• February 2026 sales performance of all key models in the 4.5m to 4.8m SUV segment in India, with year-on-year and month-on-month comparisons.

• Highlights major segment developments, including new entrants, discontinued models, and the growing electric vehicle footprint within this category.

The 4.5m to 4.8m SUV segment in India has long been a battleground for some of the most popular and aspirational vehicles on sale. In February 2026, it delivered one of its better months, with total sales of 39,638 units, marking a 26.54 per cent increase over the 31,325 units recorded in February 2025.

On a month-on-month basis, the growth was more modest at 1.56 per cent over January 2026's tally of 39,030 units. Mahindra, as a brand, continued to hold a firm grip on this space, occupying not just the top two spots but now the third as well, courtesy of the XEV 9S.

Scorpio Holds Its Ground at the Top

The Mahindra Scorpio and Scorpio N combined remained the segment's best-seller, moving 14,665 units in February 2026. That represents a healthy 7.69 per cent year-on-year improvement over the 13,618 units sold in February 2025, even though there was a 5.64 per cent dip compared to January 2026. It is a model that has aged remarkably well in terms of buyer loyalty, and these numbers reflect that staying power.

Right behind it sat the Mahindra XUV 7XO with 9,112 units, up 22.01 per cent year-on-year from 7,468 units in February 2025, though it too saw a 10.08 per cent month-on-month slide.

XEV 9S Makes an Electrifying Entrance

Perhaps the most striking story of the month was the performance of the Mahindra XEV 9S. The electric SUV registered 3,539 units in February 2026, landing it in third position overall. More staggeringly, this represented a 478 per cent jump over the 612 units it sold in January 2026, signalling rapid consumer uptake in just its second month on sale.

The Mahindra XEV 9e, its sibling, sold 1,889 units, down 14.33 per cent year-on-year but relatively stable month-on-month with just a 2.88 per cent decline.

How the Rest of the Segment Fared

The Tata Harrier, which now includes an EV variant, recorded 3,096 units, a remarkable 125 per cent year-on-year improvement over the 1,376 units sold in February 2025, though it dipped 16.57 per cent month-on-month.

The Toyota Fortuner continued its quiet consistency with 3,076 units, up 6.95 per cent year-on-year. The Tata Safari followed with 1,650 units, up 5.63 per cent year-on-year but down a significant 30.53 per cent month-on-month.

The MG Hector and Hector Plus combined posted 1,204 units, which on paper looks modest but represents a 133.79 per cent year-on-year surge and an extraordinary 260 per cent month-on-month jump. The Hyundai Alcazar, however, slipped to 907 units, down 28.24 per cent year-on-year.

At the lower end of the volume charts, the Skoda Kodiaq sold 146 units with a 1,360 per cent year-on-year spike owing to a very low base the previous year. The Jeep Meridian managed 124 units, the Volkswagen Tayron 113, the Jeep Compass 92, and the Volkswagen Tiguan 23.

February 2026 Sales at a Glance

What Is Changing in the Segment

Not everything is about numbers. The MG Gloster has been officially discontinued in India and is expected to be replaced by the upcoming Majestor SUV. The Hyundai Tucson has also been pulled from sale, with a facelifted version anticipated later in 2026. These changes, combined with Mahindra's aggressive push across both petrol and electric lineups, suggest the segment will look notably different a year from now.

With multiple launches expected through the year and electric offerings gaining clear traction, the competition here is only going to get sharper.

Also read:

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3. Mercedes-Benz India Hikes Prices by Up to 2% Citing Rupee Depreciation and Rising Costs