January 2026 Car Sales – Snapshot
- Team Autopunditz
- 4 minutes ago
- 2 min read
January 2026 marked an exceptional start to the year for the Indian automobile industry, with passenger vehicle sales crossing historic milestones across nearly all segments. The industry recorded an offtake of over 4.5 Lakh units and grew by 12.7% vs Jan'25 and 12% vs Dec'25. It was one of the highest ever January sales, a clear sign of a healthy demand environment. Robust customer demand, lean inventories, and a renewed emphasis on SUVs and electric vehicles delivered strong results for both mainstream and emerging players.
It is to be noted that the numbers are dispatch figures (wholesales from OEM to its dealers) and are significantly high owing to low stock levels at the network. The retail figures may vary. January usually is a dull month post the discount-driven January. However, this January was different as the industry was carrying forward bookings post GST revision, and the sub-4m models drove the demand positively. Automakers across segments capitalised on consumer demand, launching new models and achieving milestone performances that signal sustained growth potential for the year ahead.
Maruti Suzuki posted dispatches of 1,74,529 units. The OEM lost significant Market Share of 4.7% when compared to same period last year.
Tata Motors regained the second spot from Mahindra, with a lead of over 6.7k units. With dispatches of 70,222 units, it was Tata's best January ever! It helped Tata gain 3.5% Market Share vs Jan'25. Tata's Nexon emerged as India’s best-selling car in January 2026 and its strong ICE + EV mix continues to work in favor. Sierra dispatches has supported overall volumes for the Indian OEM and is now consistently eyeing the No.2 spot.
Mahindra recorded sales of 63,510 units and slipped to third position. However, it registered a YoY growth of >25% and helped it increase MS by 1.4%.
Hyundai recorded its highest-ever January domestic sales at 59,107 units, led by the Creta and Venue. Creta remains Hyundai’s volume and profitability backbone.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor sold 30,630 units, marking a solid 17% growth compared to January 2025, while Kia India recorded 27,603 unit sales with strong gains driven by models such as the New Seltos.