5 Best Car Brands In India In 2024

Today, the Indian car market has a plethora of options for new car buyers. This is vastly possible because, over the last decade, new carmakers have set up shop in India. It has led to newer, more advanced cars coming into the market. Ten years ago, technology like ADAS was quite simply unheard of in Indian cars, but now, most new cars above the ₹ 10 lakh mark come equipped with ADAS. Such a leap has only been possible because carmakers have constantly upgraded themselves and strived to offer the latest technology to Indian buyers.

The Indian buyers return the favour by buying a car from the brand they consider best. So, to decide which are the top carmakers in India, we decided to put them head-to-head by using their sales numbers from CY (calendar year) 2023. We have also mentioned the CY 2022 sales next to their CY 2023 counterparts, however, these are only for reference.

List of top car brands in India

The table above gives a clear view of the performance from the top 10 carmakers in 2023. Now, let’s dive deeper into the individual carmakers and what makes them special.

10. Renault India

Renault is a French carmaker that arrived on Indian shores in the year 2008. It launched its first car in 2011 and it was a sedan called Fluence. There have been other models from the brand that have gained significant popularity in India. The most notable Duster SUV was launched in 2012 and was finally discontinued in 2022. The Triber and the Kwid are among other popular models from Renault India that are currently on sale in India.

9. Skoda Auto India

Skoda burst onto the Indian stage back in 2001 with the legendary Octavia. It was followed by the Superb, Laura, Fabia, Rapid and Yeti. All these cars were considered a success in their own rights as they were meticulously engineered. Currently, Skoda sells two aggressively priced cars in India - the Slavia and Kushaq. Skoda Auto India also sells the Kodiaq SUV and the Superb sedan which cater to the premium car market.

8. MG Motor India

MG Motor is originally a British brand but it is owned by the Chinese automotive company SAIC Motor. SAIC introduced the MG Motor  brand to India in 2017. In late 2023, the JSW Group acquired a 35 percent stake in the brand’s India operations, and currently, SAIC owns 49 percent of MG Motor. MG Motor started its India journey with the Hector SUV. It was also the first carmaker to introduce ADAS to the mass market in India with its full-size SUV Gloster.

7. Honda Cars India

Honda began its India operations in 1998 with its first plant in Greater Noida and the iconic Honda City as its first product. Over the years, the Japanese brand brought some great name plates to the Indian market such as the Accord, CR-V, Jazz and Brio. However, the Japanese automaker’s portfolio has shrunk significantly over the years. Currently, Honda Cars continues to sell the City, the Amaze and the newly designed Elevate SUV.

6. Toyota Kirloskar India

Toyota is another Japanese brand that is held in high regard in India, and it launched its first car in India in the year 2000. It was the legendary Qualis. From there onwards, Toyota Kirloskar India launched highly reliable premium cars in India such as the Corolla and Camry, all of which became highly successful. Later on, Toyota moved on to the Innova and Fortuner, which turned out to be gold mines for the Japanese carmaker due to their high popularity and demand, which exists till date.

5. Kia India

Kia’s rise to fame in India has been meteoric. Having launched its first car in India back in 2019 in the form of the Seltos, Kia India soon rose to being the fourth-best selling carmaker in India within a year. With six different products on sale in the Indian market, Kia’s has cemented its position among its rivals. No other modern day newcomer in the Indian market has enjoyed such a successful reception from Indian car buyers.

4. Mahindra & Mahindra

Mahindra launched its first car in India in 1993 and it was called the Armada. Subsequently, it manufactured a lot of utilitarian models that were robust, but hardly offered any creature-comforts. Then, in 2000, Mahindra & Mahindra launched the Bolero, which was a step up from their previous offerings. In the last decade, Mahindra has almost managed to reinvent itself by bringing in cars like the XUV700, the new Thar, and the Scorpio. These models have made Mahindra a serious player in the passenger vehicle space.

3. Tata Motors

Tata is another homegrown carmaker that started its passenger vehicle operations in the year 1991 with the launch of the highly acclaimed Tata Sierra. The SUV was unlike anything else seen on Indian roads back then. Over the years, Tata Motors manufactured highly popular models like the Indica, Safari and Sumo. Currently, Tata is investing heavily in the EV space with multiple electric vehicles on offer and also sells SUVs like the Harrier and Curvv which have appealed to buyers with their intricate designs.

2. Hyundai Motor India

Hyundai began its India operations with the Santro in 1998. Over the years, the South Korean carmaker has managed to enter most passenger car segments that can be termed mass-market. Hyundai Motor India has been the number two carmaker in India since its debut. The Santro, Getz and Accent are three of the most fondly remembered models from Hyundai India, but they all stand discontinued. However, Hyundai changed the Indian automotive landscape with the introduction of the Creta in 2015.

1. Maruti Suzuki India

Maruti Suzuki was the first company set up in India that focused on modern (for the time) passenger cars for the Indian market. It was initially called Maruti Udyog Limited. The first car manufactured by Maruti was the popular 800. Over the years, Maruti Suzuki has had some really popular cars in its lineup such as the Gypsy, Zen, Esteem and the Alto (which continues to be present on showroom floors today). 

Best luxury car brands in India

There are many luxury car brands present in India. In terms of sales, it is Mercedes-Benz that has led the sales charts over the years, while BMW has been a close second. Audi is also into the mix and combined, these three make up for most of the luxury cars sold in India.

Then, there are also brands like Lexus, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mini, Porsche, Maserati and Volvo that operate in the Indian market. Their sales volumes, however, aren't as strong as the German trio mentioned above.

Lastly, there are brands like Lamborghini, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce Aston Martin, McLaren and Bentley as well. While their sales volume is limited in India, these brands cater mostly to high net-worth individuals.

FAQs

Q. Which car brands are known for manufacturing the safest cars in India?

In the mass-market segments, Tata Motors, Mahindra, Skoda and Volkswagen are known for making the safest cars in India.

Q. Which car brand in India has the lowest maintenance cost?

Maruti Suzuki and Toyota are known to have some of the lowest maintenance costs for passenger cars in India.

Q. Which are the most reliable Indian car brands?

Maruti Suzuki is one of the most reliable car brands in India.

Q. Which car brands have the best resale value in India?

Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai cars have the best resale value in India.

Q. Which car brand offers the best fuel efficiency?

Maruti Suzuki offers the most fuel efficient cars in India.

Q. Which car brand offers the best value for money?

Maruti Suzuki cars are the most value for money cars sold in India.

Q. Which car brand focuses on electric vehicles?

Tata Motors is an Indian car brand that focuses heavily on electric vehicles.

Q. Which car brand offers a wide range of SUVs?

Mahindra is known for offering a wide range of SUVs in the Indian market.

Q. Which car brand offers the best after-sales service?

Kia is known for offering one of the best after-sales service experiences for passenger cars in India.