Maruti Suzuki Jimny will be launched in India by the middle of this year while the five-door Thar is expected to debut in late 2023
The lifestyle SUV segment will see plenty of action over the next two years and in 2023, we will witness the launch of the Maruti Suzuki Jimny and the five-door Force Gurkha. Here we have listed all the key info about these and a couple of more upcoming SUVs:
1. 5-Door Mahindra Thar:
The five-door Mahindra Thar is expected to make its debut later this year before going on sale in early 2024. It will appeal to a wider audience due to its roomier cabin courtesy of the longer wheelbase. The existing 2.0-litre mStallion petrol and 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engines will likely continue and Mahindra may also introduce an RWD variant.
The five-door Mahindra Thar will compete against the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Jimny and five-door Force Gurkha directly. It must be noted that Mahindra recently launched the RWD variant of the three-door Thar recently and it derives power from a 1.5-litre diesel engine found in the Marazzo and XUV300. Whether it will be used in the five-door Thar or not is yet unknown.
2. Maruti Suzuki Jimny:
Easily the most anticipated launch of the year, Maruti Suzuki’s Jimny will likely reach showrooms by May or June 2023. The five-door version will also be exported and it has larger proportions than the global Sierra. It will be powered by a 1.5-litre K15B petrol engine, linked with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
3. 5-Door Force Gurkha:
The five-door Force Gurkha is expected to launch soon in India as it has been spotted multiple times in its production avatar. It will be available in multiple seating layouts and will be equipped with the familiar 2.6-litre OM616 engine sourced from Mercedes-Benz. It develops a maximum power output of 91 hp and 250 Nm and is paired with a five-speed manual transmission, driving all four wheels as standard.
4. Kia AY:
Kia will bring in another compact SUV to India in a year or so and is codenamed AY. It will be positioned above the Sonet and will be available in ICE and EV guises. It will be a lifestyle SUV as the aforementioned trio but the chances of it featuring a 4WD are slim. Nevertheless, it will boast a rugged-looking exterior and a feature-packed interior. It could be powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.