There is a growing interest among people in India toward purchasing vehicles. A significant record has been set in the car and SUV market; for the first time in the country, wholesale sales of passenger vehicles have crossed the 5 lakh-unit mark in a single month. It is estimated that the figure for October 2026 reached approximately 5.25 to 5.30 lakh units. In October of the previous year, this number stood at around 4.6 lakh. This represents a growth of approximately 13 to 15 percent over the year—now, all eyes are on November.
The festive season has played a major role in this record. During Navaratri and Dussehra, there was notable enthusiasm among customers for purchasing vehicles. Additionally, changes in GST rates, a reduction in interest rates on loans, and an improvement in consumer purchasing power have supported the automotive market. Anticipating demand during the festive season, manufacturers dispatched a higher number of vehicles to their dealers.
Major automobile manufacturers in the country have contributed to this record:
Maruti Suzuki: Dispatched 2.12 lakh vehicles to dealers in October—an increase of approximately 20 percent compared to the previous year.
Tata Motors: Achieved a growth of 21 percent by selling 73,894 units.
Mahindra & Mahindra: Dispatched 73,338 vehicles to dealers.
Hyundai: Recorded a growth of approximately 16.7 percent with sales of 62,799 units.
Kia: Sold 33,462 units. This data indicates that while Maruti Suzuki has maintained its top position in the market, Tata Motors has moved into second place, surpassing Mahindra. Kia has also secured a spot among the top 5 companies. Following record sales in October, the automobile industry is now focused on November; the performance for this month will be revealed towards its end. With festivals like Dhanteras and Diwali falling in this period, many customers plan to purchase vehicles. It remains to be seen whether this demand will persist beyond the festive season—a fact that will become clear from this month’s sales figures.
