Maruti Suzuki's market share drops to 38.8% in H1 FY26
For the first time in years, Maruti Suzuki's grip on India's car market has loosened—its share dropped to 38.8% in the first half of FY26, down from a strong 51.2% back in FY19.
Rising costs and tougher competition are making it harder for Maruti to stay on top, even with new launches like the Celerio and Grand Vitara.
Why the dip?
Some recent models, like the Jimny and Invicto, haven't really taken off. Plus, stricter rules and higher production costs have made small cars less affordable—a big deal since that's been Maruti's sweet spot for ages.
But there's a silver lining: after GST on small cars was cut to 18%, Maruti saw a surge of over 400,000 new bookings (including 80,000 just for small cars).
With fresh launches like the Victoris SUV already drawing big interest and an electric e-Vitara on the way, Maruti is hoping to bounce back soon.