Check out our list of the three upcoming mid-size SUVs in India, which have been confirmed for launch in our market this year
As the popularity of SUVs continues to rise, carmakers in India are busy introducing more of them in our market. Brands like Kia and MG are focusing heavily on SUVs (and MPVs too, in the case of Kia) to gain sales volumes, and other manufacturers have also been shifting focus in that direction.
Skoda, Volkswagen, and MG have plans to enter the mid-size SUV space this year, to compete with the extremely popular Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. Let’s take a look:
1. Skoda Kushaq
Skoda Kushaq is scheduled to launch in the Indian market on June 28. The SUV was unveiled in March this year with two engine options – a 1.0-litre TSI petrol unit (115 PS/175 Nm) and a 1.5-litre TSI petrol unit (150 PS/250 Nm). The manufacturer will initially launch only the 1.0L engine, while the 1.5L powerplant will be added to the range later, in August.
A 6-speed manual transmission will come standard on both engines, and automatic transmission options will be available as well – a 6-speed AT on the 1.0L motor and a 7-speed DSG on the 1.5L mill.
2. Volkswagen Taigun
VW is also planning to launch a new SUV in our market in the coming months. Christened ‘Taigun’, this upcoming vehicle is based on the same MQB A0 IN platform as the Skoda Kushaq, but both have major differences in the styling department, to ensure that the two SUVs don’t feel like clones.
Volkswagen Taigun will get the same two engine options as its Skoda counterpart – a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol unit and a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit. Even the transmission options will be the same, consisting of a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed AT, and a 6-speed DSG.
3. MG Astor
MG Motor India had confirmed earlier this year that it will be launching a new SUV in India in 2021. This upcoming model will be the petrol-powered version of the ZS EV, expected to be named ‘Astor’. MG Astor has been spied during road tests multiple times in India, and the test models seemed to be in production-ready form in the latest pictures.
The technical specifications of this upcoming MG SUV remain unknown at the moment. However, speculations suggest that it will be available with two engine options in the Indian market – a 1.5-litre NA petrol mill and a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol motor. Both manual and automatic transmission choices will likely be available here.