Amidst the raft of popular SUVs which are the growth drivers of the utility vehicle market, a clutch of multi-purpose vehicles, led by the Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Innova and the Kia Carens, continue to draw buyers with their high level of practicality and ability to transport seven people and their luggage in comfort.
11 Jul 2025 | 745 Views | By Ajit Dalvi
In India’s humungous utility vehicle market where SUVs rule the road, demand for multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) has been on the upswing for the past two years. In FY2025, MPVs accounted for around 11% of India UV Inc’s record sales of 2.79 million units and even outsold sedans. OEM factory dispatches ...
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In India’s humungous utility vehicle market where SUVs rule the road, demand for multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) has been on the upswing for the past two years. In FY2025, MPVs accounted for around 11% of India UV Inc’s record sales of 2.79 million units and even outsold sedans. OEM factory dispatches of MPVs in the recently ended first quarter of FY2026 (April-June 2025) indicate that the momentum will likely be maintained in the current fiscal, led by the segment’s consistently top three models – Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Innova Hycross/Crysta and Kia Carens.
The calling card of the MPV segment, among a host of factors in a value-conscious market like India, is the high level of practicality, the ability to transport seven people and their luggage in comfort, and the fact that more and more car-owning families are taking the road to their holidays across the country. Let’s take a quick look at the Top 10 MPVs in in Q1 FY2026 (April-June 2025).
No. 1 – Maruti Ertiga: 46,071 units, up 6%
Maruti Suzuki India's first crack at the MPV segment and the No. 1 for the past six fiscals, continues to win over buyers. Sold with petrol and CNG powertrains, the Ertiga has sold 46,071 units in the first three months of this fiscal, up 6% YoY (Q1 FY2025: 43,339 units).
This constitutes 24% of the Ertiga’s 190,974 sales in FY2025, which was its best-ever fiscal year performance and made it the best-selling utility vehicle for Maruti Suzuki and India’s third best-selling UV in FY2025 after the Tata Punch and the Hyundai Creta.
The popular and city-friendly Ertiga is a sensible MPV for large families, with comfortable seating for seven passengers. While there’s no diesel option, the 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol engine offered with manual and auto transmission gets the job done. The CNG-powered Ertiga is also in demand.
No. 2 – Toyota Innova Crysta / Hycross: 25,383 units, up 1%
The Innova MPV – Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s best-selling product – has sold 25,383 units, up 1% YoY (Q1 FY2025: 25,063 units). This total is 22% of the Innova’s sales of 107,204 units in FY2025, comprising 62,794 Hycross and 44,410 Crysta units.
While the Innova Crysta is a diesel-only model which is a dependable and reliable workhorse, customer demand continues to rise for the front-wheel-drive, petrol-only Innova Hycross. Compared to the mild hybrid variant, the strong hybrid variant shines with its high fuel efficiency of 13.1kpl in the city and 16.1kpl on the highway. The Hycross offers everything buyers with large families want and there’s a new level of luxury too in this people-mover.
No. 3 – Kia Carens / Clavis : 17,704 units, up 12%
Kia India’s high-on-space and comfort Carens MPV, which is a three-row derivative of the Seltos midsize SUV, has recently been joined by the Carens Clavis, a more upmarket sibling with more six- and seven-seater options. The Carens is now available in only two trim levels, with the more modern Clavis in focus.
The well-equipped Clavis, which comes with multiple 1.5-litre petrol and diesel powertrain options, offers comfortable seating in all three rows, a new interior, more tech and comfort features. There are 21 variants on offer – 14 petrol and 7 diesel – priced from Rs 13.47 lakh for the base petrol through to the top-end diesel (Rs 23.17 lakh, on-road Delhi).
The launch of the Clavis in May 2025 has seen a marked shift in the Carens’ monthly sales, rising from 5,259 units in April to 7,921 units in June 2025. In FY2025, the Carens had sold 64,609 units (up 2.3%), which means its Q1 FY2026 sales are 27% of last fiscal.
The Carens brand will get a further boost later this month when the electric avatar of the Clavis is launched on July 15. Kia India claims the Clavis EV has a 490km range and sports subtle EV-specific tweaks over its IC-engined sibling.
No. 4 – Maruti XL6: 9,658 units, down 4%
The XL6 is the heavily modified premium avatar of the Maruti Ertiga. This six-seater version of the Ertiga, billed as a proper alternative to India’s bestselling MPV, ticks the comfort and practicality boxes with ease. It is powered by the same 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol engine as in the Ertiga and offers the same automatic and manual gearbox options. However, while the Ertiga maintains its strong showing at the top of the Top 10 MPVs, the XL6’s Q1 FY2026 wholesales at 9,658 units are down 4% YoY (Q1 FY2024: 10,073 units). In FY2025, the XL6 had sold 37,111 units, down 18% YoY.
No. 5 – Toyota Rumion: 5,794 units, up 24%
The Rumion MPV is one of Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s successful products in the past two years. Since its launch in August 2023, the sensible, no-nonsense Maruti Ertiga-based people-mover, which is among the four rebadged Maruti Suzuki models in TKM’s portfolio, has made its presence felt in the affordable MPV market.
The Rumion, which maintains its fifth ranking of FY2025 – 21,878 units and 266% growth – has sold an estimated 5,794 units between April and June 2025. This is a handsome 24% YoY increase (Q1 FY2026: 4,677 units) and is 26% of its FY2025 wholesales.
The Toyota badge commands significant value in the Indian market, which buys into the brand's core ethics of high quality and durability over long-term usage. That a Toyota seldom disappoints, is cheaper to maintain over its competitors and also offers robust resale value, are reasons enough for buyers to be drawn towards the company's latest offerings, despite four of them being badge-engineered Suzuki versions.
In the case of the MPV segment, durability and reliability are the key customer demands that the Rumion fulfils adequately, just like Toyota's other people-movers like the Qualis of yesteryear and the Innova, which have established the carmaker's high-on-quality image in the Indian market.
No. 6 – Renault Triber: 4,233 units, down 24%
The seven-seater Triber SUV, which offers MPV versatility for hatchback money, with the base variant costing Rs 750,000 (on-road Delhi), continues to see a decline in its sales amidst fresher and newer competition. The Renault MPV’s sales in Q1 FY2026 at 4,253 units are down by a sizeable 24% YoY (Q1 FY2024: 5,587 units). In FY2025, the Triber had sold 19,905 units, down 11% year on year.
What doesn’t help drive sales is the meek 1.0-litre petrol engine which develops 72hp and 96Nm of torque and comes paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard. The Triber has no diesel engine option, and also considering the value segment it is in, it does not have a factory-fitted CNG option engine either.
No. 7 – Maruti Invicto: 688 units, down 34%
The Maruti Invicto MPV, which is produced by Toyota Kirloskar Motor for Maruti Suzuki under the global Suzuki-Toyota alliance, has sold 688 units in the April-June2025 period, down 34% YoY (Q1 FY2024: 514 units). In FY2025, the Invicto had sold 4,036 units, down 12% YoY (FY2024: 4,599 units).
Maruti Suzuki had launched the Invicto in July 2023. Like the Innova, it is big on space, comfort and features and sold with a strong hybrid-only engine, delivers impressive fuel economy. Retailed from the premium Nexa channel, it is designed to tap the potential of the Rs 25-plus lakh MPV market albeit the strategy doesn’t seem to have clicked.
No 8 – Kia Carnival: 252 units, NEW MODEL
Launched in October 2024, the Kia Carnival (Limousine) builds on the legacy of its predecessor, the Kia Carnival, while offering enhanced features aimed at redefining passenger comfort. A key highlight is the second-row powered relaxation seats, which provide ventilation, heating, and leg support to ensure a comfortable experience for passengers. The large diesel-engined MPV scores high on comfort and flexibility and goes all out to pamper its occupants to the hilt.
Notwithstanding the high sticker price of Rs 75.62 lakh (on-road Delhi), the Carnival has sold 252 units in the first three months of FY2026 and is believed to be sold out for this year. The Carnival's Q1 FY2026 sales comprise 18.51% of the 1,361 units sold in the last six months of FY2025.
No. 9 – Toyota Vellfire: 205 units, down 2%
Proof that even a very high sticker price for an MPV cannot dissuade buyers is the ultra-luxurious Toyota Vellfire. Priced at Rs 1.38 crore (on-road Delhi), the XXL-sized MPV has sold 205 units in April-June 2025, down 2% YoY (Q1 FY2025: 209 units). It may be recollected that the Toyota Vellfire sold 1,155 units in FY2025 – 755 additional units than FY2024’s 400 units and handsome 189% YoY growth. The surging domestic market demand for the Vellfire has likely led to JSW MG Motor India announcing its entry into the luxury MPV market with its all-electric M9.
The Vellfire houses a cavernous cabin that’s home to some of the best seats. A sister product to the more luxuriously appointed Lexus LM, the Vellfire is powered by a 193hp, 240Nm, 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol-hybrid powertrain mated to an e-CVT.
No. 10 – Mahindra Marazzo: 27 units, down 44%
The Marazzo is the sole MPV in Mahindra & Mahindra’s raft of MPVs. In the April-June 2025 quarter, the 1.5-litre diesel-engined Marazzo has sold only 27 units comprising 6 units in April, 4 units in May and 17 units in June. All 17 units are from the company’s FY2025 inventory because M&M has not produced any Marazzos from its factory in the past three months.
Amidst the raft of popular SUVs which are the growth drivers of the overall utility vehicle market, MPVs are now increasingly witnessing strong buyer interest, even up the price ladder for uber-luxurious models like the Toyota Vellfire. The latest OEM to enter this segment is JSW MG Motor India with the all-electric M9 and is confident about selling over 1,000 units in the first year of sales. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest sales updates and analyses.