Car sales rise 10.7% in Feb on SUV-led demand

PASSENGER VEHICLE (PV) wholesale dispatches from manufacturers to dealers posted low double-digit growth in February, rising 10.7% year-on-year (yo-y) to 424,292 units, compared with 383,243 units in the same month last year, according to industry data.

- NITIN KUMAR

The expansion was largely driven by sustained demand for sport utility vehicles (SUVs), which continued to anchor volumes for most major carmakers. Market leader Maruti Suzuki reported marginal growth of 0.1% YoY at 161,000 units in February 2026, up from 160,791 units a year earlier. While it retained its leadership position, its growth lagged peers amid intensifying competition in the SUV space. The company, however, maintained that dispatch numbers were constrained by production capacity rather than demand weakness, as its plants are operating at full capacity.