With Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali approaching, automakers are gearing up for the busiest season of the year. Among mainstream brands, Honda, Renault, Hyundai, and Tata Motors plan to launch a total of four new SUVs in India soon.
On 6 October, Honda will launch the facelifted version of the Elevate, its midsize SUV launched in September 2023. The facelifted Honda Elevate will likely feature revised bumpers, a redesigned radiator grille and lower air intake, tweaked headlight and taillight graphics, and new 17-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, while the design is unlikely to change much, comfort and convenience would be improved. Honda will likely introduce a ventilation function for the front seats, a power adjustment function for the driver’s seat, USB Type-C ports in the front, a USB Type-C port in the rear, and a panoramic sunroof. A factory-fitted 360-degree camera system should improve safety. No mechanical changes are expected with the mid-cycle refresh.
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On 17 October, Renault will launch the Duster Hybrid, which will have a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated direct-injection petrol engine assisted by an electric motor, which will also power the front wheels. The hybrid system, called ‘E-Tech 160’, has been developed by Horse Powertrain and develops 160 hp and 172 Nm of torque. A 1.4 kWh battery will power the electric motor and allow up to 80% of driving in city conditions in EV mode.
Later next month, Hyundai will launch the second-generation Bayon in India. This will be a new mid-size SUV measuring 4.2 metres in length, positioned below the Creta as a Maruti Victoris rival. The company could offer this model with features such as split headlamps, gesture-controlled powered tailgate, power-adjustable and ventilated driver’s seat, ventilated front passenger seat, a wireless smartphone charger, front and rear USB Type-C fast-charging ports, a 360-degree camera system, and a host of Level 2 ADAS functions.
The all-new Hyundai Bayon will likely be available in petrol and petrol-CNG variants, both with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine under the hood. The CNG variant should have an underbody CNG tank. Hyundai has started accepting bookings for the Bayon and will likely launch the model in the third or fourth week of October.
Tata Motors is expected to launch the pure electric variant of the Safari as the Safari.ev by November. The Safari.ev will likely be available in the same single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD variants as the Harrier.ev. The former should come with a choice of 65 kWh and 75 kWh LFP battery packs, while the latter should get the 75 kWh LFP battery pack as standard. The single-motor RWD variant should be able to travel around 600 kilometres on a single charge with the larger unit.
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An independent rear suspension and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2L) and vehicle-to-load (V2L) bidirectional charging functions will also differentiate the Safari.ev from its ICE donor. Moreover, unlike the Safari, Harrier, and Harrier.ev, it will likely be available with a 12.3-inch passenger touchscreen. This feature should eventually become available in the Safari, Harrier, and Harrier.ev, though.
