The compact SUV segment will see a lot of action in India in the coming months and we have compiled a list of the upcoming Hyundai Venue rivals
The compact SUV segment once started the craze for affordable SUVs in India, which were big enough in size, yet affordable and easy enough to drive for an Indian buyer. While Ford Ecosport started this trend in 2013, cars like Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Tata Nexon took the lead later.
However, the tide turned in the favour of Hyundai Venue, India’s first connected SUV that was launched below the popular Creta mid-SUV and was priced aggressively. While there is no car currently that can come closer to Hyundai Venue in terms of sales, the future for the Compact SUV segment looks bright as there are many cars waiting to be launched in India.
These new launches are surprisingly all new products that the brands are developing especially for a country like India. Company’s like Renault, Maruti are putting in a lot of effort to make the Hyundai Venue feel the heat of the competition. Here’s a list of top 5 upcoming Hyundai Venue rivals –
1. Vitara Brezza Facelift
Maruti Vitara Brezza, the erstwhile segment-leader, is about to receive a major facelift that should help it recover some of the territories it has lost out to the Hyundai Venue. The updated Brezza will have a comprehensively revised front fascia, which will carry a new bumper, more premium-looking headlamps, and a bolder grille. In the side profile, the SUV will have new alloy wheels, while the rear could get updated tail lamps and bumper.
Even the interior will get some new bits. The features list will see some additions, which should help the SUV compete easily with the fully-loaded Hyundai Venue. The top model of the Brezza will get an electric sunroof, which is something that rivals like the Venue, XUV300 and EcoSport are already offering. It will also get a new engine option in the form of the petrol engine in the form of a 1.5-litre K15B motor from the Ciaz and Ertiga. Most importantly, the top-spec trim of the Brezza will offer 4 airbags.
2. Renault HBC
Renault recently decided to give another go at the Indian market with a strategy change. After launching successful cars like Kwid and Duster, Renault somehow was unable to launch a right product for the Indian market. However, with the launch of the Triber, Renault has seem to find back its lost mojo.
The French automaker has now confirmed a new compact SUV for India, codenamed Renault HBC. The HBC will be based on the company’s CMF-A platform with that already underpins the Kwid and Triber and can be displayed as a concept or a near-production model at the upcoming 2020 Delhi Auto Expo.
The HBC will share most of the equipment and engine with Triber which means it will be powered by a 1.0L petrol engine producing 71bhp and 96Nm and mated to a manual and AMT gearbox options.
3. Honda Unnamed SUV
It has been 4 years since Honda introduced the WR-V compact SUV in India and although a good product overall with great space, the Honda WR-V has not been able to compete against the rivals. Honda is now working on a new small SUV that might replace the WR-V or co-exist with WR-V.
The new SUV will be based on the successful Amaze platform and will share the engine options with the popular Amaze compact sedan which means it will have a 1.2-litre iVTEC and 1.5-litre iDTEC engine options, both of which will get manual and automatic gearbox options. Reportedly Honda Cars India will co-develop the car with Honda Prospect Motor Indonesia and is expected to make world premiere at the Auto Expo 2020 in February.
4. Kia Compact SUV
After the successful launch of Seltos mid-SUV, Kia Motors, the South Korean automaker is working to launch a compact SUV in the highly competitive compact SUV space. The new Kia sub-4 meter SUV will take its design elements and features from the Seltos and will be manufactured at the company’s Anantapur facility in Andhra Pradesh.
Expected to debut at the 2020 Auto Expo as the concept version, the SUV will share its platform from the Hyundai Venue, much like between the Seltos and Creta and wiill get a 1.0L turbocharged petrol and a 1.5L diesel engine options.
5. Toyota Vitara Brezza Based
After the global alliance between Japanese auto giants Toyota and Suzuki, speculations are high on what next product we can see from the two brand’s collaboration. The first product from the collaboration was the Toyota Glanza, a Maruti Suzuki Baleno’s rival.
The next product will be Toyota’s re-badged version of the Vitara Brezza compact SUV that will be developed to compete against the Vitara Brezza itself and Hyundai Venue. Unlike the Glanza, there will be difference between the two cars including a new grille, revised bumpers, newly-designed alloys, updated tailgate and new taillamps.
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