The Maruti Suzuki Baleno emerged as India’s best-selling passenger car in September 2026, recording 25,392 units dispatched during the month. The premium hatchback registered a 93 per cent year-on-year increase compared with 13,173 units in September 2025, securing the top position in the country’s monthly sales rankings. Tata Motors’ Nexon and Punch followed in second and third place, respectively, while Maruti Suzuki maintained a strong presence across the list of the 10 highest-selling cars.
The Tata Nexon secured the second position with 20,456 units, although its dispatches declined by around 9 per cent from 22,573 units in the corresponding month last year. The Tata Punch followed closely with 20,333 units, registering a 28 per cent year-on-year increase. The difference between the two Tata models was just 123 units, reflecting closely matched sales volumes. Together, the Nexon and Punch recorded 40,789 units during September.
Maruti Suzuki accounted for six of the 10 models in the rankings, underlining the company's continued presence across multiple passenger vehicle segments. The Fronx secured fourth place with 19,282 units, marking a 40 per cent increase compared with September 2025. The WagonR followed in fifth position with 18,835 units, while the Dzire occupied sixth place with 17,754 units. The Swift ranked eighth with 17,399 units, and the Ertiga completed the top 10 with 16,911 units.
Hyundai’s Creta was the only model from the South Korean automaker to feature in the top 10, securing seventh place with 17,657 units. Mahindra’s Scorpio range, listed as the Scorpio/N, took ninth position with 17,313 units. The rankings included hatchbacks, compact SUVs, a sedan and a multi-purpose vehicle, indicating that demand remained distributed across different vehicle categories. Maruti Suzuki’s strong representation came from models catering to varied customer requirements and price segments.
Overall, the 10 best-selling models recorded combined dispatches of 1,91,332 units in September 2026, compared with 1,63,725 units in September 2025. This represented a year-on-year increase of 17.2 per cent. The figures indicate stronger wholesale volumes among the leading models during the month, although manufacturer dispatches to dealerships do not necessarily correspond directly to retail sales to customers.
The September rankings also highlighted the continued competition between established hatchbacks and compact SUVs in the Indian passenger vehicle market. While the Baleno led the list with a substantial increase in dispatches, Tata Motors secured two positions among the top three through the Nexon and Punch. With six entries in the top 10, Maruti Suzuki remained the most represented manufacturer in the rankings, while Hyundai and Mahindra also featured through the Creta and Scorpio range, respectively.