Maruti Sells a Record 2.76 Lakh Cars in October as Exports Jump 59%; Tata, Mahindra and Hyundai Also Hit New Highs

Maruti Suzuki reported its biggest month ever on Sunday, selling 2,76,120 vehicles in October, a 25% rise from a year earlier and comfortably above its previous peak of about 2.43 lakh units set in May. The filing landed alongside record monthly numbers from Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Hyundai, giving auto investors a full set of festive-season data to digest before trading resumes on Monday.

Exports, not just Diwali, drove Maruti's record

The festive rush explains much of the domestic surge, but the more striking number in Maruti's release is overseas. Exports rose 59.3% to 49,872 units from 31,304 a year ago. That increase of roughly 18,600 units accounts for about a third of the company's total year-on-year volume gain, and exports now make up around 18% of everything Maruti ships.

At home, passenger vehicle sales rose about 20.5% to 2,12,384 units. Utility vehicles grew fastest, up 26% to 97,787 units, while the small and mid-size car segment rose 18.4% to 1,00,877 units. The Eeco van was nearly flat at 13,720 units. Total domestic sales, including light commercial vehicles, hit a record 2,16,789 units, and supplies to Toyota rose to 9,459 units.

Month-on-month, domestic passenger vehicle volumes were up nearly 17% from September, a reminder that October's numbers carry the full weight of the pre-Diwali buying window.

Rivals post their own records

Tata Motors' passenger vehicle sales, including exports, rose about 23% to 75,426 units from 61,295. Its electric vehicle volumes were the standout, jumping roughly 75% to 16,244 units from 9,286, meaning more than one in five Tata cars sold last month was electric.

Mahindra & Mahindra's total vehicle sales rose 9% to 1,31,109 units, its highest monthly figure, with domestic SUV sales reaching a record 73,338 units and exports climbing sharply. Hyundai also reported its best-ever month at 62,799 units.

What investors will be weighing on Monday

The data gives the market a clean read on demand at a time when broader sentiment has been fragile, with foreign investors pulling money out of Indian equities through October. Three things stand out for anyone tracking auto stocks.

First, the growth is concentrated in higher-value products. Maruti's utility vehicles outgrew its small cars, and Mahindra's record was driven by SUVs, which typically carry better margins than entry-level hatchbacks.

Second, Maruti's export engine reduces its dependence on a single festive month at home. Its April–October exports total 2,82,727 units, up about 18%, and October's surge suggests overseas demand is accelerating rather than plateauing.

Third, the year-to-date base is already high. Maruti's April–October sales of 16,55,498 units are up about 27% on the same period last year. Sustaining that pace after Diwali, when festive discounts fade and elevated fuel prices weigh on household budgets, is the open question for the second half of the fiscal year.

For buyers weighing a festive-season car loan, our EMI calculator shows how tenure and rate changes affect monthly payments.

This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.