PV sales surge 35.7% in August to record 4.48 lakh units

All major automakers reported double-digit increases. Maruti Suzuki India led the market with a 34.8% increase in sales to 1,76,971 units in August from 1,31,278 units in the same month last year. Tata Motors posted a 59.1% rise to 65,253 units from 41,001 during the same period. Mahindra & Mahindra recorded a 50.4% increase to 59,257 units from 39,399, while Hyundai Motor India grew 23.6% to 54,396 units from 44,001. Kia India reported a 48.1% increase to 29,042 units from 19,608.

Automakers said the upcoming festive season is expected to provide an additional boost to vehicle demand in the coming months.

SUVs continue to drive the market. Maruti Suzuki said its SUV portfolio continued to drive growth, with SUV sales growing 167% in July-August, following 144% growth in the first quarter of FY27.

“Our SUV models’ contribution in our portfolio is now 32%. It’s picking up. Every month it is climbing up,” said Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer – Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India.

The company, however, said production capacity remains a constraint as it ramps up two new production lines. Maruti said the ramp-up could take another two-three months, even as demand remains strong across its portfolio.

The new Brezza has also received a strong response, with bookings crossing 50,000 units, while around 35,000 bookings remain pending. The model currently has a waiting period of around two months, the company said.

Maruti also highlighted the increasing contribution of alternative-fuel vehicles, with CNG and green vehicles accounting for 44% of its sales. The company said its strategy of expanding its CNG portfolio has helped offset the impact of higher fuel prices.

Maruti expects the industry to grow by at least 10% in FY27, although it cautioned that the pace of growth in the second half of the financial year is likely to moderate due to a higher base.

Mahindra & Mahindra also reported strong growth, driven by sustained demand for its SUV portfolio.

“In August, we achieved SUV sales of 59,257 units delivering growth of 50%. Demand continues to remain strong across our portfolio, with the updated Scorpio-N and BE 6 SPORTEQ receiving strong market response from customers. We look forward to building on this momentum during the festive season,” said Dr Velusamy R, President, Automotive Business, Mahindra & Mahindra.

Hyundai Motor India, historically the country’s second-largest carmaker, remained fourth in August domestic PV sales despite a 23.6% increase, trailing Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra.

“Our August domestic sales of 54,396 units (+23.6% YoY), the highest-ever figure for any August month, reflect the popularity of Hyundai’s versatile product portfolio,” said Tarun Garg, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India.

However, exports remained under pressure for some automakers due to geopolitical and logistical disruptions. Hyundai said its total exports in August were impacted by logistical constraints arising from the ongoing conflict in West Asia and the broader geopolitical environment.

Maruti also reported a decline in exports during August, with shipments at 33,844 units, down from 36,538 in August last year. The company said the decline was not due to demand or supply weakness but because of a shortage of ships available to transport vehicles from Indian ports.

“The demand is strong in all our markets. The supply exists. We have cars at the port. It’s the ships that are not available to carry the cars from the Indian port to the export port,” said Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Officer – Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India.

Despite the temporary disruption, Maruti expects exports to remain resilient, with the company exporting to more than 120 countries.

With the festive season approaching, automakers expect demand to remain strong, although the pace of year-on-year growth could moderate from the unusually high levels seen in August due to base effects.