Czech automaker Skoda Auto is celebrating its silver jubilee milestone in India. The OEM had entered the Indian market in January 2000 and had laid the foundation stone for its plant in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) making it the first Volkswagen Group brand to establish a presence in the domestic market.

The Skoda Octavia was the first model by the Volkswagen Group to be assembled locally in India.

Skoda Auto shared that its India operations plays a key role in its global plans, which has enabled to effectively leverage existing sales potential in the ASEAN region, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

It was in 2018, that Volkswagen Group appointed Skoda Auto to spearhead all activities in India jointly since 2018. Fast forward to present, Skoda has developed and produces three models locally in India for India, based on the localised MQB A0–IN platform: the Kushaq, the Slavia and the Kylaq compact SUV. 

Klaus Zellmer, CEO, Skoda Auto, said, “We have built on 25 years of experience in India to make this thriving market the cornerstone of our international growth strategy. With its tremendous talent pool, growing consumer demand, and access to other markets, India is becoming our second pillar outside Europe and helping leverage further sales potential in ASEAN, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific region. Skoda has been a notable brand in India since we entered the market with the Octavia in 2001. We now produce in two plants. We have launched three all-new models specifically for India, achieving localisation of up to 95 percent: the Skoda Kushaq, Slavia and just recently the Kylaq compact SUV, which complement the Octavia and Superb we also sell through a growing dealer network. In the last two years, we have increased customer touchpoints across the country by 35 percent. India also contributes to the global sustainability goals of Skoda Auto. One plant already runs entirely on green energy, while the plant in Pune expanded its photovoltaic system to deliver up to 30 percent of its electricity needs. I want to thank all our Indian colleagues for helping power the next stage of our growth, and especially our customers for their trust in our products. With this passion, we can achieve even greater things in the next 25 years!"

Piyush Arora, MD & CEO, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, said, “Skoda was the first brand to establish Volkswagen Group’s presence in India, setting up its first plant in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar back in January 2000. As Skoda celebrates 25 years in the country, the Group’s focus on the Indian market continues to strengthen. With evolving consumer preferences, we are introducing products that combine the Group’s global expertise with a deep understanding of the Indian market. Today, our model lineup features advanced vehicles designed and built specifically for India, including the newly unveiled compact SUV, Skoda Kylaq.”

“This dynamic market has become the foundation of Skoda’s internationalisation strategy, driven by our commitment to innovation, safety, sustainability and customer-centric solutions. We are dedicated to enhancing our manufacturing capabilities & sales touchpoints and advancing our sustainability initiatives to deliver long-term value to our customers, employees, and communities,” added Arora.

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Honda Cars India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has announced 'Honda Alpha' as the official name of its upcoming electric SUV, which is scheduled to make its global debut on 2 December 2026.

The model marks the company's first manufactured electric SUV in India, with the country serving as the global production base for the model.

The e-SUV was previously shown as a concept prototype at the Japan Mobility Show 2025 with India to serve as the initial market for the model's rollout. The announcement also marks the debut of Honda's new H mark in the company's official communication in India, reflecting the corporate brand transformation. The revised badge will be applied to the Honda Alpha as its first model in the country.

Toshiyuki Yanagisawa, President and CEO, Honda Cars India, said, "We are delighted to announce Honda Alpha as the official name of our upcoming electric SUV. Honda Alpha represents our ambition to bring advanced electric mobility to our customers in India while delivering the quality, reliability and joy of driving that Honda is known for. With India serving as the global production base for this model in future, it is an important step in Honda’s electrification journey and reflects our strong commitment to the Indian market. We look forward to ushering in a new chapter for Honda in India with this exciting new offering."

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Skoda Auto India has expanded its retail and service footprint to over 350 customer touchpoints across 193 cities, following the inauguration of its 350th outlet in Imphal on 30 October 2026, which marked the brand's entry into Manipur.

The company claims its network has grown by nearly 85 percent over a five-year period, increasing from 191 touchpoints in 2021 to 325 outlets in 2025 and exceeding 350 touchpoints across 29 States and Union Territories by October 2026.

Supported by 79 dealer partners, the current infrastructure comprises 270 sales touchpoints and 203 aftersales touchpoints. Between January 2025 and October 2026, the carmaker added 58 showrooms across 38 new cities and 45 workshops across 34 new cities.

Outlets established during the expansion period generated over 25 percent of the brand's total sales volume between January and October 2026. In 2026 alone, Skoda entered 11 new cities, including Balasore, Baramati, Bathinda, Bikaner, Guna, Imphal, Jorhat, Kaithal, Khammam, Sri Ganganagar and Vasai.

The brand's dealer partner in Bengaluru secured the top position for dealership customer experience in the CarPhD survey, which evaluated 16 cities, 18 automotive brands, and 88,000 customer reviews. Ownership propositions are further supported by Skoda Super Care, providing a four-year standard warranty, roadside assistance, and complimentary service labour, alongside Skoda Express Care for expedited service turnaround times.

Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India, said, "Surpassing 350 Customer Touchpoints across 193 cities demonstrates our commitment to bringing Skoda closer to customers across India. Our dealer partners, both existing and new, are central to this journey, and I thank them for sharing our vision of building a stronger Skoda brand in India. As we enter new markets, our priority is clear - to deliver a consistent, enriching customer experience across sales and aftersales. Together with our expanding product portfolio and customer-first initiatives, this growing network will help us strengthen customer trust and deepen our relevance across the country."

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Nissan Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has recorded domestic wholesale dispatches of 3,600 units in October 2026, marking a 50 percent YoY increase compared to 2,402 units in October 2025.

This also marked the company's eighth consecutive month of YoY domestic volume growth.

For YTD (January to October) 2026, the company registered total wholesales of 85,124 units across domestic and export operations. Export dispatches for October 2026 stood at 4,710 units. Volume performance was driven by customer response to the product lineup, including the Tekton, Magnite, and Gravite models, alongside dealer network expansion.

Saurabh Vatsa, MD, Nissan Motor India, said, "Our 50 percent YoY growth in domestic wholesales in October reflects continued customer confidence in Nissan and the progress we are making in India. With 85,124 units wholesaled across domestic and export markets between January and October, we continue to build on the strength of our expanding portfolio and dealer network. As we approach Dhanteras and Diwali, we remain focused on serving customers through distinctive products and enhanced ownership experiences. We also value the continued support of our international dealers, distributors and customers, who contribute to Nissan’s export performance."

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Honda Cars India (HCIL), a leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, has recorded total sales of 8,082 units in October 2026, supported by domestic dispatches of 7,609 units and export volumes of 473 units.

Domestic sales grew 19 percent YoY compared to 6,394 units recorded in October 2025. Export dispatches for the month stood at 473 units against 4,124 units exported in the corresponding month of the previous year.

The company attributed its domestic volume performance to demand for the updated Honda Elevate SUV alongside its existing passenger vehicle portfolio.

Kunal Behl, Vice-President of Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India, said, "We are delighted with our strong sales performance in October, driven by robust festive demand and positive customer sentiment across our model line-up. The highlight of the month has been the outstanding performance of the New Honda Elevate, which has received an overwhelming response from customers following its recent launch. Its bold new styling, enhanced features and strong SUV appeal have translated into excellent market demand, making it a key contributor to our October sales momentum. The encouraging performance across our portfolio reinforces customer confidence in the Honda brand. We look forward to sustaining this positive momentum in the coming months."

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