Every month, the sales charts display the same names at the top – it is rather the Tata Punch, Maruti Dzire, Hyundai Creta, or the Maruti WagonR. But scroll past the top 10 models, and you will find some genuinely good cars that are currently struggling for attention, not because they’re bad, but because trends, badges, or the wrong segment have outmuscled them. We looked at July and August sales numbers to pick five cars that deserve far more attention than Indian buyers are currently giving.
Underrated Cars In India: Skoda Slavia
| Sales | |
| August 2026 | 897 units |
| July 2026 | 993 units |
If you care even a little about how a car drives, the Slavia should be on your shortlist, but for most buyers it isn’t. Sales charts show a dip in August compared to July 2026, making it clear the trend isn’t with the Slavia right now.
The Slavia isn’t a bad car by any stretch; it is arguably the most driver-focused sedan in its price bracket, which is between Rs. 11.26 lakh and Rs. 21.65 lakh (on-road, Mumbai). And its 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine has been the fan favourite. But the problem is that it is a sedan, that too quite a premium one. Right now, Indians are chasing the Maruti Dzire’s friendly running-cost equation instead of Skoda’s road manners. Somewhere along the way, Skoda’s high maintenance cost also contributes to lower sales of this sedan.
Hyundai Verna
| Sales | |
| August 2026 | 529 units |
| July 2026 | 737 units |
This might worry Hyundai. While the Korean automaker enjoys the popularity of its mid-size SUV, the Creta, it still suffers in the market with its mid-size sedan, the Verna. To address this, the automaker also offered a mid-cycle update to the sedan in 2026, but it didn’t seem to excite buyers.
The Hyundai Verna genuinely offers a good package: refined engine, loaded features, and good cabin space. But the issue isn’t the car; it’s the positioning. This sedan costs a bit more than Hyundai’s own best-selling SUV, the Creta. It is currently priced between Rs. 13.16 lakh and Rs. 21.92 lakh (on-road, Mumbai). That said, aggressive pricing for this sedan might eventually help the automaker boost sales of its mid-size sedan in India.
Underrated Cars In India: Honda City
| Sales | |
| August 2026 | 514 units |
| July 2026 | 571 units |
From a dream car for every Indian to struggling to reach even a four-digit sales number, the Honda City has seen it all. To address this, Honda even launched the updated City in India, but it still hasn’t managed to pick up sales. It is surely one of the most reliable and fun-to-drive sedans in the Indian market, but its sales have been declining, which could be a red flag for the Japanese automaker.
The Honda City has been a dominant presence in India for over 20 years. Indians loved the car’s simplicity & no-nonsense nature. It was never known for flashy features, but its free-revving NA petrol VTEC made the magic. This may have changed, and buyers are now more likely to prefer turbo-petrol units.
Citroen Aircross
| Sales | |
| August 2026 | 57 units |
| July 2026 | 45 units |
If there’s one car on this list that Indian buyers have truly slept on, it’s this one. The C3 Aircross has managed to fetch just 57 unit sales in August. Now, that is a big shame, because the Aircross is not a bad car at all. One of its major highlights is the ride quality; it rides beautifully over broken roads and is practical too. The 1.2-litre turbo petrol is decent, not very good, not very bad either. So, what’s the problem with this model?
The problem here actually lies not with the model, but with the dealerships. Citroen’s tiny dealer network means many buyers don’t even know this car exists. However, the brand is trying to boost sales by launching newer editions and offering discounts, but it still hasn’t improved much overall.
Jeep Compass
| Sales | |
| August 2026 | 114 units |
| July 2026 | 101 units |
While India’s buying preference has shifted toward SUVs, the Jeep Compass still lacks traction. Mechanically, it is one of the most capable and well-built SUVs in its segment, built on genuine 4×4 hardware and with a top-notch build.
Most buyers overlook the Jeep Compass because of its price, but it is one of the SUVs that eventually makes a good deal in the used car market. The problem with this Jeep SUV is the same as with Citroen’s: a limited sales network. As an added issue, it’s also high-maintenance. Moreover, even Jeep isn’t doing its best to maintain this SUV’s dominance; one big thing it lost along the way was the petrol engine, as it’s now only available with a diesel option. Also, international markets got the new version of this SUV, but India was neglected. In the meantime, Jeep is planning a new SUV that could be positioned alongside the Compass.