Car retail sales recorded healthy growth in April 2026 with 12.21% year-on-year (YoY) growth, although volumes declined on a month-on-month (MoM) basis, in line with general trends in the financial year onwards. The Indian automotive industry recorded total retail sales of 26,11,317 units in April 2026, with 5 out of 6 segments seeing year-on-year growth.
Automotive Retail Sales April 2026
Demand remained strong across two-wheelers, three-wheelers and passenger vehicles, while commercial vehicles and tractors also recorded positive growth. According to Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) data, April 2026 had the strongest performance ever, with the overall industry growing at 12.94% year-on-year.
In the passenger vehicle segment, retail sales stood at 4,07,355 units, up from 3,63,028 units in April 2025. Rural demand remained strong with 20.40% YoY growth, while urban markets grew by 7.11%. Adoption of alternative fuels also improved, with the share of CNG vehicles standing at 22.62%, while EV penetration increased to 5.77%.
Car Retail Sales April 2026 – By OEM
Passenger vehicle retail sales in April 2026 stood at 4,07,355 units, making it the best April record ever. However, sales declined to 4,40,144 units in March 2026, registering a decline of -7.45% MoM, which is a seasonal trend after the end of the financial year in March.
On an OEM basis, Maruti Suzuki continued to dominate with 1,58,509 units, registering 12.44% YoY growth and gaining 36.01% market share. Tata Motors retained the second position with 57,688 units, a strong growth of 27.83% YoY, followed by Mahindra at 55,236 units, up 7.10% YoY. Hyundai registered a marginal growth of 4.97% at 47,449 units, while Toyota registered a growth of 5.46% YoY at 27,006 units. Kia India posted 12.78% YoY growth at 25,226 units, indicating stable demand across key segments.
Among mid-tier players, Skoda VW Group was the only major OEM to record a year-on-year decline, with sales falling to 8,913 units from 10,070 units last year. JSW MG Motor recorded 6,064 units (+14.76%), while Honda Cars recorded 5,346 units (+5.71%). Renault and Nissan recorded strong gains, with Renault at 4,087 units (+42.40%) and Nissan at 3,047 units (+59.20%).
Luxury and niche segment performance
In the premium segment, BMW India recorded 1,448 units (+8.63%), while Mercedes-Benz witnessed a marginal decline at 1,330 units (-6.07% YoY). Among new entrants, Vinfast reported 1,232 units, indicating its early impact in the Indian market.
Force Motors recorded 1,166 units, more than double its year-on-year sales, while Citroën’s sales grew strongly to 720 units (+78.22%). BYD India posted a growth of 17.84% to 469 units, while Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) reported a marginal decline to 450 units. Jeep saw a decline in sales to 250 units. The “Others” category contributed 1,719 units, which is less than last year.
Despite the decline in MoM, April 2026 performance indicates continued underlying demand strength in the passenger vehicle segment. With the upcoming wedding season, new product launches and festive demand cycle, the market is expected to maintain a steady growth path in the coming months.
