October 2026 Car Sales: Tata Motors Sells 73,894 Cars in India, Mahindra Hits Record 73,338 SUVs; Maruti Crosses 2.1 Lakh Ahead of Diwali

Pune, 1st November 2026: Carmakers reported strong numbers for October as Navratri and Dussehra buying carried into the run-up to Dhanteras on 6 November. Tata Motors sold 73,894 passenger vehicles in India, up 21% from a year ago, while Mahindra posted its highest-ever monthly domestic SUV sales at 73,338 units. Maruti Suzuki stayed far ahead of the pack with more than 2.1 lakh cars in the domestic market.

Both Tata Motors and Mahindra have large car plants in the Pune region, at Pimpri-Chinchwad and Chakan respectively, so busy factory months matter for jobs and suppliers across the industrial belt from Bhosari to Talegaon.

Tata Motors: EVs drive growth

Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles reported total sales of 75,426 units in October, up 23% from 61,295 units in October 2025. Domestic sales were 73,894 units against 61,134 a year ago.

Electric vehicles were the standout. Tata sold 16,244 EVs (domestic and international together), up 75% from 9,286 units a year earlier. EVs now make up a little over a fifth of the company’s passenger vehicle volume. Note that one sales table published by trade media lists Tata’s domestic figure as 73,002; the 73,894 figure is the one given in the company-based reports and article text.

Mahindra: a record month for SUVs

Mahindra sold 73,338 SUVs in India in October, up 2% from 71,624 units last year, its best ever month in the domestic market. Including exports, SUV sales were 74,904 units. Total automotive sales, which include commercial vehicles and three-wheelers, rose 9% to 1,31,109 units.

Exports grew sharply, up 77% to 7,102 units. Electric and other three-wheelers rose 38% to 17,632 units, and light commercial vehicles in the 2 to 3.5 tonne range grew 5% to 28,654 units.

The close race between Tata and Mahindra for the number two spot continued. In September, Tata was ahead of Mahindra by just 227 units, and the October numbers are again separated by only a few hundred cars.

Maruti, Hyundai and the rest

According to Autocar India’s sales tally, Maruti Suzuki sold 2,12,384 cars in the domestic market in October, and its total including exports was 2,76,120 units, which the report called the company’s highest monthly figure. Hyundai sold 62,799 units and Kia had a record month with 33,462 units. Toyota’s sales fell about 27% year on year to 29,521 units.

Among the Pune-linked brands, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, which has its India headquarters and a plant at Chakan, sold 9,083 units, up about 10%. Total domestic sales across the brands tracked came to nearly 5 lakh units for the month.

Two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto, based in Pune, had not released its October figures when this article was published. We will update this story once Bajaj Auto and other companies put out their numbers. For Bajaj’s most recent quarterly performance, read our report on Bajaj Auto’s Q2 FY27 results.

What this means if you are buying a car this Diwali

Strong October sales usually mean waiting periods on popular models can stretch, especially for SUVs and EVs, so it is worth asking the dealer for a written delivery date before paying the booking amount. Many buyers in Pune time their purchase for Dhanteras or Diwali Padwa; if the exact delivery day matters to your family, confirm it early rather than in the last week.

Also note that the numbers above are wholesales, meaning vehicles sent from factories to dealers, not retail registrations at RTOs. Retail data from dealer bodies usually comes out later in the month.

For more on the city’s auto and EV industry, see our report on EV manufacturing in Pune and the Auto section.

This article is for information only and is not investment advice.

Frequently asked questions