Top 10 New Car Launches Of The Decade – Kwid, Creta, Baleno, Harrier

Tata Harrier CAMO front angle

With the end of 2020 almost upon us, let’s take a look at the top ten vehicles that launched in the Indian market in the past decade

The end of 2020 will bring another decade to an end. A lot happened in the past 10 years, especially in the Indian automobile market. A lot of manufacturers set up shop in our country, and a lot of them shut down operations as well. There were plenty of new car launches, some of which were paramount in shaping the industry.

Here, we have listed the top ten cars that launched in India in the past decade, i.e., from 2010 to 2020.

1. Renault Duster

Renault Duster was launched in our market back in 2012, as a heavily reworked version of the Dacia Duster. Despite being a monocoque SUV, it had a lot of off-road capability (especially on the now-discontinued AWD variants), which would put even a few ladder-frame SUVs to shame. Unlike the international-spec model, the Indian Duster is still in its first generation, and it feels a little old and dated now.

2. Ford EcoSport

Ford EcoSport Remains Most Exported Car from India

Ford Ecosport was globally unveiled for the first time at the 2012 Auto Expo, and in June 2013, the vehicle went on sale in India. It is the oldest sub-4-metre SUV on sale in our market, and is still in its first generation. A picture of the next-gen EcoSport was recently leaked online; we expect it to share its platform and engines with the Mahindra XUV300, and it will make its debut in early-2021.

3. Hyundai Creta

The first-generation Hyundai Creta went on sale in India back in July 2015, and its sales have been strong in our market ever since. It was the bestselling model in its segment, until the arrival of the Kia Seltos last year. However, the second-generation Creta was launched in March 2020, regaining its top position on the sales charts once again.

4. Renault Kwid

Renault Kwid 1.0L (1000cc) Review-24

In September 2015, Renault launched the Kwid in India. This crossover hatchback was the first vehicle to be based on the CMF-A platform, which was developed jointly by Nissan and Renault. The Kwid helped Renault gain popularity in the affordable end of the market, and the 2019 facelift helped keep things fresh.

5. Maruti Baleno

The fourth-generation Suzuki Baleno hatchback entered the Indian market as the Maruti Baleno in October 2015. The premium hatchback market was still growing at the time, and Maruti helped push the popularity of the segment among buyers. A performance version of this hatchback (called Baleno RS) was launched in India in March 2017, but was discontinued in January 2020 due to poor sales.

6. Maruti Vitara Brezza

Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Review15

During the 2012 Auto Expo, Maruti Suzuki showcased the XA Alpha concept car. The concept underwent several changes, and later spawned the Vitara Brezza. It went on sale in India in March 2016, and quickly became the best-selling SUV here. In February 2020, it received a facelift, and its diesel engine was replaced by a petrol one. Maruti Suzuki is working on a new-generation model for the Brezza, which is expected to hit showrooms in 2022.

7. Jeep Compass

American UV manufacturer Jeep entered the Indian market with the Compass SUV back in July 2017. It was positioned as a premium SUV, and assembled locally at FCA’s Pune plant in order to keep the price competitive. The Compass was extremely popular initially, but due to lack of any significant updates since, its sales began dwindling.

8. Tata Nexon

nexon tata suv-43

The Nexon subcompact SUV, launched back in September 2017, is one of the most important vehicles for Tata Motors. In August 2018, Global NCAP crash tested the vehicle and gave it a respectable 4-star safety rating. Tata Motors then updated the Nexon, and it managed to receive a 5-star GNCAP safety rating in December 2018, becoming the first manufactured-in-India car to do so. In February 2020, it underwent a facelift, which made the styling more aggressive.

9. Tata Harrier

Tata Harrier was first showcased as the H5X concept during the 2018 Auto Expo, and it hit the market in January 2019. It was Tata’s first vehicle to be based on the OmegaArc platform, which is derived from Land Rover’s D8 platform. Its 7-seater version is also in the making, and will launch next year under the name ‘Gravitas’.

10. Kia Seltos

seltos-1

In July 2019, Kia Motors entered the Indian market with the Seltos. This SUV was one of the most handsome and feature-loaded vehicles at the time in its segment, which helped it quickly gain popularity among buyers. It briefly became the best-selling SUV in its segment as well, until the arrival of the second-gen Creta.