Top Car Companies India FY2025: Maruti, Tata & Toyota

India’s automobile market is known for its dynamism, diversity, and rapidly evolving consumer preferences. In the financial year 2025 (FY2025), the industry continued its upward trajectory, with traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles—particularly petrol and CNG-powered models—retaining their dominance. Although awareness around electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids is growing, data suggests they still account for a small share of the market. In FY2025, the top 14 car manufacturers in India sold a total of 43,20,696 vehicles, of which 94.89% were powered by petrol, diesel or CNG, while only 5.11% were electric or hybrid vehicles.

Dominance of Petrol Cars

Petrol cars have long been the backbone of India’s automobile industry, and the trend remained unchanged in FY2025. During this financial year, 24,84,331 petrol vehicles were sold, accounting for 57.5% of the total market. In this segment, Maruti Suzuki maintained its leadership with a massive 11,48,363 units sold.

Reasons for the Popularity of Petrol Cars

Several key factors have sustained the demand for petrol cars in India:

1. Affordability: Maruti Suzuki models like the Swift, Baleno, WagonR, and Dzire offer economical and reliable choices for middle-class families.
2. Low Maintenance Costs: Petrol engines are generally cheaper to maintain compared to diesel or hybrid engines.
3. Reliability: Maruti’s petrol engines are known for their durability and long lifespan.
4. Variety: Maruti Suzuki’s presence across hatchback, sedan and SUV segments offers wide-ranging choices for consumers.

Top-Selling Petrol Cars by Maruti Suzuki

Maruti Suzuki cemented its dominance in the petrol segment with these popular models:

• Maruti Suzuki Swift: This stylish hatchback sold 1,95,321 units.
• Maruti Suzuki Baleno: A strong performer in the premium hatchback segment with 1,95,607 units sold.
• Maruti Suzuki WagonR: Achieved sales of 2,12,340 units with its excellent mileage and affordable pricing.
• Maruti Suzuki Dzire: With 1,64,517 units sold, Dzire remained a top choice in the sedan segment.

Performance of Other Companies

Hyundai and Tata Motors also recorded notable performances in the petrol segment. The Hyundai Creta made a strong mark in the mid-size SUV category with 1,94,871 units sold. Tata’s Punch and Nexon also performed well in their petrol variants.

Rising Demand for CNG Cars

In FY2025, CNG cars surpassed diesel vehicles in popularity, marking a significant shift. A total of 8,38,546 CNG vehicles were sold, capturing a 19.4% market share. Maruti Suzuki led this segment with 5,91,730 units sold, followed by Tata Motors, Hyundai, and Toyota.

Why CNG Cars Are Gaining Popularity

The growing demand for CNG vehicles can be attributed to:

1. Lower Running Costs: CNG is significantly cheaper than petrol or diesel, making it ideal for urban consumers.
2. Eco-Friendliness: CNG vehicles emit fewer pollutants, attracting environmentally conscious buyers.
3. Urban Utility: Ideal for traffic-heavy cities due to better mileage and cost-effectiveness.
4. Availability of Variants: Companies like Maruti Suzuki and Tata are offering CNG variants of their most popular models, giving buyers more options.

Maruti Suzuki’s Leading CNG Models

Maruti Suzuki dominated the CNG space with several successful models:

• Maruti Suzuki WagonR CNG: With 32.5 km/kg mileage and low pricing, it became the most popular CNG car.
• Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG: A hit in the sub-4 metre SUV category.
• Maruti Suzuki Dzire CNG: Widely appreciated in the sedan segment.
• Maruti Suzuki Eeco CNG: Gained traction for both commercial and family use.

Contributions from Other Companies

Tata Motors strengthened its presence with the CNG versions of Punch and Nexon. Tata Punch CNG sold 17,714 units. Hyundai also contributed with CNG variants of Venue and Creta, expanding its footprint in this segment.

Diesel Segment

Despite a gradual decline in demand, diesel engines continued to find favour in the SUV category. In FY2025, 7,73,303 diesel vehicles were sold, representing 18% of the market. Mahindra led this segment with 4,25,329 units sold.

Why Diesel SUVs Remain Popular

The popularity of diesel SUVs can be attributed to:

1. High Performance: Diesel engines offer superior torque and are ideal for long-distance and off-road driving.
2. Excellent Mileage: Diesel SUVs are fuel-efficient over long drives.
3. Ruggedness: Models like Mahindra Scorpio and XUV700 are favoured for their durability and tough build.

Top Diesel Models by Mahindra

Mahindra maintained its dominance in the diesel space through its powerful SUV lineup:

• Mahindra Scorpio N: Achieved over 1,00,000 units in sales thanks to its robust design and powerful engine.
• Mahindra XUV700: Attracted attention in the premium SUV category with strong features and performance.
• Mahindra Thar: Continued to be a favourite among off-road enthusiasts.

Other Players in the Diesel Market

Hyundai and Tata Motors also showed strong performance. Hyundai Creta’s diesel variant sold 1,94,871 units in the mid-size SUV segment. Tata Nexon followed with 26,366 units sold.

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

India’s EV market is gradually picking up momentum. In FY2025, 1,15,716 electric vehicles were sold, capturing a 2.7% market share. Tata Motors led the EV segment, with notable contributions from MG Motor and Mahindra.

Tata Motors’ Success in EVs

Tata’s success in the EV space can be attributed to:

1. Affordable Models: Options like Nexon EV, Punch EV, and Tiago EV cater to budget-conscious buyers.
2. Reliable Range: Tata’s EVs offer a range of 300–400 km, suitable for Indian roads.
3. Charging Infrastructure: Tata’s expanding charging network and after-sales support instil customer confidence.
4. Safety & Features: Tata Punch EV and Nexon EV attracted buyers with their 5-star safety ratings.

Tata’s Best-Performing EVs

Tata’s EV lineup performed exceptionally in FY2025:

• Tata Punch EV: The top-selling EV with 17,900 units sold.
• Tata Tiago EV: Popular in the affordable EV segment with 17,100 units sold.
• Tata Nexon EV: Sold 13,900 units in the mid-size EV SUV category.
• Tata Curvv EV: A new entrant with 7,500 units sold.

Other Brands in the EV Space

MG Motor led with 19,300 units of the Windsor EV sold, making it the best-selling EV in FY2025. Mahindra also drew attention with the BE 6 EV, which offers a 628 km range and premium features.

Hybrid Cars

Hybrid cars, though technologically advanced, have limited adoption in India. In FY2025, 1,04,800 hybrid vehicles were sold, making up 2.4% of the market. Toyota led this segment with 82,848 units sold.

Why Hybrid Demand Remains Low

1. High Prices: Hybrids are more expensive than standard petrol cars.
2. Limited Government Support: Subsidies for hybrids are lower compared to EVs.
3. Partial Electric Functionality: Hybrids don’t run solely on electric power, limiting their appeal.

Top Hybrid Models by Toyota

Toyota made a strong mark in the hybrid segment with these top models:

• Toyota Innova Hycross: The top-selling hybrid with 53,000 units sold.
• Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder: Sold 26,800 units in the mid-size SUV segment.
• Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: A joint offering from Maruti and Toyota, with 16,600 units sold.
• Maruti Suzuki Invicto: Made its mark in the premium MPV segment with 4,000 units sold.

Segment-Wise Leaders

ICE Dominance & the Emerging EV Future

FY2025 clearly highlights the continued dominance of petrol and CNG vehicles in India. Maruti Suzuki maintained its leadership in both petrol and CNG segments, while Mahindra ruled the diesel SUV space. Tata Motors took charge in the EV segment with affordable and feature-rich electric vehicles, and Toyota showcased its technological prowess in the hybrid category.

While electric and hybrid vehicles still represent a small portion of the overall market, growing government subsidies, an expanding charging infrastructure, and rising environmental awareness are likely to drive future demand. The coming years may witness major transformations based on fuel prices, environmental policies, and advancements in automotive technologies.

Future Trends

1. Growth of Electric Mobility: The FAME scheme and increasing charging stations are expected to boost EV adoption.
2. Rising CNG Popularity: With increasing petrol prices, CNG cars could gain further traction.
3. Limited Hybrid Growth: Due to higher costs and less support, hybrid demand may grow slowly.
4. SUV Craze Continues: Demand for SUVs remains high in both petrol and diesel categories, and this trend is likely to persist.

Conclusion

In FY2025, India’s automobile industry remained strongly tilted toward traditional fuel-based vehicles. Maruti Suzuki led the petrol and CNG segments, Mahindra dominated the diesel SUV market, Tata Motors carved out a strong presence in EVs, and Toyota showcased hybrid innovation. While electric and hybrid vehicles are expected to see greater adoption in the future, for now, petrol and CNG remain the preferred choices for Indian car buyers.

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