Indian automobile enthusiasts have always been fascinated with big cars and revving engines. With the success of mid-range sports utility vehicles (SUVs) like FordEco Sport and Renault Duster, auto manufacturers are looking at options to bring more mid-size SUVs to the Indian market. Boom News gives you a list of the upcoming SUV that will hit the Indian roads by 2015. Enjoy!
Maruti Suzuki X4 Alpha
This crossover /SUV was first unveiledby Marti during the 2012 India Auto Expo. Though the company had plans to launch the SUV by mid-2014, we have not heard about its launch date as yet. Based on the Swift platform, the X4 Alpha is expected to revolutionisethe compact SUV market. The car will be manufactured completely in India, and its expected launch date now is somewhere by mid-2015. The car is expected to be priced anywhere between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 10 lakh.
Expected launch: Mid-2015
Expected Price: Between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 10 lakh.
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Honda HR-V
Giving tough competition to X4 Alpha will be the Honda’s HR-V. The car is expected to be priced between Rs 8 lakh and Rs12 lakh and The car features a large grille and long horizontally stretched headlamps, compact overall proportions and a swooping roofline. The compact SUV will share the 1.5 litre i-Dtec engine, which will also do duty in the Honda Mobilio and will get either the 1.2 i-Vtec engine from the Brio or the 1.5 litre i-Vtec engine from the Honda City.
Expected launch: Early 2015
Expected Price: Between Rs8 lakh and Rs12 lakh
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Hyundai ix35
Another car that is expected to launch by early 2015 is the Hyundai ix 35. With its fluidic design, the ix35 looks distinctively like a Hyundai. The ix35 will feature the small 1.1 Litre CRDE engine that does duty in Hyundai’s new Grand i10 but with greater power output. Expect the ix35 to be priced extremely competitively with the pricefor the petrol version starting at just under Rs 7 lakh and the base model diesel version around Rs 7-7.5 lakh.
Expected launch: Early 2015
Expected Price: Between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh
Mahindra S102
After the success of XUV 500, Mahindra is hoping to repeat the story with S102. As per an official announcement, the S102 will be fitted with 1.2 litre petrol engine and 3 cylinder 12 valvesystem. Though Mahindra is likely to announce its diesel version soon, further information from company sources is still awaited. The S102 crossover will be based on the Ssangyong X100 platform and will measure lesser than 4 meters in length. The sub 4 meters length is to ensure that the crossover gets taxed at a lower excise level. This will, in turn, allow Mahindra to price the S102 under Rs 10 lakh.
Expected launch: Late 2014
Expected Price: Under Rs 10 lakh
Volkswagen Taigun
Taigun is the German car maker’s smallest SUV on offer. The compact SUV is expected to launch by early 2015, and its appearance at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo makes it a strong contender.
Expected launch: Early 2015
Expected Price: Between Rs 9 lakh and Rs 12 lakh
Slideshow Volkswagen Taigun
Chevrolet Adra
Chevrolet didn’t get the dream run expected from Sail. With Adra, General Motors is hoping to get that lost pride back. Also unveiled during the Indian Auto Expo, it is based on the company’s global smallvehicle platformcalled Gamma 2. The concept was developed entirely by Indian designers at GM’s technical centre in Bangalore, India. Though GM has not revealed any details about the engine specifications, it is likely that it will feature a tweaked version of the 77bhp 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine from the Chevrolet Sail and Enjoy. The Adra looks quite macho and yet sleek at the same time. The starting range of Adra is expected to be around Rs8 lakh, and the launch date is likely to be the first half of 2015.
Expected Launch: First half of 2015
Expected Price: Around Rs 8 lakh
Slideshow Chevrolet Adra
Renault Kwid
The Renault Kwid is an interesting take on a mini SUV featuring Renault’s modern design. While the Duster does its duty of getting the sales numbers, its design or interior cannot be termed ‘modern’ or ‘premium’, as it is based on the Dacia Logan. KWID is the first Renault concept car to be given its global debut outside Europe, and was created with input from interior designers and colour and trim specialists within the company's Indian studios at Chennai and Mumbai. It was completed in Paris. Power comes from a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine driving the front wheels through a dual-clutch transmission, but the car has been prepared so an all-electric powertrain could easily be adopted. KWID is based on a new platform which Renault will use for a small car for India next year. There are no plans to put it into production - it would be too complex and costly in its current guise. The success of the Duster in Indiahas encouraged Renault to look at the idea of adding a small SUV.
Expected launch: Late 2015
Expected Price: Unknown
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Slideshow: Renault KWID