Next year we will see fresh lineup of new SUVs from carmakers looking to make a name for themselves in the segment and intensify the competition further
The subcompact SUV segment is on a roll in recent years and its volume has increased multiple folds due to the global trend of buying SUVs and crossovers having trickled down to India. With Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza opening up the wider possibility the segment has, other manufacturers followed up with new breed of vehicles. The likes of Tata Nexon and Honda WR-V have further emphasised the popularity of the sub-four-metre SUV space with an expansive range since launching last year.
Currently, the Vitara Brezza has accounted for approximated over 12,000 average monthly unit sales in the last one year and nearly 3 lakh examples have been retailed since it went on sale in early 2016. The initial benchmark Ford EcoSport is going strongly courtesy of the facelift while Tata’s new-age Nexon constantly registers more than 4,000 deliveries every month since last November. Honda WR-V, on the other hand, has managed over 55,000 units since entering the market in March 2017 with Mahindra TUV300 garnering around 2,000 units monthly.
The entire scale of sales stands testament to the fact that the segment is one of the highly competitive in the Indian market and it does not appear to be slowing down. Next year we will see fresh lineup of new SUVs from carmakers looking to make a name for themselves in the segment. Here we list all of the five upcoming SUVs for your clear understanding:
Hyundai Carlino-Based SUV:
The second largest automaker in the country, Hyundai, has not made its presence felt in the segment yet and that could change when the Carlino concept based SUV enters showrooms likely in the second half of 2019. Just like other models in its portfolio, the South Korean auto major is expected to price the production SUV competitively with packed features list and fuel efficient powertrains.
Mahindra XUV300:
Although having the TUV300, Mahindra is discontented with the numbers and in comes the S201 which has been spotted disguised a number of times already. It could carry the XUV300 nomenclature and will be based on the SsangYong Tivoli’s platform. The design of the upcoming SUV is largely similar to the Tivoli judging by the silhouette and with signature styling elements of Mahindra. It also appears to have new diesel powertrain developed in association with its Korean subsidiary.
Datsun Cross:
The first production crossover walks on the same path as the Go Cross concept showcased back in 2014 in India. Its arrival has long been anticipated here but legit claims emerged on the internet when the road-going version graced Indonesia a few months ago.
It has an updated exterior compared to the Go and Go+ siblings we see in India and will arrive sometime next year only after its entry-level siblings receive their respective facelifts. It will be more premium than the entire Datsun lineup our domestic market is accustomed to and will feature upmarket cabin.
Renault Triber (Kwid Based SUV):
Renault-Nissan alliance has embarked on an aggressive strategy for India as their local sales have been tumbling. With Kwid being the only volume sales hope for Renault, a improvised version of its platform will give rise to a new sub-four-metre SUV and an MPV.
The CMF-A+ architecture will spawn an affordable that is expected to be positioned above the Kwid and it could be called the Triber. It could only use an upgraded 1.0-litre petrol engine used in the Kwid with addition of turbocharger for increased power. The Triber SUV is predicted to launch as early as next year.
Toyota Subcompact SUV (Based on Vitara Brezza):
Toyota and Suzuki have partnered for mutual benefits and it includes producing vehicles for each other. Denso, part of Toyota, is also assisting Suzuki to develop a highly efficient powertrain. Maruti Suzuki will be supplying Vitara Brezza and Baleno to Toyota and the latter will make cosmetic and interior changes.
Toyota will incorporate design modifications as well as a new-looking cabin in the subcompact SUV to completely rebadge it as its own product. The Vitara Brezza based Toyota SUV will be highly localised to keep the pricing competitive, even against its donor.