Tata Punch and Hyundai Creta in close fight for No. 1 SUV title in FY2025

As FY2025 draws to a close and with only March 2025 to be counted, the countdown to the title of India’s No. 1 SUV as well as Utility Vehicle (UV) has begun. As per the latest estimated wholesales numbers for the best-selling models, the Tata Punch – CY2024’s No. 1 SUV with 202,031 units – is facing a stiff challenge from the Hyundai Creta midsize SUV, which is hard on the Punch’s heels and within wheels’ range of the crown.  The Maruti Brezza and Maruti Ertiga are not very far behind and could be in the reckoning too.  

The Tata Punch, currently Tata Motors’ best-selling model and the No. 1 compact SUV in the current fiscal, has registered 17% YoY growth with sale of an estimated 178,853 units in the past 11 months from April 2024 to February 2025, which puts it just 2,041 units ahead of the Hyundai Creta. The Punch, which is available with petrol, CNG and electric powertrains, had sold 169,844 units in FY2024, up 27% YoY, and was ranked third after the Maruti Brezza and Tata Nexon.

The Hyundai Creta, whose new-generation model was launched in January 2024 and has expanded its portfolio with the arrival of the Creta Electric this January, has sold a total of 176,812 units in the past 11 months, up 21% on year-ago sales of 146,315 units. January 2025 was a red-letter month for India’s best-selling midsize SUV with a best-ever monthly 18,522 units as the ICE Creta was joined by the Creta Electric in the market. However, sales dropped 12% month on month in February. If the Creta siblings maintain January-like rapid growth in March, the Creta could drive past the Tata Punch to wrest the No. 1 SUV title from the FY2024 winner, Tata Nexon. In FY2024, the Creta had clocked sales of 162,773 units, up 8% YoY, and was ranked fourth.

At 174,170 units, the Maruti Ertiga, the first of the two MPVs in this bestsellers’ list, is 2,642 units behind the Creta. Sales in the current fiscal are up by nearly 30% and having already sold 24,413 units more this fiscal, this popular family mover is having a great run in the ultra-competitive marketplace. In FY2024, the Ertiga had sold 149,757 units, up 17% YoY, and the No. 5 position.

The game-changing Maruti Brezza, which kicked off the compact SUV juggernaut all those many years ago, is the No. 4 UV in the first 11 months of FY2025 with 172,617 units, up 11% YoY.

The Maruti Fronx compact SUV has jumped into No. 5 position, ahead of the Tata Nexon, by virtue of selling over 21,000 units in February and taking the No. 1 spot last month. The Fronx’s cumulative 11-month sales are 152,547 units, up 25% YoY and already 17,812 units more than in FY2024 when it sold 134,735 units. In September 2024, the Fronx became the second Nexa SUV to achieve 200,000 sales, after the Grand Vitara.

The Mahindra Scorpio continues to have a stellar fiscal. The best-selling Mahindra model – the Scorpio N and Scorpio Classic – have together sold a total of 150,929 units, up 20% YoY (April 2023-February 2024: 126,311 units), which translates into an additional 24,618 units. This performance sees the Scorpio twins maintain the No. 6 position it had in FY2024 (141,462 units).

At an estimated 146,723 units in the first 11 months of FY2025, down 00 YoY (April 2023-February 2024: 143,244 units), the Tata Nexon is ranked seventh. In FY2024, the Tata Nexon had topped the UV chart with 171,929 units. The launch of the Nexon CNG last September as well as the Nexon ICE model acing the Bharat NCAP crash test with a 5-star rating were expected to help the Nexon recover market momentum but that didn’t happen. Sibling Punch has been outselling the Nexon right since January 2024.

The Maruti Grand Vitara midsize SUV comes in at No. 8 with 113,528 units, up 3% YoY (April 2023-February 2024: 109,937 units). In FY2024 with 121,169 units, the Grand Vitara was ranked ninth. There’s a three-row Grand Vitara in the pipeline but it won’t be available till end-2025.

The second Hyundai SUV is this list is the Hyundai Venue, the Korean manufacturer’s first compact SUV. The Venue has clocked 11-month sales of 108,672 units, down 9% on year-ago sales of 119,281 units. Demand has been flagging for the Venue, particularly since its sibling compact SUV, the Exter rolled in. What's more, with the next-gen Venue, which will up the model’s desirability quotient, slated for launch only by end-2025 or early 2026, sales will most likely continue to be slow.

Wrapping up the Top 10 UVs list is Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s best-selling product – the Innova MPV. Ranked No. 10, the Toyota Innova with its Crysta and Hycross variants – has clocked estimated wholesales of 97,348 units, up 10% YoY (April 2023-February 2024: 88,281 units). Demand for the Innova Hycross has been particularly strong, which has helped accelerate sales for this popular people transporter. In FY2024, the Innova has sold 98,180 units.

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