Introduction of these new variants could double the sales of respective vehicles and put them on a different perspective among buyers
1. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Petrol:
Although Maruti Suzuki is pulling off numbers no SUV has managed to consistently every month with the Vitara Brezza, it is still devoid of a petrol powertrain. The subcompact SUV is all the rage in recent years and the competition is cranking up to a new level with more manufacturers piling in their resources to make a mark for themselves.
Maruti will respond with a brand new 1.5-litre petrol SHVS engine developed by Suzuki Motor Corporation in Japan and it gets manufactured in India. It will power the new versions of Ertiga and Ciaz as the K15B unit is expected to produce 104 hp and 138 Nm.
2. Maruti Suzuki Swift RS:
The Swift has always been synonymous with sportiness and the new generation model has taken the stature to a whole new grid. Amidst the thorough visual makeovers and brand new interior updates, the Swift remains unchanged in the engine department as the reliable 1.2-litre K series petrol and fuel-friendly 1.3-litre DDiS diesel continue to work under the bonnet.
To spice up the proceedings, Maruti Suzuki is expected to introduce the 1.0-litre Boosterjet petrol currently powering the RS version of Baleno. It develops 101 bhp and 150 Nm peak torque. With more cosmetic treatments, it could be positioned at a premium compared to the regular Swift range.
3. Honda WR-V CVT Diesel:
Honda WR-V has emerged among the brand’s top-seller in no time but it is sold only in six variants with manual transmission. Going by the recent popularity for automatic units and the Amaze CVT does wonders for Honda in sales volume, we can expect the WR-V’s range to be expanded with the arrival of CVT connected to the 1.5-litre diesel power plant.
Sticking by the performance in the Amaze, it could develop 79 bhp and 160 Nm, which is considerably less compared to the regular diesel used in the WR-V.
4. Hyundai i20 Diesel Automatic:
Hyundai went in solo to enact the premium hatchback segment and achieved phenomenal success with the Elite i20. It did not face any stiff rivalry until Maruti Suzuki Baleno came into the domestic scenes. It can be argued that the Baleno did eat into the sales of Elite i20 but both models are doing steady sales numbers in the market and to have a distinguishable advantage, Hyundai could introduce an automatic transmission into the mix.
The i20 already has four-speed automatic torque converter unit mated to petrol engine and it will be interesting to see what the diesel engine will get. Our prediction would be an AT or CVT.
5. Maruti Suzuki S-Cross Petrol Hybrid:
The S-Cross has been encouragingly delivering an average of 3,000 units every month since the facelifted model was launched late last year. However, the absence of the more powerful 1.6-litre DDiS320 meant, the S-Cross is sold only with the diesel SHVS unit.
This could change when the 1.5-litre K15B petrol hybrid, as mentioned above in the Vitara Brezza, goes on sale probably next year or in 2020. Maruti Suzuki may address the lack of automatic transmission in the S-Cross lineup sooner rather than later.
6. Ford EcoSport Diesel AT:
Ford EcoSport is the primary sales driver for the American auto giant in the Indian market for several years now. Having received a comprehensive update in late 2018, Ford could be trying to make the most out of EcoSport’s popularity by launching an automatic transmission in diesel.
The 2018 EcoSport saw the arrival of Dragon series petrol engine into India as a brand new 1.5-litre mill with increased efficiency took its place. The 1.5-litre TDCI diesel stayed put though and is expected to get an automatic variant soon. The EcoSport’s range of offering has been increased with S and Signature Editions last month.
7. Maruti Suzuki Ignis AWD:
The Ignis urban hatch’s lineup is one of the most complete you would find among Maruti vehicles as both manual and AMT transmissions are offered. However, the Ignis has a unique trait yet to be disclosed in India. It could become the most affordable AWD on sale when the option gets introduced using Suzuki’s AllGrip technology.
This may imply to a full-time AWD unit and as a result, it will function in a specific mode in normal conditions with power going to the rear wheels only when the sensors detect slippage. The driver will be given the flexibility to lock the drive system at any time to send power to all the wheels.
8. Ford EcoSport AWD:
The subcompact SUV’s appeal will grow a notch further if a four-wheel-drive system gets in the act to lure in off-road enthusiasts. The EcoSport Storm variant comes with four-wheel-drive system coupled to the 2.0-litre Direct Flex engine that makes different outputs based on the fuel used in international markets.
It develops 170 hp and 202 Nm on petrol, and 176 hp and 221 Nm on ethanol. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual ‘box. In North America though, a 2.0-litre petrol engine with optional four-wheel-drive does the duty. We cannot expect these engines to make their way into India but the four-wheel-drive system certainly can.
9. Ford Freestyle AT Diesel:
Although based on the Figo, the Freestyle has managed to find its unique place in the budget lineup of Ford. It uses an all-new 1.2-litre Dragon petrol engine that is yet to feature in its older sibling, the Figo. While the Figo features AT in a single petrol variant, the same system is expected to feature in the tried and tested 1.5-litre TDCI diesel unit on the Freestyle for enabling more buying choices to the customers.
10. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza With Sunroof:
Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza kicked off the dual-tone paint scheme trend with phenomenal success and it also made way for exclusive customisation options right from the factory. However, there is one popular feature that still misses in the subcompact SUV arguably has to be sunroof. Maruti Suzuki could observe the customers’ good reception of sunroof equipped Honda WR-V and employ a similar feature in an upcoming variant.