Cars Launched In First 3 Months Of 2026 And How They Are Doing In The Market
The Indian automotive space had a busy start this year. We saw several new launches from various manufacturers, across segments and price ranges. Most of these have been performing exceptionally well in terms of sales as well. Here’s a closer look.
Launched in early January 2026, the Mahindra XUV 7XO has been exhibiting steady performance in sales. Deliveries of the three-row SUV began in mid-January. The 7XO sold 10,133 units in the first month. 9,112 units were retailed in the second month. In March, Mahindra posted sales of 9210 units of the 7XO. In short, nearly 30,000 XUV 7XOs were sold in just three months.
The XUV 7XO is, in fact, the facelifted XUV 700. It comes with the same set of engines- 2.2L turbocharged diesel and a 2.0L turbo-petrol- as the previous model. These are available with both automatic and manual transmissions. The design and packaging have, however, been updated on the new model.
Tata Motors launched the new Sierra in November last year. Deliveries began in mid-January. In the first month itself, 7003 Sierras found takers. In February, Tata Motors posted sales of 7100 units. 9003 units of the Sierra were sold in March. The gradual rise in numbers is a strong indicator of Tata Motors working their way through supplier constraints and ramping up Sierra’s production at the Sanand facility.
This mid-size SUV has generated huge interest among potential buyers and supply remains the only bottleneck. In the coming months, we expect to see the monthly number go further up.
The new Sierra is also available with both petrol and diesel engines- 1.5L direct injection turbocharged petrol, 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol and 1.5L diesel. Both automatic and manual gearboxes are available on the naturally aspirated petrol and diesel engines. The turbo-petrol only comes with an automatic transmission.
Another recent entrant into the mid-size SUV space is the second-generation Seltos which was launched in January. Deliveries started shortly after and the manufacturer posted sales of 10,639 units in the first month itself. In February, 10,308 units of the Seltos found takers. March numbers stood at 11041 units.
Like the Sierra, the new Seltos is also available with three engine options- 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol, 1.5L turbocharged diesel and 1.5L turbocharged petrol. Both manual and automatic transmissions are also available. The new-generation is larger than the one it replaces, and comes with completely new exterior and interior designs.
Tata Motors rolled out facelifts on the hot-selling Punch and Punch.EV in January and February respectively. The internal combustion version’s deliveries began in February while the facelifted EV started reaching owners in early March. These have reflected well in the monthly numbers. 19,257 units of the Punch were sold in January. February numbers stood at 18,748. In March, however, the numbers rose to 20,977. This is likely due to the strong demand for the facelifted models.
The facelifted internal combustion Punch is now available with three powertrain options- 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol, a new 1.2L turbocharged petrol and CNG. The all-electric version is now available with larger battery packs- 30kWh and 40kWh, with the latter using Prismatic cells and an improved powertrain.
The eVitara is Maruti Suzuki’s first EV offering for India, which they introduced in the market in February. In the first month of commencing deliveries, the carmaker dispatched 870 units of the electric SUV. This shows decent initial demand. We don’t have March numbers yet.
The eVitara is based on the Heartect-e skateboard platform and comes with two battery packs- 49kWh and 61.1 kWh. Toyota is expected to launch its own version of this EV in April, called the eBella.
Volkswagen launched the Tayron R-Line as its SUV flagship in the second half of February. In January, 5 units of it were sold- likely dealer dispatches. Volkswagen posted dispatches of 113 Tayrons in the months that followed, marking a modest start.
Based on the carmaker’s MQB Evo platform, the Tayron R-Line is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged TSI EVO petrol engine, which comes paired with a seven-speed DSG transmission.
Nissan launched the new Gravite MPV, its version of the Renault Triber, on February 17th. Deliveries began shortly after. Even though we don’t have the exact numbers, the Gravite’s introduction has made Nissan’s overall monthly volumes double! Domestic sales in February stood at 2,230 units while the same in March touched 4,408 units- 98% month-on-month increase.
The new Renault Duster launched in India on March 17th, and is available with two engine options- 1.0L turbocharged petrol and 1.3L turbocharged petrol. It is, however, too early to comment on the numbers, as deliveries are commencing in a phased manner.
The Skoda Kushaq facelift, launched on March 21, has a similar story. Too early to assess sales performance. The facelift retains the previous model’’s engine options- 1.0L TSI and 1.5TSI, with a new 8-speed automatic transmission now being offered on the former.