Passenger Vehicle Sales Begin FY26 On A Strong Note, Two-Wheelers See Sharp Dip

In contrast, the two-wheeler segment saw a significant decline, with dispatches dropping 16.7 per cent to 1.45 million units. Motorcycles were hit hardest, falling 22.7 per cent

On the export front, PV shipments jumped 20 per cent, helped by robust performances from Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki, and Nissan

Source : PTI

India's passenger vehicle (PV) segment started fiscal year 2025–26 on a positive trajectory, with wholesales rising nearly 4 per cent year-on-year in April to 348,847 units, according to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) on Thursday. This marks the highest-ever April sales for PVs, driven primarily by strong demand for utility vehicles (UVs), which saw a 12.1 per cent growth to 201,062 units. However, sales of passenger cars continued to struggle, falling 5.4 per cent during the same period. Tata Motors’ numbers were not included in the data.

In contrast, the two-wheeler segment saw a significant decline, with dispatches dropping 16.7 per cent to 1.45 million units. Motorcycles were hit hardest, falling 22.7 per cent, while scooters declined 5.7 per cent. SIAM attributed the two-wheeler slump to a high base effect from April 2024 but expressed optimism for a rebound in the coming months.

Three-wheeler sales, which had been performing well through FY25, also showed a minor dip, falling 0.7 per cent to 49,441 units. Notably, sales of electric rickshaws plunged 36.5 per cent, though passenger carrier sales posted a modest 2.2 per cent growth.

SIAM Director General Rajesh Menon highlighted the industry's smooth shift to the new 2nd stage On-Board Diagnostics (OBD 2) regulations for two- and three-wheelers from April 2025, alongside the nationwide rollout of E20-compliant gasoline vehicles.

While Bajaj Auto and Hero MotoCorp recorded sharp sales drops, 13 per cent and 44 per cent respectively, Hero attributed its April dip to a temporary production pause at four plants for maintenance and supply-chain alignment, with normal operations expected to resume in May.

PV Shipment

On the export front, PV shipments jumped 20 per cent, helped by robust performances from Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki, and Nissan, even amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties. Two-wheeler exports also rose sharply, up nearly 15 per cent for the month.

Tarun Garg, COO of Hyundai Motor India, noted that the domestic market remains under pressure from macroeconomic challenges, prompting companies to maintain a strong focus on exports.

According to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), two-wheeler retailers had hoped for a festive and wedding season boost, but concerns linger over rising OBD-2B costs, weak rural liquidity, and growing competition from electric vehicles.