/litre, the Duster strong hybrid E-Tech 160 brings both together in a versatile SUV, without requiring external charging. For customers considering alternatives to diesel, it offers a compelling new choice for everyday driving. We are pleased to open bookings ahead of its official market debut."

The Duster strong hybrid E-Tech 160 marks the introduction of Renault's E-Tech powertrain technology in India under the company's regional product roadmap. The OEM will conduct the full product reveal and market launch on 17 October 2026.

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Jaguar has unveiled the Type 01, a four-door electric grand tourer, during a premiere event in New York. The model marks the start of the manufacturer's product architecture overhaul, with customer orders scheduled to open in early 2027 and initial deliveries expected in the second half of that year.

Designed, engineered and built in the United Kingdom, the Type 01 features a low roofline, long bonnet silhouette and aerodynamically focused body panels. Built on the bespoke Jaguar Electric Architecture, the 850-volt system produces over 1,000 PS of power. The electric vehicle provides an estimated 400-mile range under EPA testing standards, with 350kW rapid-charging capabilities adding 200 miles of range in 13 minutes.

During the event, Jaguar named actor Florence Pugh as the brand ambassador for its new product phase. The unveiling at STORIED in West Chelsea included displays detailing the vehicle's production engineering, structural panel development and testing protocols.

Rawdon Glover, Managing Director, Jaguar, said, "From its dramatic design to its captivating drive, Type 01 distils the essence of Jaguar into a luxury grand tourer for a new era. Type 01 is the foundation of this British brand, one that makes no compromise between design and engineering in our quest to create objects of desire, just as it was in the days of the E-type and XJS."

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