Maruti Swift Leads India’s Used‑Car Market in 2025
The Cars24 × Team BHP Gears of Growth 2025 report, based on internal transaction data covering more than 33 million users as of December 2025, finds that the Maruti Suzuki Swift is the most purchased used car across the country. The Swift accounts for 4.93 percent of all used‑car transactions nationally, with a 5.0 percent share in metro markets and 4.80 percent in non‑metro markets, making it the only model to top the rankings in every geography.
The second‑placed model nationally is the Wagon R at 3.47 percent, roughly 1.5 percentage points behind the Swift. In non‑metro markets the Swift’s nearest competitor is the Swift Dzire at 3.08 percent, while the Alto appears in the top‑10 list for non‑metro buyers. The top‑10 segment is tightly packed, with the entire range separated by only about three percentage points, underscoring the Swift’s commanding margin.
Hatchbacks remain the backbone of the used‑car segment, representing 52 percent of all transactions in 2025, compared with 32 percent for SUVs and 16 percent for sedans. Manual gearboxes dominate used‑car sales at 72 percent, a share that is highest outside the metros; most used Swifts are manual, fuel‑efficient, and inexpensive to maintain, aligning with the preferences of the largest buyer pool.
The report attributes the Swift’s dominance to three factors: (1) its hatchback body style, which aligns with the 52 percent hatchback market share; (2) its manual transmission and low operating costs, matching the 72 percent manual‑gearbox preference; and (3) Maruti’s extensive service network, which reaches towns that many competitors do not, ensuring easy repairs and rapid resale. Consequently, first‑time used‑car buyers favour the Swift for its known reliability and resale ease.
The data, however, reflects transactions on the Cars24 platform rather than national registration figures, and part of the Swift’s lead stems from the large volume of Swifts sold new over the past two decades. The report also notes a rising demand for SUVs: SUV share of the used‑car market has more than doubled since 2023, rising from 15 percent to 32 percent. As newer SUVs enter the used‑car pool in the coming years, the Swift’s market share could face pressure.
Overall, the Swift remains the preferred choice for both metro and non‑metro used‑car buyers in 2025, driven by its hatchback appeal, manual transmission prevalence, and Maruti’s service reach, though future shifts toward SUVs may alter the landscape.