If the passenger vehicle industry in India hit its best-ever annual wholesales of 42.7 lakh units in the calendar year 2024, up 4 percent YoY (CY2023: 41 lakh units), then it is thanks to the unabating demand for utility vehicles (UVs), which comprise SUVs and MPVs. The UV sub-segment continues to be the shining star and helped buffer the sizeable 14 percent decline in sales of hatchbacks and sedans.
With despatches of 27,49,932 units last year, the UV segment not only achieved handsome 17 percent YoY growth (CY2023: 23,53,605 units), but also increased its share of overall PV sales to 64 percent from 57 percent in CY2023. The UV arena is a tough one, what with 32 SUV and MPV manufacturers, 128-odd individual models and over 1,000 variants. Buyers are really spoilt for choice which makes the performance of these best-selling models important in the overall scheme of things. Let’s take a close look at the movers and shakers and their performance.
1. Tata Punch is the highest-selling car in 2024
The battle to be the UV boss in CY2024 was intense but the Tata Punch, which was No. 4 in CY2023, finally won top honours with a record 2,02,031 units, up 35 percent YoY (CY2023: 1,50,182). Not only did this performance give it the No. 1 UV rank but it was also the best-selling passenger vehicle last year, beating the longstanding leader, the Maruti Wagon R.
2. Maruti Ertiga
Surging customer demand for the Maruti Ertiga (ranked fifth in CY2023) saw the popular family MPV sell 1,90,091 units, up 46 percent YoY (CY2023: 1,29,968). It’s been a very strong performance given that the Ertiga sold an additional 60,123 units in CY2024.
3. Maruti Brezza
The Maruti Brezza was the No. 1 in CY2023, but has dropped down two ranks to be No. 3 in CY2024 with 1,88,159 unit, up 10 percent YoY (CY2023: 1,70,588).
4. Hyundai Creta
The Hyundai Creta, which is India’s best-selling midsize SUV and was the third best-selling UV in CY2023, sold a record 186,919 units in CY2024, up 19 percent YoY (CY2023: 157,311). Demand for the Creta took off after the launch of the new-gen model in January 2024. What will add tailwinds to the Creta’s sales is be the launch of the Creta Electric, which will challenge the Tata Curvv EV and the Mahindra BE 6.
5. Mahindra Scorpio
The Mahindra Scorpio has had a stellar year. In CY2024, the best-selling Mahindra model – the Scorpio N and Scorpio Classic – sold a total of 1,66,364 units, up 37 percent YoY (CY2023: 121,420), which translates into an additional 44,944 units. This performance sees the Scorpio twins rise two ranks to No. 5 position from No. 7 in CY2023.
6. Tata Nexon
The first of the seven UVs in the Top 25 chart to see a YoY sales decline is the Tata Nexon. This compact SUV, which has been India’s best-selling SUV for three straight fiscals – FY2024, FY2023 and FY2022 – has dropped four ranks to No. 6. The Nexon clocked estimated wholesales of 1,61,609 units, down 6 percent YoY (CY2023: 1,70,312), having seen demand down by 8,703 units.
7. Maruti Fronx
Another strong performer has been the Maruti Fronx compact SUV at No. 7. With 1,56,236 units and handsome 66 percent YoY growth (CY2023: 94,393), the Fronx has risen four ranks from CY2023’s No. 11 position. In September 2024, the Fronx became the second Nexa SUV to achieve 2 lakh sales, after the Grand Vitara.
8. Maruti Grand Vitara
In comparison, sales growth for the Maruti Grand Vitara, which has crossed cumulative wholesales of 2.5 lakh units since its launch in September 2022, has been tepid. At 1,22,747 units sold in CY2024, the YoY increase was 8 percent (CY2023: 1,13,387). This sees the midsize SUV retain its No. 8 rank.
9. Hyundai Venue
CY2024 sales of 1,17,819 units for the Hyundai Venue, the Korean manufacturer’s first compact SUV, were down 9 percent YoY (CY2023: 1,29,278). This sales decline sees a resultant drop in ranking to No. 9 from No. 6 in CY2023.
10. Toyota Innova
Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s best-selling product remains the Innova MPV. Ranked No. 10, the Toyota Innova – with its Crysta and Hycross versions – clocked estimated wholesales of 1,06,900 units, up strongly by 27 percent YoY (CY2023: 84,071 units).
11. Kia Sonet
The Kia Sonet is ranked 11th with 1,06,690 units, which marks robust growth of 34 percent YoY (CY2023: 79,776) and a two-rank move up the UV ladder-board.
12. Mahindra Bolero
The Mahindra Bolero is the sole SUV from the five Mahindra SUVs in this Top 25 list to see a sales decline. At 99,771 units, demand was down 8 percent YoY (CY2023: 1,08,279). This performance sees the Bolero’s ranking drop down to No. 12 from No. 9 in CY2023.
13. Mahindra XUV700
One rank behind the Bolero is the Mahindra XUV700 flagship SUV, which continues to witness strong demand. What helped power best-ever annual sales of 90,727 units, up 22 percent YoY (CY2023: 74,434), is the attractive festive season discounts Mahindra offered on the popular model. This gives the XUV700 the No. 13 position amongst the Top 25 UVs, up one rank from CY2023.
14. Mahindra XUV 3XO
At No. 14 is yet another Mahindra SUV. The Mahindra 3XO, essentially the XUV300 facelift, has been one of the best performers in CY2024. With sales of 85,826 units and handsome 50 percent YoY growth (CY2023: 57,182), the Mahindra 3XO has jumped into 14th position from No. 17 in CY2023.
15. Hyundai Exter
The Hyundai Exter compact SUV maintains the 15th position it had in FY2024 in April-November 2024 with 54,812 units, up 39 percent YoY.
16. Mahindra Thar
The Mahindra Thar retains its No. 16 ranking with a strong showing of 51,434 units, up 24 percent. The recent launch of the five-door Thar Roxx, which won Autocar India’s Car of the Year 2025 award, has given a fresh charge to sales.
17. Kia Seltos
The Kia Seltos midsize SUV, is ranked 17th as a result of having dropped seven ranks from its 10th position in CY2023. At 73,745 units, the Seltos’ wholesales are down by a sizeable 30 percent YoY (CY2023: 1,04,891).
18. Kia Carens
The Kia Carens, the third Kia UV in this list, is at 18th position. Demand seems to have slowed down for this MPV and the 63,674 units old in CY2024 are down 6 percent YoY (CY2023: 68,000). The Carens was ranked 15th in CY2023, which means it is down three ranks last year.
19. Toyota Hyryder
The Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder midsize SUV, which scores high on fuel efficiency with its strong-hybrid petrol engine, is at No. 19 with a stellar performance – 62,956 units, up 47 percent YoY (CY2023: 42,782). In October, the Hyryder crossed the 1 lakh sales milestone, becoming the second Maruti-rebadged model to do so.
20. Maruti XL6
The Maruti XL6 MPV is the fifth model from the passenger vehicle and SUV market leader in this Top 20 UV list. The XL6 sold 40,686 units in CY2024, up 5 percent YoY (CY2023: 38,614).
The Toyota Fortuner (33,597 units), Nissan Magnite (28,984 units), Honda Elevate (27,470 units), Tata Curvv (23,664 units) and Tata Safari (23,114 units) complete the top 25 list of best-selling UVs in India in 2024.
Compact SUVs contribute 48 percent to top 25 UV sales
Of the total 27,49,932 utility vehicles sold in CY2024, these Top 25 models with cumulative wholesales of 25,21,160 units accounted for an overwhelming 91 percent, which clearly depicts their strength. Of the total 25.2 lakh units that these Top 25 UVs comprise, the compact SUV segment accounted for an estimated 12,08,735 units or 48 percent share.
The midsize SUV segment, starting with the Hyundai Creta, contributed 9,11,074 units to the Top 25 cumulative total for a 36 percent share. Sales-wise, standout midsize SUVs included the Creta (up 19 percent), Mahindra Scorpio (up 37 percent), Mahindra XUV700 (up 22 percent) and the Toyota Hyryder (up 47 percent). Meanwhile, the recently launched Tata Currv coupe-SUV has entered the best-sellers list with 23,664 units, ranked 24th.
The MPV segment also benefited from the unabating demand for UVs in the year. The Top 25 models include four MPVs – Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Innova Crysta / Hycross, Kia Carens and Maruti XL6 – whose combined sales of 4,01,351 units give them a 16 percent share of the Top 25 UVs in CY2024.
Also see:
Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, JLR see highest-ever India sales in 2024
