Have you recently noticed the number of SUVs on the road? It’s swelling rapidly. Which tells you what? That aspiring Indian car buyers aren’t shying away from buying big SUVs in a market which isn’t big-car friendly. Yet, the demand for SUVs keeps rising.
Seeing the trend, the Indian automotive industry is ready to cater to the rising demand from its customers in the upcoming months. So, here’s a look at some India bound upcoming SUVs that might catch your fancy.
Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V is set for an October 9 launch in India. Unveiled at the 2018 Auto Expo, the CR-V will take on competitors like the Toyota Fortuner, Skoda Kodiaq and also the Volkswagen Tiguan.
The Honda CR-V will receive a 1.6-litre diesel four cylinder, turbocharged engine able to churn out 120 bhp of power and 300Nm of torque.
The Japanese car maker will also deliver a petrol variant with a 2-litre engine that will pump out 154 bhp of power and 192 Nm of torque. On one hand the diesel variant will feature an AWD (all-wheel-drive) system while the petrol will only get a front wheel drive version. Expect the new CR-V to be priced anywhere between Rs 24 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.
Mahindra XUV 700
Mahindra will be launching its premier SUV this October, the XUV 700, which is also to be launched on 9 October. Talk about wrong timing for Honda. The upcoming XUV 700 will be an Indian variant of the Ssangyong Rexton G4.
The 4×4 luxury SUV is set to be powered by a 2.2-litre petrol engine capable of delivering 220bhp of power and 225 Nm torque.
There will be a 2.2-litre diesel engine in addition to this. Both engines will come mated to a 7-speed automatic gearbox. In terms of features, the new XUV 700 will come with a 360-degree parking assist camera, large storage boot, sunroof and an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.
In terms of pricing, one can expect the new Mahindra XUV 700 to be priced between Rs 24 to Rs 28 lakh in India, in Honda CR-V territory.
Nissan Kicks
Another upcoming SUV to look forward to is the Nissan Kicks which The Quint will get to experience during a first drive in Dubai. The new Kicks is said to be a lesser specced variant of the Kicks which is being sold in the international market currently and is based on its V-platform.
It also underpins the existing Nissan portfolio like the Renault Duster, the Terrano and also the Captur which was launched last year.
Just like the Captur, the upcoming Nissan Kicks is also likely to run on a 1.5-litre diesel engine putting out 108 bhp and 240 Nm of peak torque, paired with a 6-speed manual transmission . There is a possibility that a 1.5-litre petrol variant will also be on offer.
Expect the Nissan Kicks to be price at around Rs 15 lakh in India.
Tata Harrier
Tata made a lot of headlines with its concept car the H5X at this year's Auto Expo in New Delhi, and has also sent a cold chill down the spine of its competitors by announcing its upcoming SUV, the Tata Harrier, which is based on the concept unveiled at the Expo.
The Harrier will be sold in both 5- and 7-seater configurations and in all probability will be powered by a 2-litre diesel engine. The company is said to offer two transmission variants along with a 4x4 option.
The Harrier is based on the company's Impact 2.0 design philosophy, which underpins the Discovery Sport. Though, it will share some of its dimensions with the Discovery Sport, many of the car's components will be replaced with affordable parts to keep the cost in check.
We can expect the Tata Harrier to be launched somewhere around May 2019 and carry a price tag of Rs 12 lakh approx. which is in the same territory as the Hyundai Creta.
Kia Tusker (SP Concept)
South Korean car maker Kia announced its entry into the Indian market at this year's Auto Expo and it's ready to woo Indian buyers with its extensive range of India bound commuter segment cars especially the SP Concept, which is likely based on the Kia Tusker SUV.
The company has already started road testing its Kia SP Concept SUV and is expected to hit the market in the second half of 2019.
According to reports, the Kia Tusker will be based on the Hyundai Creta platform (which is a direct competitor in this segment from group company Hyundai) and is said to come with a 1.5-litre diesel engine which is capable of pumping out 115 bhp of power and 250 Nm of torque.
Expect the Kia Tusker to be priced between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 14 lakh in India.
Kia’s parent company Hyundai is also said to be launching another SUV of its own in India soon dubbed the Hyundai Carlino. The sub-compact SUV was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo and looks like the car will finally see the light of day.
Though it is an SUV, the car will take a lot of cues and design elements from the company’s hatchback, the i30 which Hyundai has in its global portfolio.
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