Models such as the Tata Safari facelift, Maruti Suzuki C-segment MPV and seven-seater Citroen C3 Aircross will launch this year
The seven-seater midsize SUVs and MPVs have been well-liked by consumers due to their more practical nature. The segments will witness the arrival of new models this calendar year as brands such as Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Toyota and Citroen are looking to grab a major pie. Here we have explained about all of them:
1. Tata Safari Facelift:
The heavily revised version of the Tata Safari will reportedly hit showrooms around September or October 2023. It will be based on the Harrier EV in terms of design as the front end as well as the rear will be thoroughly revised. The updated Safari will continue to sit on the OMEGA platform and will derive power from a new 1.5L turbo DI petrol engine.
2. Maruti Suzuki C-MPV:
The third product from Maruti Suzuki in the three-row MPV space will be a premium model based on the Toyota Innova Hycross. It will more likely become the first Maruti Suzuki to feature ADAS technology and will sit on the TNGA-C platform. The front-wheel-drive MPV will have similar mechanicals as the Innova Hycross but the exterior will be different.
3. 7-Seater Citroen C3 Aircross:
Citroen’s entry into the midsize SUV segment will be through the recently unveiled C3 Aircross. The SUV will be offered in five- and seven-seater layouts and the latter features a removable third row with a larger bootspace capacity of 511 litres. It has a ground clearance of 200 mm and will be powered by a 1.2L turbocharged petrol engine developing 110 PS and 190 Nm
The powertrain will be mated to only a six-speed manual transmission as an automatic unit could join the lineup at a later date. It will come with features such as a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, an all-digital cluster, etc.
4. Toyota MPV:
The rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is already sold in South Africa as the Toyota Rumion. However, as for India, we can expect notable cosmetic revisions and it could be named differently. We do expect the seven-seater to launch towards the end of this year.