Maruti Suzuki plans 7 new SUVs as capacity expansion gathers pace; sees car market reaching 6.3 million units by FY31

Maruti Suzuki India is preparing for its next phase of growth with an accelerated capacity expansion and a significant expansion of its SUV portfolio, even as the company expects the Indian car market to grow substantially over the next five years. The carmaker plans to introduce seven SUVs over the next five to six years, while it has added 5 lakh units of manufacturing capacity during FY2026-27, according to its Annual Integrated Report 2025-26.

The roadmap follows a record FY2025-26, when Maruti Suzuki sold 24.22 lakh vehicles, including 4.47 lakh units in exports. The company crossed the 2-million-vehicle annual sales mark for the third consecutive year and said the revival of the small-car segment, a stronger SUV portfolio, its multi-powertrain strategy, capacity expansion and exports are providing multiple growth drivers.

Seven SUVs planned as Maruti strengthens its portfolio

Maruti Suzuki Managing Director and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said the company accelerated its capacity expansion plans, reflecting its confidence in the medium-term outlook. He said 500,000 units of manufacturing capacity were added during FY2026-27.

“Reflecting our confidence in the medium-term outlook, we accelerated our capacity expansion plans. During FY 2026-27, we added 500,000 units of manufacturing capacity. Customer expectations continue to evolve rapidly. The Company has plans to introduce 7 SUVs in the next 5 to 6 years to further strengthen SUV portfolio,” noted Takeuchi.

The seven-SUV pipeline signals a continued push into the segment as Maruti seeks to broaden its product mix. At the same time, the company expects the small-car segment to regain momentum, giving it two distinct potential sources of domestic growth rather than relying solely on SUVs.

Maruti sees car market reaching 6.3 million units by FY31

Maruti Suzuki Chairman R. C. Bhargava said the company is assessing the likely trajectory of the Indian car market over the next five years. Its current estimate is that the market could reach 6.1-6.3 million units by FY2030-31, while the small-car market could grow significantly faster than it did during the preceding five years.

“I am happy to inform you that these GST reforms have given a new impetus not only to the automobile industry but to several sectors of the economy… We are in the process of making as accurate an estimate as possible of the likely growth of the car market in the next five years. Presently, we are estimating that the car industry would grow to 6.1 to 6.3 million units by FY 2030-31 and that the share of the small car market would grow significantly faster than its pace of growth in the last five years.”

The market projection provides the backdrop to Maruti’s capacity and product plans. The company is also looking to build on its export momentum, with overseas shipments reaching a record 4.47 lakh vehicles in FY26.

₹561 crore biogas investment under multi-powertrain strategy

Alongside its product and capacity plans, Maruti is retaining a multi-technology approach to cleaner mobility. Bhargava said India would need multiple technologies to achieve its Net Zero goals and highlighted biogas as a potential substitute for imported CNG.

The company’s board has approved ₹561 crore for four biogas plants in the first phase. Bhargava said the company intends to learn from the initial projects before considering substantial investments in biogas production and distribution.

“In India we need to use multiple technologies to achieve our goal of moving to net zero. We strongly believe that biogas can be generated in large quantities from locally available resources. This form of energy would substitute for imported CNG and be clean and renewable with zero import content. In addition, there would be many valuable byproducts, ” added Bhargava.

For Maruti, the strategy outlined in the report is therefore centred on expanding capacity, widening its SUV line-up, preparing for a potential recovery in small cars and sustaining export growth as it positions itself for a larger Indian car market by FY31.