Auto retail sales hit record 25.37 lakh units in September 2026: FADA
Why in the news
On 6 October 2026, the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) released retail data showing record vehicle sales of 25.37 lakh units in September 2026, the best-ever September.
Key facts
- Total retail: 25,36,920 units, up 31.82% year-on-year and 4.69% over August.
- Record month: five of the six vehicle categories reached their highest-ever levels.
- H1 FY27: retail sales for April-September stood at 1,55,12,319 units, up 20.77%, the best first half of any fiscal year.
- Low base: FADA noted the headline growth was boosted because customers had postponed purchases in September 2025 before GST 2.0 came in. FADA President Sai Giridhar put the underlying growth of the previous five months at about 17%.
- EVs: 3.34 lakh electric vehicles were sold, about 13% penetration.
| Segment | Units (Sept 2026) | Y-o-y growth |
|---|---|---|
| Two-wheelers | 17,90,188 | 33.08% |
| Passenger vehicles | 4,27,213 | 32.10% |
| Three-wheelers | 1,32,570 | 22.25% |
| Commercial vehicles | 1,03,557 | 37.62% |
| Tractors | 76,906 | 13.75% |
| Construction equipment | 6,486 | 38% |
About FADA
FADA is the apex body of automobile dealers in India and publishes monthly retail (registration-based) sales data, which differs from factory dispatch (wholesale) numbers released by manufacturers. Its dealer survey showed 75.57% of dealers expecting growth in October and 78.28% expecting growth in the October-December quarter.
Exam angle
- Total September 2026 retail: 25.37 lakh units, growth of about 31.8%.
- Commercial vehicles recorded the fastest growth among the four main segments (37.6%).
- Note the base effect linked to GST 2.0 when interpreting the growth rate.