India’s passenger vehicle market began calendar year 2026 with a strong tilt towards SUVs, led by the Tata Nexon. The compact SUV emerged as the country’s best-selling car in January, overtaking the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, as utility vehicles continued to dominate buyer preferences across segments.
The Tata Nexon started calendar year (CY) 2026 on a high note, registering its highest-ever monthly sales since its launch in India. The SUV sold 23,365 units in January, outperforming the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, which recorded 19,629 units during the same month.
This performance marks the Nexon’s best monthly showing to date, reinforcing Tata Motors’ growing strength in the compact SUV space.
Both the Nexon and Dzire carried forward their strong momentum from calendar year 2025. During CY25:
Maruti Suzuki Dzire sold around 2,14,000 units
Tata Nexon clocked nearly 2,02,000 units
These numbers represented record annual volumes for both models, highlighting their sustained popularity in the Indian market.
SUVs accounted for a significant share of India’s best-selling cars in January. Apart from the Tata Nexon, five other SUVs featured among the top 10 best-selling cars in the country.
Maruti Suzuki Dzire (Sedan)
Maruti Suzuki Swift (Hatchback)
Maruti Suzuki Baleno (Hatchback)
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga (MPV)
Notably, all non-SUV models in the top 10 were from Maruti Suzuki, despite Tata Motors and Hyundai also offering strong non-SUV options in their portfolios.
The SUV segment continues to strengthen its hold on India’s passenger vehicle (PV) market, commanding nearly 55% market share.
Mahindra & Mahindra
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles
Maruti Suzuki India
Hyundai Motor India
Consumer preference for higher ground clearance, road presence, and feature-rich offerings has driven sustained growth in this segment.
January proved to be a milestone month for Tata Motors:
Tata Punch recorded 19,257 units, delivering another strong performance
Both Punch and Nexon posted their best-ever monthly sales
Cumulative Sales Milestones
Tata Nexon crossed 10,00,000 cumulative units
Tata Punch surpassed 7,00,000 units in just over four years and three months
These milestones underline Tata’s rising dominance in the mass-market SUV space.
Here’s how other popular models performed:
Hyundai Creta SUV: 17,921 units
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga MPV: 17,892 units
Maruti Suzuki Swift hatchback: 17,806 units
Maruti Suzuki Brezza SUV: 17,486 units
Maruti Suzuki Baleno hatchback: 16,782 units
Mahindra Scorpio (N + Classic): 15,542 units
Victoris SUV: 15,240 units
The figures further highlight the continued preference for SUVs across price bands.
With compact and mid-size SUVs consistently outperforming sedans and hatchbacks, January’s sales data reinforces a broader industry trend. Buyers are increasingly prioritising versatility, safety features, and long-term value—areas where SUVs continue to score higher.