2020 has been a year full of big launches, and furthermore, a total of 17 new cars are still lined up to be launched in the country by this year’s Diwali
2019 was a disappointing year for a majority of automobile manufacturers, and even after all the splendid new launches last year, sales throughout the majority of the year were substandard. The automobile industry walked into 2020 with high hopes, with the biggest auto show in the country set to be held in February.
2020 has been a phenomenal year for the automotive industry in terms of new launches, and while a state of gloom has been haunting the industry for a few months, there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel. The festive season is one of the best times of the year for manufacturers in India, and it looks like this year’s Diwali will not disappoint either.
Here is a list of all the upcoming cars that are set to be launched in the country by this festive season (2020) –
1. New-Gen Honda City
Honda was originally set to launch the new-gen City in May, but had to postpone the event to a later date. Over the current-gen model, the 2020 City gets a completely new design and a range of new features including connected-car tech with industry-first Alexa Remote compatibility, 7-inch colour TFT MID with a G-Force meter, Lane Watch cameras, Vehicle Stability Assist and Agile Handling Assist etc. The 1.5-litre petrol and diesel powertrains front the current model will likely be carried over to the new-gen model.
2. 2020 Mahindra Thar
Mahindra is all-set to bring a generational update for the Thar this year, which will modernise the SUV without compromising on its rugged appeal. The 2020 Thar will be offered with premium features like a touchscreen system, a semi-digital instrument cluster, front-facing rear seats, a separate hard-top variant etc.
The engine options are likely to include a 2.0-litre diesel motor with 140 PS power output, and a 2.0-litre TGDi turbo-petrol engine producing 190 PS. Transmission options could include an optional automatic for the first time.
3. Maruti Suzuki S-Cross petrol
Maruti Suzuki discontinued the diesel-only S-Cross once the BS6 emission norms became mandatory on April 1, 2020. Now, the carmaker is set to launch the car with a BS6 petrol powertrain. The crossover will be plonked with Maruti’s 1.5-litre K15B petrol (105 PS/138 Nm) engine with SHVS mild-hybrid tech, which will likely come mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, and an optional 4-torque converter automatic. No visual changes or additional features will likely be made to the S-Cross
4. Honda WR-V facelift
Honda teased the BS6 WR-V a couple of weeks ago, which revealed that apart from BS6-compliance, the sub-4m crossover will also be getting a subtle mid-life refresh. Under the hood of the updated crossover will be the cleaner versions of the same 1.2-litre petrol (90 PS/110 Nm) and diesel (100 PS/200 Nm) engines that were previously offered with the car.
5. Hyundai Tucson facelift
Hyundai introduced a facelifted version of the Tucson SUV at the 2020 Auto Expo which featured minor external enhancements but a completely revamped modern-looking dashboard. Powering the refreshed SUV is a 2.0-litre petrol engine mated to a 6-speed auto, and a 2.0-litre oil burner, which comes with an 8-speed auto as standard.
6. Third-Gen Hyundai i20
The soon-to-be-launched third-gen i20 is one of the most anticipated Hyundai cars in India, and the hatchback will be making its European debut soon, before arriving at our shores. The Euro-spec 2020 i20 gets a range of new features including a fully digital instrument cluster, wireless smartphone connectivity and loads of new safety tech. The hatch will be offered with a range of drivetrains, and a 48V mild-hybrid powertrain will also be a part of them.
7. Toyota Urban Cruiser
As a part of the global agreement between Suzuki and Toyota, the latter will be borrowing the Maruti Vitara Brezza, slightly alter its design, and launch it under its own name by August this year. The Toyota’s version of the sub-4m SUV will likely be called the ‘Urban Cruiser’, and buyers will largely be attracted because of Toyota’s brand value and a longer standard-warranty pack as compared to the donor car.
8. Tata Hornbill (HBX)
Tata revealed its plans of launching a micro-SUV concept at the Auto Expo this year, when it showcased the ‘HBX’ near-production concept. What we do know is that the production-ready car will be offered with the same 1.2-litre three-cylinder NA petrol (86 PS/113 Nm) engine as the Altroz, and will go on to become the company’s most affordable SUV in the country. On the design front, the HBX will be based on Tata’s Impact 2.0 theme, and will largely be similar to the concept showcased at the auto show.
9. Kia Sonet
Kia will make use of the Hyundai Venue’s platform and powertrains to introduce its very own sub-4m SUV in the market, and we have already been familiarised with its concept at the 2020 Auto Expo. The Sonet will feature a different external and internal design, which will set it apart from the Venue, while it is also expected to be offered with a few additional features.
10. 2020 Mahindra TUV300 Plus
Apart from receiving BS6-compliance, the seven-seat Mahindra TUV300 Plus will soon be getting a mid-life facelift. The SUV expected to come equipped with a 2.0-litre oil burner, with a similar power (120 PS) and torque (280 Nm) output as before. Also, features like the touchscreen infotainment system, steering-mounted audio controls, multi-info display, and electrically-adjustable wing mirrors will be carried over.
11. MG Hector Plus
Thanks to Hector’s long 2,750 mm wheelbase, MG was able to create a three-row version of the car, and debuted it at the 2020 Auto Expo as the ‘Hector Plus’. At first, it will be launched with a six-seat layout with captain seats in the second row. The Hector’s 1.5-litre turbo-petrol (143 PS/250 Nm) and 2.0-litre oil burner (170 PS/350 Nm) will likely be carried over to its three-row sibling.
12. Tata Gravitas
Tata has been developing the three-row version of the Harrier SUV for a pretty long time now, and the car was also revealed at the 2020 Auto Expo in production-ready avatar. While the ‘Gravitas’ will share its wheelbase with the Harrier, the former will have a longer rear overhang to accommodate the third row. It will be offered with both six- and seven-seat layouts, and will get the same powertrain and transmission options as the Harrier. Also, a petrol engine could also be offered with the three-row SUV.
13. MG Gloster
The Hector Plus was not the only three-row SUV MG showcased at this year’s Auto Expo, the carmaker also revealed a new full-size body-on-frame SUV dubbed ‘Gloster’. The car is based on the Maxus D90 SUV sold in China which comes with a 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel (215 PS/480 Nm) mill, and a 2.0-litre petrol (224 PS/360 Nm) engine. The same engines are expected to be offered with the India-spec model, and the full-size SUV will be pitted against the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Mahindra Alturas G4 here.
14. Renault Kiger (HBC)
Renault is planning to make use of the CMF-A platform that has been jointly developed with Nissan, to enter the sub-4m SUV space with an aggressively priced product. The ‘Kiger’ is expected to get a 1.0-litre HR10 three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 95 PS. Renault also confirmed that a sunroof will be a part of the equipment list. With an expected starting price of Rs 5.5 lakh, the Kiger could go on to become the most affordable car in India to come with a sunroof.
15. Nissan Magnite
Just like Renault, Nissan will also launch a sub-4m SUV called ‘Magnite’, based on the CMF-A platform. Apart from the platform, the two cars will share the powertrains as well. Just like its cousin, the Magnite will be offered with a competitive price tag as well. The Magnite will be Nissan’s first India-specific model that will be built from the ground up.
16. Toyota Fortuner facelift
Toyota recently revealed a mid-life facelift of the Fortuner in Thailand, and an Indian launch is expected by this Diwali. The SUV was showcased in two variants – the standard version and the range-topping Legender variant.
While the Legender variant gets a completely new front fascia, the standard version also features some cosmetic updates over the outgoing model. The BS6-compliant 2.7-litre petrol and 2.8-litre diesel engines will likely be retained, while the latter could be offered in a slightly higher state of tune, just like the Thai-spec model.
17. New-Gen Maruti Suzuki Celerio
The current-gen Celerio has been on sale for 6 years and has never received a generational update. However, Maruti Suzuki is finally working on launching a new-gen model, which has been internally codenamed ‘YNC’. The new hatchback is expected to be offered with Maruti’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, along with a petrol-CNG drivetrain. The updated car will feature a new design, while some additional features are also expected to be offered.