October 2026 car sales numbers are out, and Tata Motors is back in second place. Tata sold 73,894 cars in India last month. Mahindra sold 73,338 SUVs. That puts Tata ahead by just 556 units. Maruti Suzuki stayed far ahead at number one with 2,12,384 cars in a record month. These are company dispatch figures for October, shared on 1 November 2026.
October 2026 car sales: key facts
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number one | Maruti Suzuki, 2,12,384 cars (up 20.5%) |
| Number two | Tata Motors, 73,894 cars (up 20.9%) |
| Number three | Mahindra, 73,338 SUVs (up 2.4%) |
| Gap between Tata and Mahindra | 556 units |
| Tata EV sales | 16,244 units, India plus exports (up 75%) |
| Industry total | About 5.3 lakh units (industry estimate) |
| Type of data | Wholesale, which means cars sent from factories to dealers |
Car sales October 2026 brand wise
Here is how the main carmakers did in India. All figures are domestic sales taken from each company's own press release. The October 2025 numbers come from the same releases or from trade reports.
| Rank | Carmaker | October 2026 | October 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maruti Suzuki | 2,12,384 | 1,76,318 | +20.5% |
| 2 | Tata Motors | 73,894 | 61,134 | +20.9% |
| 3 | Mahindra (SUVs) | 73,338 | 71,624 | +2.4% |
| 4 | Hyundai | 62,799 | 53,792 | +16.7% |
| 5 | Kia | 33,462 | 29,556 | +13.2% |
| 6 | Toyota | 29,521 | 40,257 | -26.7% |
| 7 | JSW MG Motor | 8,013 (total wholesale) | NA | +19% (company figure) |
| 8 | Honda | 7,609 | 6,394 | +19.0% |
Maruti's number is passenger vehicles only. It leaves out the Super Carry pickup and cars made for Toyota. Mahindra's number counts SUVs only, since it sells no cars or vans.
Tata Motors sales October 2026: back at number two
Tata had a big month. Its domestic sales grew 21% to 73,894 units. Add exports and the total is 75,426 units, up 23%. Exports jumped from just 161 cars a year ago to 1,532.
EVs did a lot of the work. Tata sold 16,244 electric cars across India and export markets, up 75% from 9,286. That means about one in five Tata cars sold last month was electric. Its EV range includes the Tata Nexon EV and the Punch EV. Tata did not share model-wise numbers in its release, so we cannot say which one sold the most.
Mahindra sales October 2026: a record, but still third
Mahindra had nothing to be sad about. It sold 73,338 SUVs in India, its highest ever in a single month. Growth was small at 2.4%, though. That slow pace is why Tata got past it.
Mahindra's total sales hit 1,31,109 vehicles, up 9%. That number includes pickups, three-wheelers and exports. Dr Velusamy R, President of the auto business, said the festive season and a refreshed range kept demand strong. He also said the Mahindra XUV 3XO ZNG, the brand's first CNG car, has seen strong traction.
The fight for second place keeps flipping. In September 2026, Mahindra beat Tata by 89 units in FADA retail data. Now Tata is ahead by 556 in factory dispatches. These are two different kinds of data, so do not compare them directly.
Maruti sales October 2026: best month ever
Maruti Suzuki sold 2,76,120 units in total, its highest ever in a month. Its domestic passenger vehicle sales were 2,12,384. That is more than Tata, Mahindra and Hyundai sold together, which adds up to 2,10,031.
Small cars are not dead yet. Maruti's hatchbacks and sedans, like the Swift, Baleno and Maruti Dzire, sold 1,00,877 units. Its SUVs and MPVs, including the Maruti Victoris, sold 97,787. Exports rose 59% to 49,872 units. You can check the full table in the official Maruti Suzuki press release.
Hyundai, Kia and Toyota sales in October 2026
Hyundai stayed fourth with 62,799 cars, up 16.7%. Hyundai said it was its highest domestic month ever. The Hyundai Venue led the way with 13,017 units, also a record for the SUV. Exports added 19,500 units, so Hyundai's total was 82,299. Hyundai CEO Tarun Garg said the newly launched Hyundai Bayon should push growth further.
Kia moved into the top five with 33,462 units, its best month ever. It was up 13.2%. Kia said its EV sales also hit a monthly high, but it did not share the number. It added that the new Kia Sorento got an encouraging response.
Toyota was the odd one out. It sold 29,521 cars in India, down 26.7% from 40,257 a year ago. With 839 exports, its total was 30,360, as per Toyota Kirloskar Motor's sales release. Toyota pointed to early buyer interest in the updated Toyota Glanza was good. Lower down, Honda grew 19% to 7,609 units on demand for the updated Honda Elevate. MG sent out 8,013 cars to dealers.
What is confirmed and what is still estimated
Confirmed
Every brand number in this report comes from the carmakers' own releases on 1 November 2026. The Tata EV figure and Maruti's record are also from their official filings with the stock exchanges.
Estimated
The industry total is not official yet. The Hindu BusinessLine puts October wholesales at about 5.3 lakh units, up around 13% from 4.65 lakh. ETAuto says this is the first time Indian car wholesales have gone past 5 lakh in a month. The SIAM industry report should confirm the exact figure later.
Why wholesale and retail numbers are different
Wholesale means cars sent from the factory to dealers. Retail means cars actually bought and registered by people. Diwali and Dhanteras fall in November this year. So carmakers filled up dealer stock in October before the rush.
That is why October retail could look weaker. An analyst told The Hindu that October registrations may fall against last year's high festive base. Many festive deliveries are likely to move into November. FADA's retail data for October will show the real buyer picture.
What next for car buyers
Strong dispatches mean dealers have plenty of stock right now. If you plan to buy during Dhanteras or Diwali, popular models like the Nexon, Venue and XUV 3XO should be easier to get. In my view, this is a good time to compare offers from two dealers before you sign. Also check our list of upcoming cars in November 2026 if you are open to waiting a few weeks.
FAQs
Which car company sold the most cars in October 2026?
Maruti Suzuki sold the most. It sold 2,12,384 passenger vehicles in India, up 20.5% from a year ago.
How many cars did Tata Motors sell in October 2026?
Tata sold 73,894 cars in India in October 2026. With exports, its total was 75,426 units, up 23%.
Did Tata beat Mahindra in October 2026?
Yes. Tata's 73,894 units beat Mahindra's 73,338 SUVs by 556 units in wholesale numbers.
How many EVs did Tata sell in October 2026?
Tata sold 16,244 EVs across India and export markets. That is 75% more than the 9,286 it sold in October 2025.
Which carmaker grew the fastest in October 2026?
Among the top six, Tata grew the fastest at 20.9%, just ahead of Maruti at 20.5%. Toyota was the only big brand to fall, down 26.7%.
What were Hyundai's sales in October 2026?
Hyundai sold 62,799 cars in India, its best month ever. The Venue alone sold 13,017 units.
Are October sales numbers retail or wholesale?
The company numbers are wholesale. They show cars sent to dealers, not cars bought by people. FADA shares retail numbers separately.