TL;DR
Indian utility vehicle exports surpassed passenger car exports for the first time in November 2025, indicating a significant shift in automotive trade dynamics.
November 2025 marked a significant turning point in India's automotive export landscape, as utility vehicle (UV) shipments exceeded those of traditional passenger cars for the first time. Total UV exports reached 42,993 units, surpassing passenger car exports of 40,519 units. This indicates a growing international demand for India-built utility vehicles.
For the April-November 2025 period, UV exports saw a sharp increase to 2.88 lakh units, up from 2.22 lakh units in the previous year. While overall car exports also grew to 3.04 lakh units from 2.71 lakh units, the momentum clearly shifted towards UVs. This trend suggests that utility vehicles are becoming a dominant force in India's automotive export portfolio.
Maruti Suzuki leads in the UV export segment, while also contributing over 47% of all passenger vehicles exported from India. Hyundai, Nissan, and Toyota are other key players in the utility vehicle export market. This shift is expected to continue, with FY26 potentially becoming the first fiscal year where total UV exports formally outpace car exports.
