Top News

New Delhi: India’s passenger vehicle market opened FY2027 with a strong April. As per FADA data cited in the shared context, PV retail sales stood at 4,07,335 units, up 12.21 per cent year-on-year, making it the highest-ever April for the segment.

The month had one clear split. Sales were stronger than last year, but lower than March 2026 by 7.45 per cent, which is a usual post-financial-year cooling after the March rush. I have seen this pattern often in auto numbers. March gets loud, April tells us what demand really looks like.

Rural demand stood out in April 2026. Rural PV sales grew 20.4 per cent year-on-year, much faster than urban growth of 7.11 per cent. Rural markets made up 41.2 per cent of PV sales, while urban areas held 58.8 per cent share.

Fuel choices are changing too. Petrol and diesel shares slipped year-on-year, while CNG and EVs gained ground. CNG share rose to 22.62 per cent, and EV share climbed to 5.77 per cent in April 2026. That tells us buyers are looking at running costs more closely, not just showroom price.

Maruti Suzuki stayed on top with 1,58,509 units, holding 38.91 per cent market share. Tata Motors took second place with 57,688 units, helped by models like the Punch facelift and Nexon. Mahindra followed with 55,236 units, with Scorpio N, Scorpio Classic, Thar, and XUV 7XO driving interest.

Hyundai retailed 47,449 units, led by Creta and the new Venue. Toyota sold 27,006 units, with Innova Hycross, Innova Crysta, and Hyryder staying key models. Kia reached 25,226 units, helped by Seltos and Sonet.

The fun bit? Renault grew 42.4 per cent after the new Duster launch, while Nissan jumped 59.2 per cent with help from the Gravite. Vinfast, which entered India in 2025, retailed 1,232 units.