Domestic Leaders Show Muscle
Mahindra & Mahindra's SUV sales climbed 25% year-on-year, driven by strong demand for its utility vehicles. Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO of M&M's Automotive Division, highlighted the company's strong start to 2026, achieving 63,510 SUV units in January. He also noted a record-breaking milestone with 93,689 bookings for the XUV7XO and XEV 9S models within just four hours on January 14, generating Rs. 20,500 crore in booking value.
Korean rival Hyundai Motor India reported a 9.5% rise in sales volume to 59,107 units, marking its highest-ever monthly sales. This achievement coincides with Indian management taking the helm, with MD & CEO Tarun Garg assuming the role on January 1, 2026.
At Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), sales increased by 17% to 30,630 units. Sabari Manohar, Executive Vice President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, confirmed a positive and encouraging start to 2026, with continued momentum in their product portfolio.
Two-Wheeler Demand Stays Robust
The two-wheeler segment also witnessed sustained demand. TVS Motor Company reported a 30% sales increase to 383,262 units in January. Mid-size motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield saw its volumes expand by 16% to 93,781 units. B Govindarajan, Managing Director of Eicher Motors and CEO of Royal Enfield, stated the company is extending strong momentum from the previous quarter, marking four consecutive months of healthy double-digit growth.
Commercial Vehicles and Farm Sector Join Rally
Commercial vehicle sales also posted gains. Tata Motors' commercial vehicle sales rose by 29.15% to 38,844 units. Eicher-branded trucks and buses saw a 23.6% increase in local market sales, reaching 9,729 units in January.
In the farm equipment sector, Mahindra sold 38,484 tractors during January 2026, registering a robust 46% growth over the previous year. Veejay Nakra, President of Mahindra & Mahindra's Farm Equipment Business, cited high reservoir levels supporting Rabi sowing and expressed optimism for government support influencing agriculture and farm mechanization.