SUVs have become massively popular in the Indian market, and in 2021, a few new midsize SUVs are slated to launch here
Hyundai Creta was the most popular SUV in the Indian market in 2020, followed by its cousin, Kia Seltos. Both SUVs sold over 96 thousand units last year, which is extremely impressive. Due to the massive popularity of SUVs in India, other manufacturers are planning to launch a few new ones in our market.
Here, we have listed four such SUVs, which will be arriving in the Indian market this year and will lock horns with Hyundai and Kia’s bestseller SUV duo.
Skoda Kushaq
Skoda’s upcoming SUV, christened ‘Kushaq’, will be based on the Vision IN concept car showcased by the brand last year. It is expected to be powered by a 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine, which can generate 150 PS of peak power. According to speculation, a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol option (110 PS) could be available for the entry-level variants, to keep costs down.
Volkswagen Taigun
Volkswagen India will also be introducing a new SUV this year, based on the same MQB-A0-IN platform as the Skoda Kushaq, expectedly a few months after the latter’s launch. The upcoming VW SUV is expected to be powered by a 1.5 TSI petrol motor, and just like its Skoda cousin, might get a 1.0L TSI petrol engine as well.
MG ZS Petrol
MG will soon introduce the petrol-powered version of the ZS EV in India. The SUV has been spied multiple times in India, and is expected to launch sometime during the first half of this year. Internationally, there are three engine options available – a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol (111 PS), a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol (in two states of tune, 125 PS and 163 PS), and a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol motor (106 PS). The India-spec model will likely get either the 1.0L unit or the 1.3L powerplant.
New-Generation Mahindra Scorpio
The Scorpio is a very different SUV compared to the Creta; the former is a three-row vehicle built on a ladder-frame chassis, while the latter is a two-row monocoque SUV. That said, in Mahindra’s lineup, the Scorpio is the closest to the Creta in terms of dimensions as well as price.
The new-gen Scorpio, expected to arrive by mid-2021, will continue to be a three-row model, with a new and improved chassis, along with better equipment. It will get the same engine options as the new Mahindra Thar – 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and 2.2-litre turbo-diesel – but in a different state of tune.