New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) India’s passenger vehicle (PV) market posted a strong performance in May 2026 despite a sharp rise in fuel prices, as major automakers reported healthy growth driven by sustained consumer demand and continued momentum in the SUV segment.

According to industry estimates, domestic PV wholesales grew by more than 25 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to nearly 4,40,000 units in May, compared to around 3,51,000 units in the same month last year.

The country’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India, achieved its highest-ever monthly domestic sales, dispatching 1,90,337 passenger vehicles to dealers in May.

The company registered a growth of 39.99 per cent y-o-y, surpassing its previous record of 1,87,704 units achieved in April this year.

Maruti Suzuki’s SUV portfolio continued to drive growth, with SUV sales rising 57 per cent y-o-y to nearly 54,000 units during the month.

Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles also reported robust growth in May, strengthening its position as the country’s second-largest passenger vehicle manufacturer by wholesale volumes.

The company dispatched 59,000 units to dealers during the month, marking a 30.53 per cent increase compared to the year-ago period.

Mahindra and Mahindra maintained its growth momentum in May despite supply-side constraints.

The SUV maker sold 58,021 units in the domestic market during the month, registering a growth of 10.66 per cent y-o-y, supported by sustained demand for its SUV lineup, including the Scorpio N.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor reported domestic sales of 30,574 units in May, up 4.42 per cent from the same month last year.

The company said demand remained steady across its product portfolio. Toyota also crossed the milestone of 3,00,000 cumulative strong hybrid vehicle sales in India.

Kia India recorded domestic sales of 27,586 units in May, registering a growth of 23.62 per cent y-o-y.

The company attributed the performance to strong demand for its Seltos and Sonet SUVs. The Seltos once again crossed monthly sales of 10,000 units during the month.

–IANS

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