It’s raining SUVs in India. The country bore witness to a drastic transformation over past 3-4 years, especially when it came to the SUV/Crossover market. This transformation has made it quite clear that the purchasing power of people of this country has increased. In yesteryears, where bulky cars were owned by a few affluent ones, is no longer a valid truth, as now the purchasing power has shifted from the hands of a select few to a much larger number.
Today compact SUV/Crossovers are considered to be holding a large chunk of the total car sales and this is only growing, as more and more players are entering this segment. As compact SUV segment has further given rise to a new sub-compact category, the competition is getting intense with each passing day. So we have prepared a list of new compact SUVs which will be launching this year, after their showcasing at the upcoming Indian Auto Expo 2016. Here we go.
Maruti Vitara Brezza
Maruti’s very first weapon in the fast growing compact SUV segment is a special one. Although, we have seen only a glimpse of the upcoming car via teaser, the car has already become a talk of the town due to spyshots going viral over internet. The new Vitara Brezza will be offered in both diesel and petrol engine options, shared from Swift. Interiors of the car is expected to be well equipped as it has to deal with some of the formidable competitors in the segment.
Engine: 1.2 litre petrol/1.3 litre diesel
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Expected Price: Rs. 6.5-9 lac
Baby Creta
Hyundai Creta has been an absolute success in the country, thanks to brilliant execution of the Korean automaker. The ‘Creative’ car with its exquisite looks, upmarket interiors, variety of engine options and trim levels, has become the most demanded SUV in the country. But what next? Is it sufficient or does Hyundai need more accolades? Well, the good news is that Hyundai won’t be sitting idle and watching all the action out there in the sub-compact space. It is preparing to launch an offensive against Ford EcoSport, TUV300 and upcoming Maruti Vitara Brezza by launching its under 4-meter SUV. The car will be based on similar platform that underpins Elite i20 and Active Crossover and will house a diesel engine shared from Creta.
Engine: 1.4-litre diesel
Expected Price: Rs. 7-9 lac
Honda BR-V
The next in the list is the debutant compact SUV/Crossover from Honda. The car has been launched in Indonesia and is quite successfully running. Now the next destination of this vehicle is one of the largest auto markets in the world i.e. India. The car will be showcased at the upcoming Auto Expo and the launch will follow soon after that. It takes inspiration from Mobilio MPV and is almost an altered version of it. Powering the Honda BR-V will be petrol and diesel engines of Mobilio MPV. The car is a seven seater and will be appealing to a lot of buyers who are interested in 7-seater SUV/Crossover.
Engine: 1.5 litre petrol/1.5 litre diesel
Expected Price: Rs. 8.5-12 lac
Datsun Go Cross
One of the major highlights of the upcoming Auto Expo will be the striking Go Cross Concept from Datsun. The vehicle first broke the cover at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show and dazzled the world with its charismatic looks. The production version is expected to remain ditto, save a few changes. Although, the interiors are yet to be revealed, but we can expect the same liveliness inside as well. The car has been crafted on the similar platform that forms the basis for Datsun GO Plus and is expected to share the same engine line-up as well. Go Cross will be the flagship product from Datsun in India and will be launched in 5 & 7 seater variants. Ford EcoSport is expected to be the prime target.
Engine: 1.2-litre petrol
Expected Price: Rs. 5.5-7.5 lac
Tata Nexon
Tata is missing all the activity in the compact SUV category so far, but now it's time to act seriously and try something different to maintain the position in the market. Tata Nexon is a next big thing from the homegrown automaker. The concept version was first showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo, but we will see the car in its production avatar at the upcoming Auto Show. It has been spied several times undergoing test runs in the country. The engine options will include both diesel and petrol shared from Zest and we can expect AMT transmission as part of the strategy as well.
Engine: 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol/1.3 litre diesel
Expected Price: Rs. 6-8 lac
Also Read: 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe to join Tucson and Sub-4 meter SUV in Auto Expo
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Source : CarDekho