Car sales hit record 5.19 lakh in October, two-wheeler demand rises 16%

Car sales in the local market increased in double digits year-on-year to a monthly record in October, as manufacturers stepped up dispatches to dealerships ahead of the Dhanteras and Diwali festivals.

Two-wheeler sales too remained healthy indicating strong demand among entry-level buyers this festive season.

As per data available with industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), as many as 519,060 hatchbacks, sedans and utility vehicles were sold in October, which is an increase of 12.4% over 461,614 units sold in the year-ago period. Prior to this, car sales had peaked in October 2025, post GST 2.0.


Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM said, “Indian automobile industry continues to witness healthy demand momentum. The passenger vehicle segment achieved its strongest-ever October performance, crossing the significant milestone of 5 lakh units in monthly sales.”

Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors PV, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai Motor and Kia India all posted record monthly sales in October. Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer (market and sales, Maruti Suzuki, said, “This is the highest-ever sales we have recorded in a month in the domestic market since inception. We have seen strong growth across categories, be it small cars or SUVs.”

Two-wheeler sales too went up by 16.1% to 2,577,810 units in the period under review. Sales in the segment were largely driven by scooters whose volumes grew by 31.6% to 1,096,756 units last month. Motorcycle sales rose by 6.6% to 1,423,118 units in the period under review.

“In the two-wheeler segment, demand continues to be supported by improved credit availability and replacement demand, across both rural and urban markets. For three-wheelers, last-mile mobility requirements and rapid electrification remain strong structural drivers. Overall, the demand outlook remains positive”, Menon added.

Three-wheeler sales last month grew by 25.7% to 103,349 units.