Check out our list of five upcoming SUVs that have recently been teased in India and are expected to launch soon
Recently, Indian car buyers have been gravitating towards SUVs, much more than similarly-priced premium sedans. From tiny sub-4-metre ones to the big and bulky ones, the SUV market space has seen more action than all the other segments in our market, and there’s more in store for us! Following is a list of five SUVs that have recently been teased in India, and are expected to launch either by the end of this or early next year.
1. Kia Sonet
Kia Motors will be debuting its first subcompact SUV for the Indian market, the Sonet, on 7th August. The South Korean manufacturer had released a few teasers for the SUV last month, in both picture and video formats.
Thanks to the official renderings and plenty of spy pictures, we have a decent idea about what the Sonet has on offer. It will feature a multi-faceted digital console, while select trims will also get a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system and UVO connected car tech.
The upcoming Kia Sonet will be available with three engine options – a 1.2-litre petrol (83 PS and 114 Nm), a 1.5-litre turbo-diesel (100 PS and 240 Nm), and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol (120 PS and 171 Nm). There will an even wide selection of transmissions here, including a 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, 6-speed iMT, 7-speed DCT, and possibly a 6-speed automatic as well. The Sonet is expected to launch in India near Diwali season, and unofficial pre-bookings have already begun.
2. Nissan Magnite
We’ve known for quite a while that Nissan and Renault are working together on a sub-4-metre SUV for India, but it was just last month that Nissan released the first teaser for the Magnite. We’ve already received official pictures showcasing the interior and exterior design, but the car is still in the concept stage. It might receive a few changes before it goes on sale in early 2021.
The Nissan Magnite will be powered by a 1.0-litre, turbocharged, inline-3 petrol engine, which will generate 100 PS and 160 Nm of peak power and torque figures, respectively. It is also expected to offer a non-turbocharged 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder petrol motor on the lower trims, which can develop 72 PS and 96 Nm. It will have a 5-speed manual as standard, with either a 5-speed AMT or a CVT available as an option on higher trims.
3. Next-Generation Mahindra Thar
After significant delays, the next-generation Mahindra Thar will finally have its official debut on 15th August 2020, India’s 74th Independence Day, with launch expected to happen in the coming months. Mahindra is working hard to make the Thar as mainstream as possible, with emphasis on comfort and safety. The Thar has also recently gained popularity as meme fodder on the internet, owing to the vehicle’s aggressive testing and a plethora of spy pictures that subsequently appeared online.
The Thar will be powered by a 2.2-litre ‘mHawk’ diesel engine, capable of producing 140 PS and 320 Nm. Other than that, there will also be a petrol mill on offer, probably the 1.5-litre ‘mStallion’ powerplant, which is rated at 165 PS and 280 Nm. Transmission options will include a 6-speed manual and an Aisin-sourced 6-speed torque convertor automatic. The new Mahindra Thar will surely be one of the most capable affordable off-roaders in our country, without any compromise on the on-road performance.
4. Toyota Urban Cruiser
Toyota’s strategy of badge-engineering will soon result in the addition of a new car in the company’s Indian lineup, named Urban Cruiser. This sub-4-metre SUV has been in the works for quite some time now, and we had speculated that the vehicle will launch around Diwali time. It seems like that hunch was right, as Toyota has dropped the first teaser for their subcompact SUV. While no dates have been provided for the official unveiling, we expect it to happen very soon.
Just like with the Toyota Glanza and Maruti Baleno, the Urban Cruiser and Vitara Brezza will be mechanically similar, with the same underpinnings, engines, transmissions, and even the sheet metal. Toyota will slightly redesign the crossover to distinguish it from Maruti’s offering, but the changes will be minimal in the interest of cost-saving. Powering the Toyota Urban Cruiser will be a 1.5-litre petrol engine that produces 105 PS of peak power and 138 Nm of maximum torque, mated to a 5-speed manual as standard and with a 4-speed automatic offered as an option.
5. Toyota Fortuner TRD (Limited Edition)
Toyota Kirloskar Motors has recently given a facelift to the extremely popular Fortuner SUV, in a few international markets. Before the facelift arrives in India though, we shall see Toyota introduce a limited edition version of the current Fortuner in our market. The company has released a teaser for the Fortuner TRD, which is essentially just a sportier-looking version of the regular Fortuner. TRD stands for ‘Toyota Racing Development’, and is one of the many in-house tuning sub-brands of the Japanese manufacturer.
The ‘TRD’ Edition is expected to be a purely aesthetic upgrade, with no changes to the mechanicals of the SUV. That said, the Fortuner is available with two decently-powerful engine options. The first one is a 2.7-litre petrol engine, which produces a max power of 166 PS and a peak torque of 245 Nm, and comes paired to a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed AT. The second is a 2.8-litre diesel engine, generating 177 PS and 420 Nm (or 450 Nm in AT models), which can be had with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed AT.