Indian utility vehicles have achieved a significant milestone in the global export market, with SUVs, MPVs and MUVs jumping 23% to 203,582 units in the April-to-August period compared to the previous year. According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), utility vehicles now account for 56% of total car exports, while passenger car exports fell 16% to 154,190 units, representing a 43% share. This marks the first time utility vehicles have maintained a lead over passenger cars for the past 10 months, positioning them to potentially dominate annual overseas sales for the first time in FY27.
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd has emerged as the clear leader in both utility vehicle exports and overall passenger vehicle exports from India. As reported by Mint, the company's exports grew 14% to 186,603 units with utility vehicles comprising 62% of the total. Rahul Bharti, senior executive officer at Maruti Suzuki, noted that the company holds a 51.8% share in overall passenger vehicle exports during April-August 2026 and maintains a 57% share in the UV space, reflecting strong global consumer demand for their utility vehicles including Fronx, Exter and Jimny models.
The utility vehicle export surge has been driven by multiple manufacturers beyond Maruti Suzuki. According to Siam data, Hyundai's utility vehicle exports fell 7% to 12,310 units while passenger car exports declined 13% to 58,948 units, increasing UV share to 17%. Nissan's India unit achieved the second-largest utility vehicle export position in FY26 with 56,712 UV units constituting 68% of its export mix, with this share increasing to 87% in the April-to-August period. The company's B-SUV Nissan Magnite is now available across over 65 markets globally.
The export success mirrors a dramatic shift in India's domestic passenger vehicle market, where utility vehicles now account for almost 67% of sales in FY26 with over 3.1 million units sold compared to 1.37 million passenger cars. As reported by Siam, passenger vehicle exports rose 18% to 905,200 units in FY26, with passenger cars holding a 49.6% share and utility vehicles accounting for 49.2%. This domestic preference for SUVs is increasingly being reflected in overseas markets, with industry executives noting growing demand for utility vehicles across multiple export destinations.
Industry experts attribute the utility vehicle export success to improved product quality and expanding market opportunities. Arun Malhotra, an auto industry expert, noted that the quality of utility vehicles has improved, helping larger cars gain ground in global markets. The export market expansion has enabled companies to enter newer regions and segments that were previously out of reach, with companies like Tata Motors aggressively expanding in South Africa and Mahindra studying global markets for passenger vehicle entry. Hyundai's Tarun Garg expects this utility vehicle momentum to continue, supported by sustained demand across multiple export markets.
