Maruti Suzuki Dzire Becomes India's Best-Selling Car in July 2025, Creta and Punch Lose Steam

In a crucial development for India's passenger car industry, Maruti Suzuki Dzire was the highest-selling vehicle in July 2025, with 20,895 units, as per reliable industry sources. This represents a steep month-on-month jump from 15,484 units in June 2025 and a healthy year-on-year increase from around 16,300 units in July 2024.

This is also the second instance in FY26 when the Dzire has been among the top three best-sellers, and the first instance this fiscal year that the car has topped the charts. The sub-compact sedan remains particularly popular with customers from semi-urban and Tier 2/3 cities, for the most part because of its price, high mileage (including CNG variants), and low operating costs.

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Top 10 Best-Selling Cars – July 2025

Maruti Suzuki dominates 7 of the top 10 positions. This sustained dominance is a testament to the company's success in serving India's price-sensitive car buyers with a broad model portfolio of hatchbacks, MPVs, and SUVs driven by petrol, CNG, and mild-hybrid powertrains.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Q1 Results: Exports Drive Through, Small Car Sales Dip 37%

Creta’s Fall From the Top After June High

Whereas Hyundai's Creta had been the top seller in June 2025 with 15,786 units, the compact SUV slipped to second position in July, though it managed to improve its own figures to 16,900 units. Though the Creta marked 10 years in the Indian market, it is being increasingly put under pressure by Maruti's low-priced offerings and a wider buyer preference towards CNG-capable and cheaper cars. However, it does claim the top honours for being the highest-selling SUV for July 2025. 

Other Hyundai models, such as the Venue, i20, Verna, Alcazar, Aura, and Grand i10 Nios, continue to see average performance, none breaking into the top 10 individually.

Acko Drive has contacted Hyundai India to share the sales figures of other products in its portfolio. 

Also Read: Auto Sales July 2025: Maruti Suzuki Posts 180,526 Units in July 2025; Robust Export Hike Offsets Flat Domestic Sales

Ertiga, Wagon R, and Swift Reinforce Maruti’s Breadth

The Maruti Ertiga was India's top-selling MPV, coming in third at 16,604 units, and was attractive to private consumers and fleet operators alike because it was practical and offered dual-fuel (petrol + CNG) options.

The Wagon R and Swift followed with 14,710 and 14,190 units respectively, further cementing Maruti’s stronghold in the hatchback and compact segments. The Brezza with 14,065 units continued to hold its place as a volume driver in the compact SUV segment, ahead of both Tata and Hyundai’s offerings in the category.

Mahindra’s Scorpio Climbs Back Into the Top 10

Mahindra's Scorpio with 13750 units took the seventh position. Its steady demand, particularly from rural and semi-urban customers who appreciate its strong build and dominant road presence, earns it Mahindra's sole position in the July top 10 list.

Tata Nexon and Punch Struggle Amid Rising Competition

Tata’s Nexon, which once held the distinction of being India's best-selling SUV, was relegated to the ninth position with 12,836 units in July. It continues to face pressure from newer rivals and Maruti’s expanding SUV portfolio.

Surprisingly, the Tata Punch, which was a consistent top 5 performer throughout 2024, dropped out of the top 10 list entirely in July 2025. The model has seen over 40 per cent year-on-year decline in recent months, likely due to:

• Lack of significant updates
• Rising competition from newer compact crossovers like the Nissan Magnite, Renault Triber, and Maruti’s Fronx
• A relatively dated cabin and feature list, especially when compared to more tech-laden rivals

Tata is said to be working on a mid-cycle facelift of the Punch later this year that may turn its fortunes around during the festive season.

Also Read: Auto Sales July 2025: Maruti Dominates, But Mahindra Stuns; How Were The Big Four?

CNG Strategy Pays Off for Maruti

One of the major growth drivers of Maruti continues to be its multi-fuel strategy, more so CNG. In April-July 2025, Maruti recorded CNG sales of more than 52,000 units, 11 per cent of total volumes, and a CNG penetration rate of 36-37 per cent in niche models.

The Dzire, Wagon R, Ertiga, and Alto K10 have all gained from this, providing customers with a reduced running cost option in the face of volatile fuel prices and increasing insurance rates.

Affordability vs Safety: The Six-Airbag Dilemma

Maruti has also made some progress in enhancing vehicle safety, with a recent promise to make six airbags standard across its range. But in the July sales briefing, company officials did admit the pricing pressure it poses, particularly in entry segments.

While premium hatchbacks and SUVs can swallow this expense more comfortably, the budget-conscious buyer of a Celerio, Alto, or S-Presso might not welcome a 5–7 per cent price increase, even though it's for safety reasons.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Set for Major Launch on September 3 – Is It the New Escudo SUV or e-Vitara EV?

Interestingly, as of today, vehicles such as the S-Presso, Ignis, and Ciaz don't come with six airbags as standard, and Maruti declined to comment on when they could get the feature.

Festive Season Outlook: Bookings Already on the Rise

With Ganesh Chaturthi and the Onam festival around the corner, Maruti has witnessed a 7 per cent increase in bookings, according to internal data revealed to the media. The automaker is gearing up for special editions of certain models, such as a Celerio special edition, to leverage festive demand and drive showroom walk-ins.

Also, with supply chain problems relaxing and dispatch cycles stabilising, the automaker is preparing to make a strong festive onslaught, especially in high-volume segments such as hatchbacks, compact SUVs, and MPVs.

Disclaimer: The story is updated with fresh sales data from other OEMs