New SUV'S for India in 2015

Car makers have been seeing green in their ledgers for some months now; and the coming year is going to see a number of launches at various times and in varying price brackets. 

Suvs-

Maruti XA Alpha

Maruti missed out on the super-popular compact SUV craze when it hit, but it hasn’t given up yet. The XA Alpha concept was shown at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi and work is underway on the production version. It will be a sub-four-metre SUV and it has been designed specifically for the Indian market, much like the Swift Dzire. Having learnt a lesson from its rather uninspired recent car designs, Maruti is said to be giving the XA Alpha’s styling some serious attitude, akin to the Mahindra XUV500. This being a compact car, it will use the Swift’s 1.2-litre K12 petrol engine to comply with Indian government norms. The diesel, however, will be an all-new 1.5-litre engine from Fiat.

Factfile-
Coming: End 2015
Est price: ₹ 7.5-10 lakh
Engine(s): 1.2 petrol, 1.5 diesel
Rivals: Ford EcoSport, Fiat Avventura

Hyundai ix25

Hyundai wants to cash in on the SUV craze in India and will launch its compact SUV next year. Shown in concept form earlier this year, it is similar in size to the Renault Duster and looks quite neat. However, interestingly, the car won’t be called the ix25 when it comes here, and will get a conventional name instead. This is because Hyundai doesn’t want buyers to mix it up with the i20, which is seen as a class lower in India. 

The face has sharp headlamps that complement its distinct chrome grille. Other interesting design elements include the upward rising window line and wraparound tail-lamps. The car is expected to use the same engines as the Verna – 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines. Gearboxes are likely to mirror the Verna as well, with five-speed and six-speed manuals along with a new five-speed automatic as an option.

Factfile-
Coming: Mid 2015
Est price: ₹ 10 lakh
Engine(s): 1.6 petrol, 1.6 diesel
Rivals: Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano

Maruti S-Cross

Maruti’s attempts at selling premium models, like the Kizashi and Grand Vitara, have never been successful in India. Now, the company is looking at slowly crawling its way up the ladder, segment by segment, and after the Ciaz, the next car in line is the S-Cross. Shown to the Indian public at this year’s Auto Expo, you can tell by looking at it that it’s more of a large, high-riding crossover hatchback than a proper SUV.

 In fact, the rather tame styling is one of its weak points. However, it makes up for that by being very spacious on the inside, pretty well-equipped and quite practical. Power comes from 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines mated to manual gearboxes. Its big trump card, however, will be its all-wheel-drive system that actually gives it decent off-roading ability. Speaking of its rivals, it will go up against the likes of the Mahindra XUV500, Renault Duster and Nissan Terrano, at an estimated price of ₹ 13-14 lakh.

Factfile-
Coming: March 2015
Est price: ₹ 13-14 lakh
Engine(s): 1.6 petrol, 1.6 diesel
Rivals: Mahindra XUV500, Renault Duster AWD

Honda CR-V  facelift and diesel

If you want to sell an SUV in India, it has to have a diesel engine. So it’s no wonder Honda is working on a diesel version of its impressive CR-V. The engine is a 1.6-litre i-DTEC with 118bhp, but if you think that’s too little, consider its 31kgm of torque. The diesel CR-V will be front-wheel-drive only, however. While that may be a downer for those who plan to venture off road, the CR-V should more than make up by delivering class-leading fuel efficiency. There will be a mild facelift too, with a few tweaks to the bumpers, grille and lights, and perhaps a bit more equipment in the cabin. Prices for the CR-V facelift will likely range from ₹ 24 to 27 lakh.

Factfile-
Coming: 2015
Est price:₹ 24-27 lakh
Engine(s): 2.0 petrol, 2.4 petrol, 1.6 diesel
Rivals: Skoda Yeti 

New Ford Endeavour

The current ford Endeavour is getting a bit long in the tooth now, but after a long delay, the next-generation car will be launched next year. The car in the picture is a concept, but the production version won’t look too different from it. That means it retains the butch look we loved on the original, but still manages to look modern as well. The look and feel of the cabin is a lot more contemporary too. While the final specification is yet to be revealed, the Endeavour is likely to come with 2.2- and 3.0-litre diesel engines with 2WD or 4WD. As on the current car, you can expect an optional automatic transmission as well. What’s more, the Endeavour is likely to be priced more competitively than before. Perhaps you should hold back on that Fortuner or Pajero Sport until this one comes along.

Factfile-
Coming: 2015 

Est price:₹ 25-30 lakh
Engine(s): 2.2 diesel, 3.0 diesel
Rivals: Toyota Fortuner, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Jeep Wrangler

If there’s one model that embodies everything Jeep is known for, it’s the Wrangler. An out and out off-roader, the Wrangler comes with huge off-road tyres, locking differentials, a specially designed suspension and robust four-wheel-drive system.

If there’s one model that embodies everything Jeep is known for, it’s the Wrangler. An out and out off-roader, the Wrangler comes with huge off-road tyres, locking differentials, a specially designed suspension and robust four-wheel-drive system. It won’t be the most comfortable or luxurious vehicle around,
but its ability to tackle the great outdoors will be second to none. Sadly, the Wrangler won’t come cheap, with an expected ₹ 40-lakh starting price.

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Coming: 2014 

Est price: ₹ 40 lakh
Engine(s): 3.5 petrol, 2.8 diesel
Rivals: Mercedes-Benz ML 250 CDI, Audi Q5

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Jeep’s flagship, the Grand Cherokee, is also headed to India and, as is very evident, it’s a smart, burly luxury SUV. Developed along with the latest Mercedes-Benz M-class, the Grand Cherokee offers genuine comfort for five occupants with all the off-road ability you’d expect from a Jeep.  Jeep will also sell the Grand Cherokee with powerful V8 petrol engines that bring even more serious performance to the mix. Jeep could assemble the Grand Cherokee in India and that would mean pricing could undercut European rivals.

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Coming: 2015
Est price: ₹ 70 lakh
Engine(s): 3.0 diesel
Rivals: Mercedes-Benz ML 350 CDI, Audi Q7, BMW X5

Land Rover Discovery Sport

This is the replacement for the current Land Rover Freelander 2, which happens to be the company’s best-selling model. As is clear, however, it will be dropping the ‘Freelander’ name and joining the new ‘Discovery’ family of SUVs. It promises to offer better off-road ability, more interior space and a bigger boot.The new car is based on the same platform as the Evoque, which in turn is a development of the current Freelander’s platform, although Land Rover says 90 percent of the parts are new. It will be the first of the new Land Rover Discovery model range,
and unlike most of its rivals in the segment, it is a seven-seater, which should give it an edge in India. Just like the new Jaguar XE sedan, this car will draw power from JLR’s new range of super-frugal four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.

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Coming: 2016 

Est price: ₹ 45-60 lakh
Engine(s): 2.0 turbo petrol, 2.0 diesel
Rivals: Audi Q5, BMW X3, Volvo XC60

New Audi Q7

Audi Crosslane Coupe concept image shown for representation only.

Even though its sister cars, the Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg, moved into their second generation a few years ago, the Q7 has soldiered on largely unchanged since its launch way back in 2005. Now, however, the new model will be leading the charge for the newest version of the VW Group’s MLB ‘large car’ platform that will later spawn not only the next Cayenne and Touareg, but also new SUVs from Bentley and Lamborghini. Expect the new Q7 to be much bigger than before, but also at least 350kg lighter, thanks to the advanced new chassis. It will also be a lot more luxurious and tech-laden than the current Q7, and you can expect this to be a proper rival for Mercedes’ gargantuan GL-class. The engines, initially at least, will be shared with the current car, and that means a 3.0-litre petrol engine and 3.0 and 4.2-litre diesels.

Factfile-
Coming: 2015
Est price: ₹ 60-75 lakh
Engine(s): 3.0 turbo petrol, 3.0 diesel, 4.2 diesel
Rivals: BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GL-class

New BMW X6

BMW created a new segment with its first-generation X6 – that of a big SUV with a sloping, coupé-like roofline, and it proved surprisingly popular, despite the obvious compromise on space and practicality. The second-gen X6, based on the new X5, is on its way to India. Like its conventional, seven-seat sibling, the new X6 will get an improved cabin with more space than its predecessor. A welcome change is the styling, which does look a lot better and more aggressive than the oddball look of the previous X6. Powertrain options will remain the same as before, with a 3.0-litre diesel being the mainstay of the range for India, and the possibility of the 442bhp 4.4-litre turbocharged V8 as well.

Factfile-
Coming: 2015
Est price: ₹ 80 lakh
Engine(s): 4.4 turbo petrol, 3.0 diesel
Rivals: Porsche Cayenne

Porsche Cayenne facelift

Its smaller sibling, the Macan, may have been making the news for Porsche in 2014, but hot on its heels will be an updated version of the original sports SUV, the Cayenne. The changes to the look are ever so subtle, and the bigger changes are to the equipment list and the range of petrol and diesel engines, which will all be tweaked for better efficiency, and in some cases, a bit more power too. The naturally aspirated V8 from the Cayenne S will also be replaced by a more efficient turbocharged V6, but don’t worry, the Turbo, Turbo S and GTS will still be powered by V8 motors.

Factfile-
Coming: Late 2014
Est price: ₹ 1.5-2.5 crore
Engine(s): 3.0 turbo petrol hybrid, 3.6 turbo petrol, 4.8 turbo petrol, 3.0 diesel, 4.2 diesel
Rivals: Range Rover Sport, Mercedes ML-class

MPVS-

Renault Lodgy

Just as it gave us the Logan and the Duster, Renault’s Romanian offshoot company Dacia will also be giving us a new seven-seat MPV, that will come to India badged as a Renault. The Lodgy is considerably larger than the likes of the Ertiga and Mobilio, and its size alludes to the acres of space it has inside. The good news is that the car will begin production in India by the end of this year, so you can expect it to be priced very competitively. It also shares a lot of components with the Duster, which will further help bring costs down. One of these components is the 1.5-litre K9K diesel engine, which will be available initially in the 84bhp state of tune, with the 109bhp version possibly coming at a later stage. What works in its favour though is that despite its gargantuan proportions, this MPV looks quite attractive, and this should help it find more buyers where sister company Nissan’s boxy Evalia could not.

Factfile-
Coming: Early 2015
Est price: ₹ 8-11 lakh
Engine(s): 1.5 diesel
Rivals: Honda Mobilio, Maruti Ertiga, Nissan Evalia