SIAM October 2026: PV Hits Record 5.19 Lakh

India's passenger vehicle sales reached a record 5.19 lakh units in October 2026, up 12.4 per cent from 4.62 lakh a year earlier, according to data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), as reported by ANI on 13 November 2026. It is the strongest October on record for the segment. Two-wheelers grew 16.1 per cent to 25.78 lakh units, and scooters were the standout. We could not open SIAM's own release, so the figures below come from the ANI report, which DevDiscourse and Awaz The Voice also carried with the same numbers. SIAM data usually counts dispatches from factories to dealers, not retail registrations.

October 2026 at a Glance

The coverage we found does not give figures for passenger cars, utility vehicles, vans, mopeds or commercial vehicles, and it has no year-to-date totals.

Scooters Drove the Two-Wheeler Gain

Our calculation from the table: two-wheeler sales grew by about 3.58 lakh units, and scooters alone added about 2.63 lakh of that, which is roughly 73 per cent of the increase. Scooters made up about 42.6 per cent of two-wheeler sales in October 2026, against about 37.6 per cent a year earlier. Back-calculating from the 6.6 per cent growth rate, motorcycles added only about 0.88 lakh units, and mopeds, which the report does not give, account for the small remainder. Our September reports showed the same pattern: the Honda Activa gained about 1.15 lakh units over September 2025 on its own.

Exports

Total automobile exports rose 26.06 per cent to 6.82 lakh units from 5.41 lakh. Two-wheelers made up 5.44 lakh of that (up 26.48 per cent), which is about 80 per cent of all exports by our calculation. Other export figures:

1. Scooters: 85,292 units, up 80.42 per cent from 47,274.
2. Three-wheelers: 53,039 units, up 26.69 per cent.
3. Passenger vehicles: 83,716 units, up 21.79 per cent from 68,738. This excludes manufacturers whose data were unavailable.

Wholesale and Retail Can Tell Different Stories

SIAM's numbers measure what factories send to dealers. Retail sales, reported by FADA, measure what dealers register. Autocar Professional's headline on FADA's October data says passenger vehicle retail fell 14.23 per cent to 5.08 lakh. We could not open that article, so we cannot confirm the details. If that figure is right, dispatches rose 12.4 per cent while retail fell, which means more of the production would have gone into dealer stock. Read the FADA release before drawing conclusions. For how this played out in the previous month, see our FADA September 2026 retail report and our September two-wheeler retail report.

SIAM Director General Rajesh Menon said, "The Indian automobile industry continues to witness healthy demand momentum," according to ANI.

What It Means for Buyers

The data shows record factory output and rising dispatches heading into the festive period, but it does not show how many buyers took delivery. If you are planning a purchase, check what stock your dealer actually holds and which discounts apply. For car buyers, the model-wise picture is in our September SUV sales ranking.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many passenger vehicles did India sell in October 2026? SIAM data, as reported by ANI, shows 5.19 lakh units, up 12.4 per cent from October 2025 and the highest October on record.

Is this retail or wholesale data? SIAM figures generally count dispatches from manufacturers to dealers. Retail registrations are reported separately by FADA.

Which segment grew the fastest? Among the segments reported, scooters grew 31.6 per cent to 10.97 lakh units. Scooter exports rose even faster at 80.42 per cent.

Sources: ANI, 13 November 2026; DevDiscourse; Awaz The Voice; SIAM (siam.in). Retail reference: Autocar Professional's headline on FADA's October data.

Have a tip on India's auto and EV space? Write to us at contact@techyrobber.com