Toyota Kirloskar Motor has closed October 2026 with a set of numbers that tell two stories at once. The company sold 30,360 vehicles during the month, including exports. That is a clear improvement over September, but it is also well below the same month last year. For a brand that has built its Indian reputation on steady, dependable demand, the contrast is hard to miss.
The headline figure breaks down simply. Domestic sales stood at 29,521 units, while exports accounted for just 839 units. In other words, more than 97 percent of everything Toyota dispatched in October stayed in India. The home market did the heavy lifting, and the export side, unusually, barely moved the total.
That domestic recovery matters because September had been softer. Toyota sold 25,027 vehicles in India in September. October added 4,494 units to that figure, a rise of nearly 18 percent month on month. Festive-season footfall, the company said, remained encouraging across markets, and the recently launched new Glanza received an encouraging response from customers.
October was better than September, weaker than last year
The year-on-year comparison is where the month looks less comfortable. In October 2025, Toyota had sold 42,892 vehicles in total. Against that high base, October 2026 is down by 29.22 percent. Domestic sales fell by 26.67 percent, from 40,257 units a year ago to 29,521 units now, a drop of 10,736 vehicles.
Total sales still rose 7.59 percent over September, from 28,218 units to 30,360 units. That improvement, however, was capped by exports. Domestic dispatches rose by 4,494 units month on month, but the total rose by only 2,142 units because exports fell by 2,352 units in the same period.
Exports tell a different story
Exports were the weakest part of Toyota’s October report. At 839 units, overseas shipments were down 68.16 percent from 2,635 units in October 2025. They were also down sharply from September 2026, when Toyota exported 3,191 vehicles. That is a month-on-month fall of 73.71 percent.
Kia moves ahead, again
The other headline from October is the changing order in the sales ranking. Kia India dispatched 33,462 vehicles during the month, its highest-ever monthly total since entering India and a 13.22 percent rise over a year ago. That put Kia 3,102 units ahead of Toyota for the month and moved Kia into fifth place among carmakers.
It is the second month in a row that Kia has finished ahead of Toyota, and the second consecutive monthly record for Kia after 32,017 units in September. The Seltos and Sonet remained its main volume drivers, with the Seltos alone contributing more than 13,000 units in October. Kia’s new Sorento, offered with hybrid and diesel options, has also given the brand a stronger presence in the premium SUV space.
The ten-month picture still looks positive
Step back from October alone, and Toyota’s 2026 story still reads as growth. Between January and October, the company sold 3,25,274 units in total, up 3.03 percent from 3,15,716 units in the same period last year. That is 9,558 more vehicles across domestic sales and exports combined.
Domestic sales drove that growth. From January to October, Toyota sold 2,99,140 vehicles in India, up 4.11 percent from 2,87,338 units a year earlier, an increase of 11,802 units. Exports over the same ten months fell 7.91 percent, from 28,378 units to 26,134 units, but the domestic gain was large enough to more than offset the 2,244-unit export decline.
- October 2026 total: 30,360 units, including 29,521 domestic sales and 839 exports
- October vs September: total up 7.59 percent, domestic up nearly 18 percent, exports down 73.71 percent
- October vs last year: total down 29.22 percent from 42,892 units in October 2025
- January to October 2026: 3,25,274 units, up 3.03 percent year on year
- Kia in October: 33,462 units, a record month and 3,102 units ahead of Toyota
What to watch next
The facelifted Innova Hycross is expected later in November, and could give Toyota showrooms a fresh talking point during the festive and wedding seasons.
For now, October leaves Toyota in an unusual position: better than September, behind last year, and looking up at a rival that has just posted its best month ever. The ten-month numbers say the year is still moving forward. The monthly ranking says the competition is moving faster.
FAQs
How many vehicles did Toyota sell in October 2026?
Toyota Kirloskar Motor sold 30,360 vehicles in October 2026, comprising 29,521 units in India and 839 units exported.
Was Toyota’s October 2026 sales figure up or down?
It was up 7.59 percent over September 2026, but down 29.22 percent compared with October 2025, when Toyota sold 42,892 units.
How did Kia perform in October 2026?
Kia India dispatched 33,462 vehicles, its highest-ever monthly total, putting it 3,102 units ahead of Toyota and into fifth place for the month.
How has Toyota performed in 2026 so far?
Between January and October 2026, Toyota sold 3,25,274 units, up 3.03 percent from 3,15,716 units in the same period last year, with domestic sales up 4.11 percent.
What is Toyota’s next big launch in India?
The facelifted Innova Hycross is expected later in November 2026, with styling updates and feature enhancements for the popular premium MPV.
Read together, the domestic recovery, the export slump and Kia’s record month explain why the same 30,360 units can feel like progress and a warning at the same time.
