India’s passenger vehicle (PV) exports recorded strong growth in FY26, supported by rising global demand and better product alignment with international safety and emissions norms. total exports were 9,05,137 units, up 17.5% from 7,70,296 units shipped in FY2025.
Favorable government policies, cost-efficient manufacturing and diverse product portfolio have helped India strengthen its position as a global export hub. Demand remains strong in regions such as Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.
Maruti, Hyundai dominate the export chart
Maruti Suzuki retained its leading position in exports with 4,43,625 units, registering a strong growth of 34.5% compared to 3,30,081 units last year. The company captured around 49% market share due to the consistent demand for models like Ford, Jimny and Swift. Major export markets include Africa, Latin America, Japan and the Middle East. This is the highest ever export in any financial year reported by Maruti.
Hyundai took second place with 1,90,125 units, up 16.4% from 1,63,386 units, accounting for about 21% share. The brand is seeing steady demand for models like Verna and Grand i10 in the global markets. Nissan also recorded healthy growth, with exports rising 15.5% year-on-year to 82,408 units, mainly due to strong trends for the Magnite. In contrast, Volkswagen saw a decline, with exports falling from 49,543 units to 40,143 units, resulting in a 4.4% loss in market share.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor registered a strong growth of 41%, exporting 38,974 units, while Kia registered a marginal growth of 3.9% and exported 27,953 units. However, Honda saw a sharp decline, with exports falling to 26,485 units, down 56% YoY. Mahindra recorded 18.9% growth at 18,722 units, while Renault (15,696 units), Tata Motors (10,350 units) and Citroen (6,083 units) remained at the bottom of the list. Notably, Tata Motors recorded the highest growth rate of 263.5%, on a low base.
FrontX, Jimny lead model-wise exports
At the model level, the Maruti Suzuki Swift emerged as India’s most exported car with 90,186 units in FY26, up 30.5% year-on-year. It was followed by the Jimny, which recorded 82,209 units, seeing strong global demand and almost doubling its volumes. Hyundai Verna took the third position with 63,044 units (+19.8% YoY), while Nissan Magnite posted one of the highest growth rates, with exports rising to 56,704 units, up 94.5% YoY.
Maruti Swift (53,661 units) and Hyundai Grand i10 (53,181 units) continued to contribute significantly, highlighting the strong demand for compact hatchbacks in global markets. Among sedans and compact cars, Dezire (40,979 units) and Hyundai Aura (40,751 units) recorded healthy growth, reflecting sustained demand in emerging markets.
SUVs and crossovers also played a significant role, with models such as the Toyota Hydra (38,210 units) and Mahindra XUV300/3XO (13,946 units, +70.3% YoY) gaining popularity. However, some models saw a decline. Maruti Baleno exports declined by 4.9%, while VW Virtus (-15.7%) and Nissan Sunny (-39%) saw sharp declines. Other notable contributors include Maruti S-Presso (40,201 units), Celerio (23,527 units), Ertiga (20,525 units) and Kia Sonet (14,028 units).
Exports move towards SUVs, entry level cars
Export trends for FY2026 highlight strong demand for compact SUVs and affordable cars, especially in emerging markets. Models like the FrontX, Jimny and Magnite have played a significant role in increasing volumes, while traditional sedans remain relevant in select segments. At the same time, export performance remains uneven across manufacturers, with some brands’ share growing rapidly while others are facing a decline in demand.
