India’s scooter market is witnessing record-breaking growth, but the competitive landscape is also changing rapidly. In FY2025–26 (FY2026), scooter sales in India crossed 8.11 million units—the highest ever recorded. In the first two months of FY2027 alone, 1.43 million scooters were sold, marking a 27% year-on-year growth.

While the overall market is expanding, the battle for leadership is now intensifying between Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India and TVS Motor Company.

Honda Still Leads, But Its Grip Is Weakening

The Honda Activa has been India’s best-selling scooter for nearly 25 years and continues to dominate the market. In FY2026, Honda retained its position as the largest scooter manufacturer, selling around 31.6 lakh units, including Activa, Dio, and a small share of electric models.

However, its overall market share has steadily declined. From nearly 57% in FY2017, Honda’s share has dropped to about 39% in FY2026. Despite strong Activa sales of around 28.45 lakh units, the gap between Honda and its competitors is narrowing.

TVS Emerging as a Strong Challenger

TVS Motor Company has emerged as the biggest challenger in the scooter segment. Its popular models—including the TVS Jupiter, TVS NTorq, and TVS Zest—have helped the company steadily gain market share.

In addition, TVS has strengthened its position in the electric scooter segment with models like the TVS iQube, which has contributed significantly to its growth.

TVS’s market share has nearly doubled over the past decade, rising from 14% in FY2017 to 28% in FY2026.

The Gap Between Honda and TVS Is Shrinking

One of the most notable trends in the scooter market is the shrinking sales gap between Honda and TVS.

• FY2017: Honda led TVS by 2.36 million units

• FY2026: The gap reduced to around 859,000 units

This shift shows that while Honda still leads, competition is becoming increasingly tight.

Why TVS Is Gaining Ground

Several factors are driving TVS’s rise:

• Strong performance of Jupiter and NTorq in urban markets

• Growing demand for feature-rich scooters

• Rapid expansion in electric mobility with iQube

• Increasing preference for value-for-money alternatives

Electric Scooters Changing the Game

The biggest disruption in the scooter industry is coming from electric mobility. As more consumers shift toward EVs, traditional petrol scooter dominance is being challenged.

Brands like TVS are gaining an early advantage in the EV space, while Honda is still working to strengthen its electric portfolio.

Is Honda Activa’s Dominance at Risk?

Despite growing competition, the Honda Activa is still India’s most trusted and best-selling scooter. Its reliability, mileage, and brand reputation continue to drive strong demand.

However, the data clearly shows that competition is intensifying, and the gap between Honda and TVS is narrowing year by year.

Key Takeaway

Honda Activa is not losing its crown yet, but its dominance is being challenged more strongly than ever before. With TVS gaining market share and electric scooters reshaping consumer preferences, India’s scooter market is entering a new phase of intense competition.