Cargraphical

1. The Tallest September Ever, and the Market Runs at 5.26 Million

September 2026 delivered 4,57,604 cars, up 20.9% on Sep 2025: the best September on record, beating last year's record by 79,147 units.

TTM sales now stand at 5.26 million (TTM ending Sep 2026), up 21.9% on a year ago and up from 5.18 million last month. The pace is accelerating: the climb from 4.5 to 5 million took just 7 months (Dec 2025 → Jul 2026), against 28 months from 4 to 4.5 million (Aug 2023 → Dec 2025). The next landmark, 5.5 million, is 2,44,530 units away.

2. Pockets of Growth: Mid Sized SUVs Lead, Hatches Fight Back

SUVs added 43,887 units (+19.8%), just over 55% of the market's 79,147-unit gain. The single biggest pocket was SUV-Mid Sized: +21,185 units (+31.9%), more than all Sedans and MUVs put together (+15,061). Three models did most of the work: the Victoris (Maruti, +8,850, +207.7%), the Sierra (Tata, +7,205, new) and the Seltos (Kia, +6,777, +116.5%).

Hatches were the surprise package: +26.7% and +20,199 units, growing faster than SUVs (+19.8%). The Baleno alone added 12,219 (+92.8%). MUVs +13,271 (+27.7%) and Sedans +1,790 (+5.4%).

Among OEMs, Maruti's +49,017 (+36.9%) was nearly 62% of all growth: more than Kia, Tata, Mahindra and Hyundai added together (+31,938). Toyota (−2,062), Renault (−866) and Honda (−840) went backwards.

3. The Pecking Order: Maruti Pulls Away, the Big Six Hold Their Places

Maruti sold 1,81,838 cars for a 39.7% share, +4.6 pts on Sep 2025, and beat its best-ever September (1,51,512 in 2018). Tata (68,810, +15.3%), Mahindra (64,092, +14.0%) and Hyundai (57,166, +10.9%) followed, all with record Septembers, yet each lost share (−0.7, −0.9 and −1.1 pts).

Kia was the fastest grower among the big six (+41.0%), thanks to Seltos (+6,777, +116.5%), Sorento (+1,739, new) and Syros (+1,383, +297.4%).

Monthly rank changes in the top 10: Renault (3,399, −20.3%) moved up from #11 to #10, passing Nissan (3,300).

On TTM, the top 10 did not move. Tata (7,44,199, +35.4%) holds #2 for a fourth straight month, 23,351 units ahead of Mahindra (7,20,848). At the start of the 13-month window Tata was #4 on TTM.

4. The Model Podium: Baleno, Nexon and Punch Lead the Charge

In September 2026 the Baleno (Maruti) topped the charts at 25,392 units (a record September), ahead of the Nexon (20,456) and the Punch (20,333). The biggest climber in the top 10 was the Baleno, from #9 last month to #1.

Over the trailing 12 months (TTM ending Sep 2026), the Dzire leads at 2,47,112 (+27.0% TTM YoY), followed by the Nexon at 2,38,416 (+32.2%) and the Punch at 2,33,812 (+39.0%). The fastest riser in the top 20 is the Seltos (Kia, +72.8%). The Victoris (Maruti), launched within the last year, is already #13 on TTM (1,43,341). Only the Creta (−2.8%) and the Vitara Brezza/Urban Cruiser (−2.6%) shrank on TTM.

5. Momentum: Who Is Building Sustainable Growth?

Positive TTM growth in at least 11 of the last 13 months marks consistent momentum. Seven OEMs qualify: Tata (+35.4%), Kia (+26.2%), Maruti (+23.7%), Mahindra (+22.4%), Skoda (+16.6%), Toyota (+15.0%) and MG (+8.0%). Kia, Mahindra, Skoda, Toyota and MG have been positive in all 13.

Hyundai (+8.2% now, positive in only 5 of 13) is growing, but not yet steadily. Volkswagen has been negative in every month of the window.

At sub-segment level, eight of 17 sizeable sub-segments show consistent momentum, and seven of them are SUVs or MUVs: MUV-4M (+77.5%), SUV-Large (+38.9%), SUV-Mid Sized (+38.1%), Sedan-4M (+25.0%), SUV-4M (+17.8%), MUV-Mid Sized (+15.6%), SUV-Utility (+11.4%) and MUV-Large (+3.5%). Sedan-Mid Sized has shrunk in all 13 months.

Over three years (CAGR, TTM ending Sep 2026 vs TTM ending Sep 2023), Toyota (+23.7% a year), Mahindra (+21.2% a year) and Skoda (+16.1% a year) lead the field.

6. Landmarks Quietly Achieved

Lost in the noise of monthly rankings are some genuinely significant milestones:

1. Maruti crossed 2.1 million units in TTM sales (21,17,023). Twelve months ago this number was 17,11,598: an addition of 4,05,425 units (+23.7%). That increment is more than the combined TTM sales of MG, Skoda, Honda, Renault, Nissan, Volkswagen, Citroen and Jeep, which total 3,54,253 units!
2. The SUV-Mid Sized sub-segment crossed 1 million units in TTM sales (10,07,556). Twelve months ago this number was 7,29,687: an addition of 2,77,869 units (+38.1%).
3. Tata has added 1,94,626 units of TTM sales in a year (5,49,573 → 7,44,199): just over half of Toyota's entire TTM (3,74,163).
4. Back above a landmark: Maruti Baleno (2 lakh, TTM 2,09,140) and Maruti Grand Vitara (1 lakh, TTM 1,00,604). These were crossed before, so they are not new highs.
5. Record Septembers for Maruti (1,81,838), Tata (68,810), Mahindra (64,092), Hyundai (57,166), Kia (32,017) and MG (8,018); at model level, Baleno, Punch, Fronx and Vitara Brezza/Urban Cruiser also set September records.
6. Top-10 rank changes: Renault #11 → #10 (Monthly); Nissan #12 → #11 (TTM).

7. Insights: What the Regular Report Does Not Show

10 patterns from the full history (Jan 2011 – Sep 2026), ranked by how surprising and material they are. Each card carries its evidence and a confidence tag: Strong (clear and large in the data), Moderate (clear, with a caveat), Watch (early signal).