Top 11 Car Brands in India: Updated List 2024

There has been a massive influx of car brands in India over the past few years. However, market leaders (in terms of sales volume) have largely remained the same with a few changing ranks. From hatchbacks to luxury off-roaders, the Indian automobile industry has it all. 

Due to so many brands, it may become difficult for you to select the right one as every automaker has something different to offer. Understanding what drives these market leaders before purchasing a car is important. This blog will help you learn about these companies and what sets them apart from each other. 

List of Top Car Brands by Sales Volume in 2023

Rank	Brand	Units Sold	Market Share
1	Maruti Suzuki	17,07,068	Over 10%
2	Hyundai	6,02,111
3	Tata	5,50,871
4	Mahindra	4,32,876
5	Kia	2,55,000	5 - 10%
6	Toyota	2,21,356
7	Honda	84,286	Under 5%
8	MG	56,902
9	Skoda	48,755
10	Renault	48,321
11	Volkswagen	43,481

Top Car Brands in India

Maruti Suzuki

Since the launch of its 800 in 1983, Maruti Suzuki has gained a reputation for producing mass-market affordable cars. It does not stop there. With its Nexa line, Maruti Suzuki has carved a niche for itself by selling premium cars, including hatchbacks and SUVs. 

Another area where Maruti shines is fuel-efficient engines that are further complimented by hybrid technology. The Japanese carmaker has ensured to price its cars while offering all of the above competitively. 

Its bestsellers Include the Alto K10, Wagon R, Swift, DZire and Grand Vitara

What We Like	Things That Can Be Improved
Affordable service cost	Safety parameters
After-sales value	EV's addition to the lineup
Pan India network of service centres	Improved engine performance
Reliability	Diesel discontinued
Fuel efficient engines	No ADAS yet

Hyundai

One of the South Koreans on this list, Hyundai is a part of the over 10% market share club of carmakers and rivals Tata and Mahindra. Hyundai takes the mass-market category up a segment by offering premium cars that are tech-packed. This allows them to price their cars slightly above their competitors. 

In recent times, Hyundai has showcased its commitment to safety with six airbags as standard across the lineup, while its Verna sedan scored 5 stars in GNCAP. There is an EV on offer as well. 

Bestsellers from Hyundai’s camp are the Creta, Verna, Venue and i20.

What We Like	Things That Can Be Improved
Feature loaded	Pricing of cars
Turbo petrol engines	No hybrids
Diesel available	Driving dynamics
N Line range of cars	Entry-level hatchback missing

Tata

Next up is India’s homegrown brand Tata which has been around even before Independence. What started as a locomotive brand has now become the manufacturer of the country’s safest vehicles. In fact, the Nexon holds the title of India’s first car to secure a 5-star rating in GNCAP testing. 

It also boasts an impressive range of electric cars that have a long feature list. Because of the local assembly of parts, Tata can price its cars aggressively. 

Tata brand is synonymous with the Safari, Harrier, Nexon and Punch EV.

What We Like	Things That Can Be Improved
High on safety	Reliability issues
Dual CNG cylinder tech	Service centre experience
Powerful diesel engines	No hybrids on offer
Impressive EVs	Variant-wise nomenclature and segregation

Mahindra

Another Indian on the list, Mahindra and Mahindra Group started as a steel manufacturing company and has been around for seven decades, with a current turnover of $21 billion. Mahindra is known for its SUVs, especially the diesel ones which are high in torque. 

Apart from producing passenger cars, Mahindra has also made inroads in Formula E, military vehicles and tractor manufacturing. It has an upcoming line of Born Electric or ‘BE’ cars, including BE 05 and BE 09, that would change India’s EV landscape completely. 

XUV 3XO, XUV700, XUV400 and Scorpio N are some of the SUVs from Mahindra’s product catalogue.

What We Like	Things That Can Be Improved
Reliability factor	Quality issues
Punchy diesel engines	Limited EV portfolio
Capable off-roaders	Bolero outdated
SUVs feature premium interiors

Kia

Sister company of Hyundai, Kia success story in India is a case story in itself. Kia entered India in 2019 with the Seltos and changed the compact SUV segment completely. Over the past five years, India has become the fourth-largest global market for the Korean brand and its lineup has matured with the addition of luxury Carnival MPV (due for a facelift). Notably, none of the Kia cars have ever flopped. 

What sets Kia apart from Hyundai are its aggressive styling design language and sharp driving dynamics. Because of its connection with India’s second-largest carmaker, parts sharing becomes easy and the cost of research and development is saved.

Products from Kia’s garage include the Sonet, Seltos, Carens and EV6.

What We Like	Things That Can Be Improved
Styling	SUV missing in the lineup
Multiple trims to choose from	Hybrid unavailable
Advanced and loaded interior	Service centre network needs expansion
Value for money
Punchy diesel engines

Toyota

Simply put, the Toyota brand is synonymous with reliability and that has been its USP. On this factor alone the Japanese carmaker has been selling some of its SUVs at a premium. Cars like the Fortuner can clock north of 300,000 kilometres and would still be working just fine. It is also one of the few companies making an off-road pickup truck, whose market is at a nascent stage. 

Another reason why Toyota does what it does is its service experience. The brand has been committed to providing their customers with optimal car service experience leaving a good impression on them. If resale value is a concern for you, nothing beats it like a Toyota.

Toyota has a product range of 12 cars out of which 6 are SUVs, including the Fortuner, Hilux and Land Cruiser 300.

What We Like	Things That Can Be Improved
Extremely reliable	Fortuner’s interior dated, sunroof missing
Resale value	Pricing should be reworked
Diesel engines are high in torque	Luxury sedans overpriced
Pick-up SUV available	Sports division can be considered for India
SUVs feature premium interiors

Honda

Of the three Japanese automobile companies in this list, Honda sits at the third spot when it comes to sales volume. Like Toyota, Honda banks heavily on its reliable engines. The same are also famous among enthusiasts for being free-revving, with some clocking upwards of 7,000 rpm. 

Though major carmakers have downsized on cylinders while adding turbochargers, Honda continues to sell naturally aspirated blocks in this day and age. Then comes superb ride quality and spacious interiors appealing to the buyers. It also has a two-wheeler division as well where it rivals Hero and Bajaj. 

Honda sells four cars in the country - Amaze, City, Elevate and City e:HEV.

What We Like	Things That Can Be Improved
Spacious interiors	Product lineup limited to 4 cars
Ride comfort	Hatchback missing
Free revving nature of engines	No pure EV on offer yet
Resale value	Diesel offering can be considered

MG

MG sells its cars in India in collaboration with JSW, which acquired 35% of its operations. The positive growth in Kia’s sales has come because of SUVs and its EV range, catering to a diverse group of customers. When it comes to the latest technology, ride comfort and modern design, MG has been at the forefront. 

Its Gloster SUV, in 2020, became the nation’s first car to feature Level 1 ADAS. Its service network has also grown at a tremendous rate in recent years. 

Hector, Comet EV, Astor and ZS EV are popular products from MG.

What We Like	Things That Can Be Improved
Feature-packed interior	Sedan missing
Ride comfort	Reliability issues
Petrol and diesel engines on offer	Transmission problems
Gloster SUV gets twin-turbo (1st in segment)

Skoda

Skoda has a really interesting story in India and is an example of how one can benefit from keeping up with the needs and expectations of the buyers. The Czech manufacturer went through an entire product overhaul and brought cars that are extremely safe, handle well and high on performance.

This has also led to a shift in the perception of the brand from expensive to superb (no pun intended) value for money. To note, Volkswagen holds a 100% stake in Skoda Auto. 

From Slavia to Kodiaq, there’s a Skoda for everyone.

What We Like	Things That Can Be Improved
Safety	Addition of naturally aspirated engines
Driving dynamics	No hybrid on offer
Feature-packed interior	Service network expansion
Exterior styling

Renault

Renault has been around for about two decades and has garnered immense success in India. Its Duster was instrumental in popularising the SUV segment and paved the way for its future lineup. There are other factors like affordable pricing and fuel-efficient engines to complement the French automobile manufacturer. 

Renault has time and again shown its serious commitment towards Indians by experimenting with the introduction of multiple vehicle types. According to reports, Renault is planning to launch four new cars in its joint venture with Nissan. Recently unveiled internationally, Renault aims to bring back the Duster in an all-new avatar in the domestic market. 

From Renault’s stable, Kwid, Kiger and Triber are on sale.

What We Like	Things That Can Be Improved
Value for money	Turbo missing on Triber
Fuel efficient engines	AMT transmission jerky
SUV-inspired styling of the Kwid	Safety aspect
Triber MUV smart features	Features on offer

Volkswagen

At the time of writing, Volkswagen is the world’s biggest car manufacturer by sales. VW’s success story is reminiscent of Skoda. When it comes to quality Volkswagen is a brand that never compromises. Be it the safety parameter or the tech-loaded interiors, VW has been consistently offering the best there is to buy. 

With the launch of vehicles with its India 2.0 strategy, the German brand established itself as a premium brand that can also price its cars competitively while offering a lot. Credit goes to VW for taking its Indian customers seriously and bringing quality products

What We Like	Things That Can Be Improved
Top-notch safety	Naturally aspirated addition
Driving dynamics	DCT gearbox issues
Upmarket exterior	Expensive service costs
Loaded interior	Polo comeback
Cylinder-deactivation tech for fuel efficiency	More EVs can be brought

FAQs

Q1. Which Company is Best For Cars?

There are multiple factors to consider when it comes to the best car company in India. But as evident from this blog, Maruti Suzuki is the best car company in terms of sales, followed by Hyundai and Tata.

Q2. What Are The Top 3 Car Brands?

Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata are the top three car brands in India.

Q.3 Which is The Safest Car in India?

Tata Nexon scored 5 stars in the GNCAP test, making it one of the topmost cars that are high on safety

Read Also: Petrol vs Diesel Car: Which One Is Better for You in India?