Sales of Maruti SUVs with 28 km fuel consumption increase by 208%; prices listed

Mahindra's portfolio includes numerous SUVs for different segments, but some models hold a special place in consumers' minds. Among them is the Mahindra Thar, which is available in two variants: Thar OG and Thar Rocks. Nevertheless, the domestic vehicle from the same company, the Mahindra Bolero, managed to surpass the Thar in sales for September.

Over the year, sales of this domestic SUV increased by 253%. In September, 9,710 units of the Bolero were delivered. At the same time, the combined sales of the Thar and Thar Rocks reached only 9,008 units, meaning the Bolero sold 702 more units this month.

When compared to September of last year, when only 2,747 units were sold, the Bolero demonstrated an impressive growth of 253%. Although it was previously thought that this might be a revival, in reality, Bolero sales remained stable at around 9,000 units monthly. However, in August, sales dropped to 8,159 units, and in September they returned to the previous level.

The popularity of the Bolero is due to its price and the trust of Indian consumers. This SUV is available for a price ranging from 8,5 to 10 thousand rupees for export clearance. For this price, buyers receive a rear-wheel-drive diesel vehicle with a ladder frame and a seven-seater cabin, which cannot be found in other vehicles at a similar price.

Consumers who wish to purchase an SUV with good durability and simple mechanics without spending 13–20 thousand rupees choose the Bolero. Mahindra has also addressed the shortcomings of this car that previously deterred buyers.

The top-spec version of the Bolero offers a 7-inch touchscreen, steering wheel controls, power windows, USB Type-C charging, alloy wheels, and other features. The SUV is equipped with a 1.5-liter three-cylinder diesel engine that generates 75 hp and 210 Nm of torque. Thanks to rear-wheel drive, the stated fuel consumption is 16 kilometers per liter.

As for the Thar, September proved to be a weak month for this model. Thar sales decreased by 24% compared to last year and by 11% compared to the previous month. More than 10,000 units of this Mahindra vehicle were sold in August.

Sales data for September has been released. In this month, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno became the best-selling car. The company released its updated version last month, which received positive consumer reviews. Nevertheless, in the list of best-selling SUVs, the dominance of Tata products is still noticeable.

According to data published by Auto Panditz, two vehicles from Tata Motors hold leading positions in the best-selling SUV ranking for September. The Tata Nexon became the best-selling SUV in the country in September. However, sales of this model decreased compared to last year: 20,456 units were sold in September 2026, compared to 22,573 in September 2025, which represents a 9% decrease in year-on-year sales.

The second place is also held by an SUV from Tata—the Tata Punch. For September 2026, 20,333 units of this model were sold, while in September of last year, there were 15,891, indicating a 28% increase in year-on-year sales.

The third place was taken by the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, which sold 19,282 units in September 2026. Compared to September of last year, when 13,767 units were sold, this demonstrates a 40% increase in the model's sales year-on-year.

Hyundai Creta was fourth on the list. Although this model remains a leader in the mid-size SUV segment, 17,657 units were sold in September, compared to 18,861 units sold last year.

Mahindra Scorpio took fifth place in the SUV ranking. This seven-seater vehicle sold 17,313 units in September. However, compared to last year, when 18,372 units were sold, there was a 6% decrease in year-on-year sales.

September proved to be a very successful month for the Indian automobile market. During this period, Maruti Suzuki Baleno Facelift achieved record-breaking performance, selling more than 25 thousand units. However, Tata maintains dominance in the SUV segment.

The Tata Nexon remains the best-selling SUV, while the Tata Punch is the second most popular SUV. According to a report by Auto पंडित्ज, 20,333 units of the Tata Punch were sold in a 30-day period, showing a 28 percent increase compared to last year.

It is worth noting that the starting ex-showroom price of the Tata Punch is ₹5.74 lakh. Tata Motors released the facelift version of this SUV at the beginning of this year.

Consumers can purchase this small SUV in petrol, CNG, and electric options. The claimed mileage for the petrol manual model is 20.09 kilometers per liter, while the claimed mileage for the CNG version is 26.99 kilometers per kilogram.

The Punch is equipped with a 1.2-liter Revotron engine, which generates 87.8 PS of power and 115 Nm of torque. This car is available with both manual and AMT transmission options, and the CNG model also has an AMT transmission option.

In terms of safety standards, all variants of the Tata Punch are equipped with a 6-airbag safety standard feature. Its base variant includes features such as LED headlights, digital cluster, ESP, hill hold assist, foldable keys, and central locking. This Tata vehicle consistently ranks in the top 3 almost every month.

This SUV has a ground clearance of 193 mm and offers a boot space of 366 liters. The company uses dual cylinder technology for CNG usage, ensuring sufficient space even with the CNG cylinder installed.