Six cars are going to be launched in January 2019 including small hatchback from Maruti Suzuki to Tata Motors flagship premium SUV
January is going to be a busy month for the car industry as six new products are coming to the market at various price points. They are Tata Harrier, Nissan Kicks, Maruti Suzuki Wagon R, Toyota Camry, Mercedes Benz V-Class and BMW X7. Let’s take a closer look at each model.
1. Tata Harrier
Tata Motors already revealed the Harrier last month and it is one of the most awaited models to be launched in the country. The Harrier is the production version of H5X concept and the SUV is based on Land Rover Discovery Sport platform. The front get split headlamp setup along with new LED tail lamps and the company has given 5 seats.
The interior design is completely new and the SUV is loaded with lots of features. The Harrier is powered by 2.0 L diesel engine sourced from FCA with 140 PS and 350 Nm, mated to 6-speed manual transmission and an automatic transmission will join the lineup later.
2. Nissan Kicks
Nissan will launch the Kicks compact SUV by the middle of this month and the India-spec model is slightly different to the global version. The company has made some design tweaks and the dimensions of the Indian model is bigger. Nissan Kicks is based on the Renault Duster platform.
The interior design of Kicks gives a premium feel and the compact SUV is loaded with features like touchscreen infotainment system and climate control, which comes as standard from base variant. The Kicks is powered by a 1.5 L petrol engine with 110 PS and 1.5 L diesel engine with 105 PS, mated to manual gearbox as standard.
3. Maruti Suzuki Wagon R
Maruti Suzuki is going to launch the Wagon R on January 23 in India and the new model comes with an evolutionary design theme compared to the outgoing model. The front gets big headlamps with a new grille and an updated bumper while the rear gets vertically placed tail lamps and revised tailgate design.
The interior is expected to be completely different as the hatchback will come with lots of new features like touchscreen, reverse camera and more. The Wagon R is expected to retain the same 1.0 L engine from the current model with a minor increase in power and gearbox options will be the same manual and AMT.
4. Toyota Camry
The eighth generation of Camry will be launched in India on January 18 and it is based on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform. We are getting the global version, which is toned down compared to US model for a premium look. The company has increased the length, width and wheelbase as it has improved the space inside the cabin.
The interior design theme is completely different from other Toyota models and it comes loaded with lots of features. The quality of materials are top notch and the company is planning to introduce only the hybrid variant, which is powered by a 2.5 L petrol hybrid engine producing 178 PS and 221, mated to E-CVT gearbox.
5. Mercedes-Benz V Class
Mercedes Benz V Class will be launched in India on January 29 and the company is going to import the model from Spain. The V Class is expected to be offered in two different configurations and the current model made its debut in 2014 as the company has made the van more luxurious than its predecessor.
The V Class is powered by 2.0 L BSVI diesel engine, which is already available in the C Class and E-Class All-Terrain producing 194 hp of power and 400 Nm of torque, mated to 8-speed gearbox as standard. The V Class is expected to be priced around 80 lakh and it doesn’t have a direct competitor in India.
6. BMW X7
BMW will officially launch its flagship SUV on January 31 and the company introduced the model last year. The X7 is based on CLAR platform of BMW, which already underpin the 5 Series and 7 Series as the SUV shares lots of components with these sedans. One of the stands out design feature of X7 is its big kidney grille while the headlamps and tail lamps took inspirations from other models.
The interior design is completely new as the company has given dual 12.3-inch screens and the X7 is packed with lots of features and new technologies. The X7 is expected to be powered by 3.0 L quad turbo diesel engine with 395, mated to 8-speed auto with four-wheel drive system as standard.
