Carmakers are planning to launch a few new vehicles in India soon, and here, we have listed seven that will arrive before Diwali this year
The Indian automobile industry went through a really tough patch last year and earlier this year, but recently, it has shown a remarkable overall recovery. Carmakers in our country have a lot of new vehicles lined up for launch, and a few of these are expected to arrive before the Diwali season, to take advantage of the festive sales rush.
Here, we have listed seven upcoming vehicles which are either scheduled or expected to launch in the Indian market before the arrival of Diwali this year.
1. New Maruti Celerio
Maruti Suzuki is working on the next-gen Celerio, and the new hatchback has already been spotted in production-ready guise on the streets of our country. The new model features a complete exterior redesign, and we expect major changes to the interior as well. Speculations suggest that it could get two engine options – a 1.2L petrol unit (83 PS) and a 1.0L petrol unit (68 PS) – and a CNG version will likely be offered as well.
2. Toyota Belta
Toyota is planning to discontinue the slow-selling Yaris sedan in the Indian market. In its place, the manufacturer will launch a rebadged version of Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, and production of the latter seems to have already begun. The new sedan, rumoured to be named ‘Belta’, will have a few changes to the design over the Ciaz, but the technical specifications will remain unchanged; it will be powered by a 1.5L petrol engine (with a mild-hybrid system), capable of generating 105 PS and 138 Nm.
3. Tata Punch
Tata Motors will launch its new micro-SUV, the Punch, in India next month. It is underpinned by the brand’s ALFA platform, and has a sporty but rugged design, inspired by the Harrier. The carmaker hasn’t revealed the powertrain options yet, but we expect a 1.2L NA petrol engine (86 PS) to be offered here, and a 1.2L turbo-petrol motor (110 PS) could be available as well. Also, Tata is expected to launch an electric version of this micro-SUV (Punch EV) some time in the future.
4. Mahindra XUV700
Mahindra & Mahindra’s highly anticipated XUV700 is slated to go on sale very soon, with a starting price of Rs. 11.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The SUV will be available in 5- and 7-seat configurations, and will come loaded with a lot of segment-first and segment-best features. There will be two engine choices on offer here – a 2.0L turbo-petrol unit (200 PS) and a 2.2L turbo-diesel unit (155 PS on MX variants, 185 PS on AX variants). An AWD option will also be available, but only on select trims of the XUV700.
5. MG Astor
MG’s upcoming midsize SUV, the Astor, is set to launch in our market next month. It will be the first vehicle in India to offer an AI assistant, and the first car in its segment to get level-2 ADAS (autonomous driver assistance systems). Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be offered as standard on it, as confirmed by MG. The manufacturer has revealed the engine options that will be offered on the SUV; it will get a 1.5L NA petrol unit (110 PS) and a 1.3L turbo-petrol unit (140 PS).
6. New Force Gurkha
Force Motors recently unveiled the new-generation Gurkha SUV in India, which will go on sale next month. The new Force Gurkha has currently debuted in only a 3-door configuration, and its 5-door version is slated to arrive in the near future. The SUV will be powered by a 2.6-litre turbo-diesel engine, with 91 PS and 260 Nm on tap. To aid with off-roading, the Gurkha will come standard with a 4×4 system, along with a low ratio transfer case and manual locking differentials (front and rear).
7. Maruti Swift/Dzire S-CNG
Maruti Suzuki is planning to launch CNG-powered versions of the Swift and Dzire very soon. The manufacturer hasn’t provided any launch details yet, but test mules have been spotted multiple times on Indian roads, hinting at their imminent arrival. The CNG variants of the Swift and Dzire will be powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine with a factory-fitted CNG kit. As per reports, the CNG variants of this hatchback-sedan pair will generate a peak power of 83 PS on petrol, and running on CNG will drop the output to 72 PS.