Festive boost powers Tata Motors to second spot for second straight month

Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) has consolidated its No. 2 position in India’s passenger-vehicle retail market for the second straight month, according to data from the government’s Vahaan portal (which excludes Telangana). The company retailed 73,879 units in October 2025, ahead of Mahindra & Mahindra (67,444) and Hyundai Motor India (65,048).

The gap between Tata and its closest rivals has widened visibly, about 7,900 units ahead of Mahindra and 9,660 units ahead of Hyundai, up from 3,492 and 5,339 respectively in September. This reinforces the strong festive-season run of the homegrown automaker, powered by continued demand for its sport utility vehicles and electric vehicles.

Festive boost and month-on-month growth

In September 2025, Tata had delivered 41,151 units, already enough to overtake Mahindra (37,659) and Hyundai (35,812). But the October spike underlines how the company maximised the festive demand during Navratri and Diwali.

According to FADA, Navratri retail volumes grew nearly 34 per cent year-on-year, and Tata Motors clearly benefited from this sentiment. Between Navratri and Diwali, Tata delivered over 1 lakh vehicles, a 33 per cent YoY jump, with SUVs forming nearly 70 per cent of that tally.

The Nexon alone contributed close to 38,000 units during the festive window, a sharp 73 per cent year-on-year surge, while the Punch added another 32,000 units, underlining Tata’s firm grip on the compact SUV space. On the electric front, models like the Nexon EV, Tiago EV, and Punch EV together crossed 10,000 retails, reflecting more than 37 per cent growth over last year’s festive season.

Rank	Carmaker	October 2025 Sales (As per Vahaan portal)	Key Models Driving Sales
1	Maruti Suzuki	2,39,086	Swift, Brezza, Baleno, Ertiga, Fronx
2	Tata Motors	73,879	Nexon, Punch, Tiago EV, Punch EV, Harrier
3	Mahindra & Mahindra	67,444	Scorpio, XUV 3XO, Bolero Neo, Thar
4	Hyundai Motor India	65,048	Creta, Venue, Exter, i20

What’s driving the surge

The surge is hardly surprising, the Nexon and Punch continue to form the backbone of Tata’s passenger vehicle lineup, and the refreshed Nexon range, now equipped with ADAS and the new Red #DARK Edition has struck a chord with younger urban buyers seeking a blend of technology, design, and value.

At the same time, Tata's first-mover advantage in the mass-market EV space has paid off with the Punch EV adding to incremental volumes and strengthening its lead in affordable electrification. Supporting these product strengths was well-timed festive execution, led by well-coordinated dealer stock planning, attractive finance offers, and focused marketing activation that timed well with heightened festive demand across key markets.

The road ahead

Even if the numbers from October are optimistic, Tata's next hurdle will be to keep that momentum. Demand typically dips after Diwali and you see competitors sharpening their respective competitive advantages - with Mahindra with the upcoming XUV 700 facelift, Hyundai with the 2025 Venue, and Maruti Suzuki with its newly launched Victoris. However, Tata has also prepped for the second half of the financial year with a slew of launches including Tata Sierra - both in ICE and EV form, along with Punch facelift and more.

Other potential issues could stem from macroeconomic concerns ranging from interest rate sensitivity to supply chain issues, but for the time being, Tata Motors' slip into second position for two months in a row signals operational agility and consumer confidence.

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