4 Made-In-India Cars That More Foreigners Are Buying Than Indians
There are some cars which, although made in India, are not as popular in the Indian market. However, this does not mean these vehicles are not popular in other markets. Today, we will tell you about those four cars that are made in India but are more popular in the international market than they are in the Indian market.
The first and the most popular model which is exported to the international markets is the Maruti Suzuki Jimny. People in India do not appreciate the Jimny for what it offers, as its price overlaps with the bigger and more rowdy Mahindra Thar. In FY26 alone, Maruti Suzuki exported 72,209 units of the Jimny across various markets, including Japan, UAE, and others.
In FY25, the export figure of Jimny was 47,982, meaning that the exports have grown by 50.5 percent on a year-on-year basis. The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is the second most exported vehicle from India. The first is its sibling Fronx, but as it sold more in the Indian domestic market, it has not been included in the list.
As for the domestic sales data, here are the figures.
March 2025 - 261 units
April 2025 - 431 units
May 2025 - 682 units
June 2025 - 371 units
July 2025 - 362 units
August 2025 - 603 units
September 2025 - 296 units
October 2025 - 592 units
November 2025 - 802 units
December 2025 - 757 units
January 2026 - 591 units
February 2026 - 532 units
March 2026 - 656 units
It can be clearly noted that the domestic demand for the Jimny is extremely limited. Its average monthly sales are around 500 to 600 units. When compared to the export numbers, it is 10 times lower.
The next vehicle on the list is the Hyundai Verna. Now, while sedans have been losing popularity in the Indian market, they continue to perform exceptionally well in international markets. This is clearly evident in the case of the Verna.
In FY26, Hyundai exported a total of 63,044 units of the Verna. This helped the company in registering a growth of 19.8 percent over FY25, where it sold 52,615 units. This makes the Verna the third most exported car from India.
However, when you look at the domestic sales figures, the story is completely different.
March 2025 - 1,364 units
April 2025 - 1,005 units
May 2025 - 930 units
June 2025 - 813 units
July 2025 - 826 units
August 2025 - 771 units
September 2025 - 725 units
October 2025 - 824 units
November 2025 - 709 units
December 2025 - 406 units
January 2026 - 823 units
February 2026 - 694 units
March 2026 - 1,399 units
The Verna consistently sells below the 1,500-unit mark in India, with an average of around 800 to 900 units per month. When compared to exports of over 63,000 units annually, it is clear that the Verna is far more popular outside India than it is in India.
The sub-compact SUV Magnite is the one product which has kept the Nissan brand alive in India. This model has been posting consistent sales in the domestic market, but its export figures are what have helped the brand so far.
In FY26, Nissan exported 56,704 units of the Magnite, which is a massive jump from 29,155 units in FY25. This translates to a staggering growth of 94.5 percent, which is the highest among the top exported cars from India.
Here is a look at its domestic sales performance of the Nissan Magnite.
March 2025 - 2,484 units
April 2025 - 1,749 units
May 2025 - 1,334 units
June 2025 - 1,313 units
July 2025 - 1,420 units
August 2025 - 1,384 units
September 2025 - 1,652 units
October 2025 - 2,615 units
November 2025 - 1,908 units
December 2025 - 1,902 units
January 2026 - 2,502 units
February 2026 - 2,230 units
March 2026 - 2,033 units
While the Magnite manages an average of around 1,800 to 2,000 units per month in India, its export numbers are more than double its domestic sales. Soon, Nissan will also be launching the new Tekton and other SUVs in the Indian market, which will help it in increasing its sales tally in the domestic market.
The last car on the list is the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso. It is one of those models which is not as popular in India due to its build quality. However, it has continued to perform strongly in international markets.
In FY26, Maruti Suzuki exported 40,210 units of the S-Presso, which is a significant increase from 24,978 units in FY25. It has registered a growth of 61 percent on a year-on-year basis.
Here are its domestic sales figures.
March 2025 - 1,788 units
April 2025 - 726 units
May 2025 - 1,806 units
June 2025 - 1,369 units
July 2025 - 912 units
August 2025 - 1,333 units
September 2025 - 1,774 units
October 2025 - 2,857 units
November 2025 - 1,747 units
December 2025 - 3,396 units
January 2026 - 1,954 units
February 2026 - 451 units
March 2026 - 226 units
The sales performance of the S-Presso in India, as can be seen, has been highly inconsistent. It has seen sharp highs and lows. Despite this, its export numbers have remained strong. It clearly indicates that the car has been accepted more in international markets compared to India.