Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
India’s Small Car Isn’t Dead: Maruti Predicts a 6.3-Million-Car Market
India’s biggest carmaker is betting that affordable small cars will return to growth, even as SUVs continue dominating showrooms.
Maruti Suzuki expects India’s passenger-vehicle market to reach between 6.1 million and 6.3 million vehicles by FY2030/31. It plans to invest approximately ₹350 billion, around $4 billion, raise production capacity to 3.65 million vehicles and launch seven SUVs within six years.
The company sold a record 2.42 million vehicles during FY2025/26, including 447,774 exports. Maruti sells vehicles in more than 100 countries, underlining India’s growing importance as a global production base.
The interesting gamble is its belief that millions of motorists still want simple, affordable mobility while much of the industry insists buyers have permanently moved towards costlier SUVs.
However, the 6.3-million figure is Maruti’s own forecast. India’s small-car revival follows tax changes and a substantial order backlog, and may not translate to markets where regulations keep pushing entry-level prices higher.
India’s Small Car Isn’t Dead: Maruti Predicts a 6.3-Million-Car Market
India’s biggest carmaker is betting that affordable small cars will return to growth, even as SUVs continue dominating showrooms.
Maruti Suzuki expects India’s passenger-vehicle market to reach between 6.1 million and 6.3 million vehicles by FY2030/31. It plans to invest approximately ₹350 billion, around $4 billion, raise production capacity to 3.65 million vehicles and launch seven SUVs within six years.
The company sold a record 2.42 million vehicles during FY2025/26, including 447,774 exports. Maruti sells vehicles in more than 100 countries, underlining India’s growing importance as a global production base.
The interesting gamble is its belief that millions of motorists still want simple, affordable mobility while much of the industry insists buyers have permanently moved towards costlier SUVs.
However, the 6.3-million figure is Maruti’s own forecast. India’s small-car revival follows tax changes and a substantial order backlog, and may not translate to markets where regulations keep pushing entry-level prices higher.
