The Indian passenger vehicle market may be alive with exciting choices right now but there are some new car and SUVs launches happening soon.
It’s the third week of February and passenger vehicle manufacturers like Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Citroen India, Maruti Suzuki India, Tata Motors and Hyundai Motor India are lining up to introduce new and facelifted models across various segments. Here’s a list of what to expect in the coming weeks.
1. Toyota Innova Crysta diesel
Toyota has reintroduced the Innova Crysta diesel after a short hiatus. Before getting discontinued, the Crysta was only available with the 2.7-litre petrol engine, whereas it will now be available only with the 2.4-litre diesel powertrain. This is also the first time Toyota will sell two Innova models simultaneously. Furthermore, as a part of the update, the Innova Crysta also gets a revised front bumper, grille and fog lamp housing.
2. Citroen eC3
The latest entrant in the EV hatchback segment will be the Citroen eC3, the all-electric version of the C3 hatchback. The French manufacturer will also be exporting the eC3, increasing its sales volumes. Citroen’s electric hatchback looks identical to its ICE-powered sibling, save for the lack of a tailpipe and the addition of a charging port on the front fender. Inside, it now has a new drive selector instead of a gear lever. The eC3 packs a 29.2kWh battery that has an ARAI-certified range of 320km. Its front-axle-mounted electric motor generates 57hp and 143Nm of peak torque.
3. Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG
Once it is launched, the Brezza will become the first CNG-powered vehicle in the country with an automatic gearbox. It will be powered by the 1.5-litre K15C DualJet engine that also does duty in the Ertiga and XL6. In the MPVs, it produces 100hp and 136Nm in petrol mode and 88hp and 121.5Nm in CNG mode. Expect similar outputs in the Brezza. While the Ertiga and XL6 CNG get only a 5-speed manual gearbox, the Brezza will also get a 6-speed torque converter automatic.
4. Updated Hyundai Venue
While the Venue facelift was launched in June 2022, Hyundai is giving its compact SUV a new diesel powertrain as well as a refreshed equipment list. The Venue will now get a 115hp, 1.5-litre diesel engine from the Creta and an integrated starter generator (ISG) with start-stop function.
5. Hyundai Verna
Hyundai has recently teased the next-gen Verna and has opened bookings for Rs 25,000, with the launch confirmed for March 21. The new Verna will continue with the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine mated to either a 6-speed manual or an IVT gearbox. Furthemore, it will also get the 1.5-litre direct injection turbo-petrol churning out 160hp. This new engine will be coupled to a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DCT gearbox. This new turbo-petrol engine will also do duty in the Creta, Kia Seltos and the Kia Carens.
6. Lexus RX
Lexus showcased the fifth-gen RX SUV at Auto Expo 2023 and it is expected to be launched in the coming weeks. It will be available in two trims – RX 350h Luxury and RX 500h F Sport Performance. It gets a choice of a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol, where both get strong-hybrid assist. While the former is paired to a CVT, the latter gets a 6-speed automatic gearbox.
7. Maruti Suzuki Fronx
Maruti’s latest compact SUV is the Baleno-based Fronx SUV coupe. It will get two engine options – a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol and a 1.2-litre petrol. While both are coupled with a 5-speed manual, the turbo-petrol will get a 6-speed automatic and the petrol gets an AMT gearbox. It will be sold via Nexa outlets and will rival the Citroen C3, Tata Punch, Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger.
8. Honda City facelift
Representational image.
The fifth-gen City is due for a mid-life refresh and will be the first update to the car since its launch in mid-2020. It is expected to get mild cosmetic updates in the form of redesigned front and rear bumpers and new alloy wheels. Honda is also expected to shuffle up the variants of the City by adding a more affordable version of the City e:HEV. Test drives for the Honda City facelift will begin on March 3.
9-10. Tata Harrier, Safari update
Tata Motors will update the Harrier and Safari SUVs and both will go on sale next month. In this update, Tata Motors will add features like ADAS, all-new infotainment system, 360-degree camera and a new 7-inch semi-digital instrument cluster. Mechanically, both SUVs remain the same however, they are now RDE-compliant and will likely be priced Rs 1 lakh more than the current models.
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