SUVs continue their dominant streak as the vehicle of choice across demographics. They have come to account for a 43 percent year-on-year traffic increase across all sub-segments, according to a statement by CarDekho.com.  
Released with an eye on the festive season of 2024, the statement takes a look at the pre-festive season traffic trends across various sub-segments of the four-wheel passenger vehicle industry during the period April-September. 
With SUVs dominating, the statement reads that 58 models are available in the respective segment. Stating that more models are scheduled to be launched in FY2024-25, it underlines the broad range of fuel and engine type combinations, catering to diverse consumer needs and providing tailored options to suit varying preferences.
In the April-September 2024 period, the mass SUV segment led the growth in the automotive market, registering a strong 43 percent year-over-year (YoY) increase in traffic. Its contribution to overall traffic on the platform rose from 50 percent to 63 percent, making it the most dominant body type. 
While all SUV sub-segments displayed significant growth, the compact SUVs (sub-four-metre) sub-segment led the charge in the SUV segment with 37 percent year-on-year growth, increasing their traffic contribution from 32 percent to 38 percent. 
Interesting is the rise in prices of hatchbacks in the Indian market with their average selling price getting close to the average selling price of SUVs. 
This is said to be one of the factors that is leading to a switch to SUVs. With executive SUVs witnessing the highest growth within the SUV category at 47 percent year-on-year increase (their share is rising from 15 percent to 19 percent respectively), the demand for SUVs is expected to rise steadily over the short and mid-term as existing as well as new infrastructure quality continues to be a matter of concern. The quality of infrastructure looks inversely proportional to the rise in toll tax ironically across highways and city roads. 
The midsize SUV sub-segment also performed well with a 31 percent year-on-year increase, as per the CarDekho.com statement.

Mass hatchback segment
In the mass hatchback segment, traffic grew by 28 percent year-on-year, driven largely by premium hatchbacks that make up 86 percent of the total traffic in the respective category. 
Premium hatchbacks experienced a 31 percent year-on-year growth, while mini hatchbacks grew by 20 percent. The micro hatchbacks saw a 22 percent decline in traffic (this includes cars like the Marut Alto).
With a shift in consumer interest away from smaller, ultra-compact vehicles evident, it is the SUVs that seem to benefit from rather than sedans. 
The sedans showed the lowest growth among all body types with an 18 percent year-on-year increase, maintaining a consistent 15 percent share of overall traffic. Despite this, the premium sedan segment saw a significant 65 percent year-on-year growth even though it is driven by just one model. The sub-segment’s contribution remains at only one percent of total site traffic.
“The continued growth of the SUV segment reflects a strong and evolving consumer preference within the automotive industry. SUVs have become the vehicle of choice for a wide range of buyers due to their versatility, enhanced driving comfort, and ability to meet the diverse needs of Indian consumers. Compact SUVs, in particular, have gained significant traction, offering the perfect combination of practicality and performance. As we see this segment expand, it's driving healthy competition, promoting innovation, and ultimately offering a wider range of choices to the Indian consumer. This surge signals a maturing market where consumers are increasingly discerning, pushing the industry to elevate its game across design, features, and value proposition,” said Mayank Jain, CEO, New Auto (CarDekho Group).

Luxury autos
On the luxury brand side, the CarDekho.com statement reads, that traffic rose by 17 percent year-on-year across all model pages. Although luxury vehicles continue to garner interest, their share of total traffic remains relatively low compared to mass market segments, it mentioned.

Image for representative purpose only
 

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Mercedes-Benz India has officially launched the all-new CLA BEV, marking the debut of the Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA) and the proprietary MB.OS (Mercedes-Benz Operating System) in the Indian market.

The launch represents a significant milestone in the brand's electrification roadmap, with the company claiming it recorded over 400 pre-launch bookings prior to the official announcement.

The CLA BEV is introduced in three distinct variants, headlined by an 800-volt architecture that allows for industry-leading charging speeds.

Performance and Charging

Built as a ‘born electric’ sedan, the CLA BEV sets a new benchmark for efficiency with a drag coefficient of 0.21.

• Ultra-Fast Charging: Supporting up to 320 kW DC charging, the CLA 250+ can add 400 km of range in just 20 minutes using a 240 kW charger.
• Powertrain: The CLA 250+ delivers a peak output of 200 kW, achieving 0–100 km/h in 6.7 seconds powered by an 85.5 kWh battery.
• Indian Adaptation: The vehicle’s suspension has been specifically tuned to handle Indian road conditions.

The CLA is the first vehicle in India to feature MB.OS, which integrates the 4th generation of MBUX.

The EV sees integrated AI, which is powered by NVIDIA chips capable of 508 trillion operations per second, the car features a virtual assistant integrated with ChatGPT-4, MS Bing and Gemini.

The CLA BEV supports seamless Over-the-Air (OTA) updates and comes standard with Level 2 ADAS, upgradeable to L2+ via software. High-end variants feature the MBUX Superscreen and a panoramic sunroof with a 250-nanometre ‘Heat Protection Coating’ to filter UV and glare.

In a move to build customer trust, Mercedes-Benz launched India’s first ‘High-Voltage Battery Report’. This system-generated report provides owners with a physical and diagnostic evaluation of the battery's health (State of Charge Energy - SOCE), ensuring transparency for future resale and long-term ownership.

Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “The CLA BEV is the most intelligent Mercedes-Benz ever; born electric, a true range champion and a hallmark of high product substance. As Mercedes-Benz’s first next-generation BEV to debut in India, the CLA underlines our confident BEV strategy shaped by feature-rich, technology-driven products.”

Mercedes-Benz is backing the launch with a comprehensive ecosystem, including the MB.CHARGE public network, which now covers over 9,000 charging points across India. Ownership is further simplified through Star Agility+ financing, offering a 59% assured buy-back value and EMIs starting at INR 62,000. All models come with an 8-year/160,000 km battery warranty. Deliveries for the CLA 250+ begin at the end of April 2026, while the CLA 200 will follow in June 2026.

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Chinese automotive major Chery has officially launched its new global value proposition, ‘For Family’, marking a strategic transition from a ‘Global Brand’ to a ‘Global Citizen’ at Auto China 2026.

During the event, the company announced an ambitious target to serve 10 million customers worldwide by 2030. The new slogan and strategic roadmap were unveiled by Jeff Zhang, CEO of the Chery Brand, who emphasised that the shift is rooted in providing ‘trusted quality and thoughtful technology’ for household mobility.

The new proposition is built upon three core ‘equalities’ designed to make premium automotive features accessible to a broader demographic:

• Uncompromising Safety: Prioritising high-standard safety features for every passenger, regardless of vehicle segment.
• Space Equality: Optimising interior dimensions to ensure maximum comfort and utility for all family members.
• Technology Equality: Bringing advanced smart features and connectivity to mass-market models.

As a concrete implementation of this new philosophy, Chery debuted the Tiggo V at the exhibition. The vehicle is designed to showcase the ‘For Family’ pillars, offering enhanced cabin flexibility and integrated smart safety systems tailored for multi-generational use.

Chery’s expansion is supported by a significant global footprint established over 23 years. Currently, the brand serves 4.5 million customers across 120 countries. Its ‘In somewhere, For somewhere’ localised philosophy is powered by:

• 8 R&D centres and 36 production bases worldwide.
• A network of over 2,000 dealers and 1,800 service centres.
• The Chery Family Care service brand, which provides dedicated aftersales support.

Jeff Zhang, said, "For Family is not just a slogan; it is a promise that we safeguard the peace of mind and joy on every journey, through trusted quality and thoughtful technology."

This announcement follows a year of rapid growth for the brand, which now sees a new family join its user base every minute on average. By focusing on the ‘Global Citizen’ model, Chery aims to achieve mutual prosperity with the local communities where it operates through sustainable and community-focused manufacturing.

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Maruti Suzuki India Limited recorded its highest-ever annual production volume, reaching 2.34 million units during fiscal year 2025-26. This achievement establishes the automaker as the only original equipment manufacturer in India to attain such a production milestone for passenger vehicles. Furthermore, among all of Suzuki Motor Corporation’s global automobile manufacturing facilities, Maruti Suzuki stands alone in reaching this landmark volume.

The company currently operates four manufacturing plants located in Gurugram, Manesar, Kharkhoda in Haryana and Hansalpur in Gujarat, with a combined installed annual capacity of 2.40 million units. In March 2026, as part of its capacity expansion strategy, Maruti Suzuki identified land for a fifth manufacturing facility at the Khoraj Industrial Estate in Sanand, Gujarat. Once fully operational, this new plant is expected to add an annual production capacity of one million units. The most produced models during the year included the Dzire, Fronx, Swift, Ertiga and Baleno, each surpassing the 200,000-unit mark.

The company manufactures 17 models with over 650 variants to meet both domestic and export market requirements. This record production volume underscores Maruti Suzuki’s dominant position in India’s passenger vehicle segment and its unique standing within the global Suzuki manufacturing network.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, “This is a proud moment for us, as very few companies across the world have been able to manufacture such large volumes in a single country. At Maruti Suzuki, we have always believed in offering products and technologies that complement the evolving needs and aspirations of our customers, earning their trust, generation after generation. This achievement is the outcome of a carefully nurtured automobile ecosystem built over four and a half decades. At its foundation lies the mutual trust and longstanding collaboration that we share with our employees, vendor and dealer partners. This ecosystem supported by the current government’s policy environment, like the rollout of GST 2.0, strengthened market confidence and stimulated demand at a critical time allowing us to manufacture record-high units.”

He added, “Our parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation’s strong belief in India’s growth story, along with an increased focus on developing India as an export hub, is enabling us to further expand our production capacity. We aim to scale it to about four million units per annum.”

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Nissan Motor India (NMIPL), in partnership with Vibrant Nissan, reached a significant sales milestone by delivering 100 units of the all-new Nissan Gravite in a single day in Hyderabad.

The mass delivery event, held at Le Palais Royal Crown Villa Garden on 22 April 2026, the company said, highlights the strong market reception for the Gravite following its recent entry into the mid-size SUV segment.

The Nissan Gravite is positioned as a versatile family vehicle, featuring a bold design language and a focus on cabin flexibility. The successful delivery of 100 units underscores rising customer confidence in Nissan's refreshed product portfolio, which is currently anchored by the long-standing success of the Nissan Magnite and now bolstered by the Gravite's premium features and safety package.

With an expanding dealer network and a renewed focus on the Indian market, Nissan is entering a new phase of growth. The Gravite's performance in high-potential markets like Hyderabad is seen as a key indicator of the brand's ability to compete in the highly contested SUV categories.

"The 100 Gravite delivery milestone reflects growing demand for Nissan Motor India and rising customer confidence in the all-new Nissan Gravite. Backed by the Gravite’s bold design, spacious and flexible cabin, strong safety package, Nissan’s expanding network and the continued strong run of the Nissan Magnite, the company is entering a new phase of growth in India," said the company in a statement.

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