May 2026 vs April 2026 Car Sales: India PV Market Stays Flat MoM, Up 26% YoY
May 2026 Car Sales: India PV Market Analysis
India's passenger vehicle wholesale market in May 2026 clocked 4,40,808 units, marking a healthy 26.05% year-on-year increase over 3,49,713 units sold in May 2025. However, compared to April 2026's 4,41,721 units, the market was essentially flat — dipping just 0.21% month-on-month.
Brand-Wise Performance: May 2026
Maruti Suzuki – 1,90,337 Units (All-Time May Record) ✅ Growth
Maruti Suzuki clocked its highest-ever May sales at 1,90,337 domestic units, a 39.99% YoY surge from 1,35,962 units in May 2025. It also grew 1.40% MoM from 1,87,704 units in April 2026. Total wholesales including exports reached 2,42,688 units — up 35% YoY. Maruti alone held 43.18% of total PV market share in May.
Tata Motors – 59,090 Units (+42% YoY) ✅ Growth
Tata Motors secured second place with 59,090 domestic units in May 2026, a 42.19% YoY jump from 41,557 units in May 2025. EV sales surged 85% YoY to 10,517 units. Compared to April 2026 (57,688 units), Tata saw a MoM gain of approximately 2.4%. Market share stood at 13.40%.
Mahindra – 58,021 Units (+10.7% YoY) ✅ Growth
Mahindra sold 58,021 units in May 2026, up 10.7% from 52,431 units in May 2025. On a MoM basis, sales grew 3% over April's 56,331 units. Demand remained strong for the Scorpio, Thar, XUV 3XO and XUV 7XO, though supply-chain challenges at select suppliers partially limited volumes.
Hyundai – 47,837 Units (+9.1% YoY) ⚠️ MoM Decline
Hyundai grew 9.1% YoY from 43,861 units in May 2025 to 47,837 units. However, this marked a 7.83% MoM decline from 51,902 units in April 2026 — the steepest sequential drop among major OEMs. Hyundai's market share also slipped from 11.75% in April to 10.85% in May. The Creta, Venue, and Exter remain core volume drivers.
Toyota – 30,574 Units (+4.4% YoY) ✅ Steady Growth
Toyota Kirloskar sold 30,574 units in May 2026, a 4.42% YoY increase from 29,280 units in May 2025. Compared to April 2026 (26,597 units), Toyota actually gained 14.9% MoM — a strong sequential recovery. The Innova HyCross and Urban Cruiser HyRyder remained key contributors.
Kia India – 27,586 Units (Best-Ever May) ✅ Growth
Kia posted its highest-ever May sales at 27,586 units, up 23.62% YoY from 22,315 units in May 2025. A 1.10% MoM improvement over April's 27,286 units rounded off a positive month. The new-generation Seltos was the standout performer.
MoM Comparison: May 2026 vs April 2026
Overall industry volumes barely moved MoM — from 4,41,721 units in April to 4,40,808 in May, a -0.21% change. At the brand level, results were mixed:
- Maruti: +1.40% MoM ✅
- Mahindra: +3.0% MoM ✅
- Toyota: +14.9% MoM ✅
- Kia: +1.10% MoM ✅
- BYD: +46.27% MoM ✅ (Strongest gainer)
- Renault: +3.18% MoM ✅
- Hyundai: -7.83% MoM ❌ (Steepest decline)
- Tata: -3.72% MoM ❌ (Marginal retail dip)
YoY Comparison: May 2026 vs May 2025
The YoY picture is significantly more positive, with every major OEM posting growth:
- Maruti: +39.99% ✅
- Tata: +42.19% ✅
- Mahindra: +10.66% ✅
- Hyundai: +9.07% ✅
- Toyota: +4.42% ✅
- Kia: +23.62% ✅
- Nissan: +117.7% ✅ (on low base, Magnite + Gravite)
- Honda: +29.4% ✅
- Renault: driven by new Duster ✅
Fuel Type Trends — A Key Shift
May 2026 data reveals a clear shift in fuel preferences compared to May 2025:
- Petrol: Down from 48.15% to 45.76% ❌
- Diesel: Down from 19.32% to 16.23% ❌
- CNG: Up from 19.93% to 23.34% ✅
- EV: Up from 4.51% to 6.63% ✅
- Hybrid: Stable at ~8% ➡️
Conclusion
May 2026 confirmed that India's PV market growth is structurally robust on a YoY basis, even as MoM numbers show the market has largely plateaued after the fiscal year-end surge. The biggest story is the shift in fuel mix — CNG and EVs are steadily eating into petrol and diesel share. With Maruti and Kia both setting May records, and Tata's EV surge continuing, the market enters the June-July period on strong footing.
