Here are the six of the much-anticipated SUV/UVs to be launched in India.
Expected date – 24 November
Basically a rebadged Ssangyong Rexton G4, the Alturas G4 was showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo as Mahindra’s new flagship offering. It will come as a rival to the likes of Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour and will be powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine offered across two trims. The seven-seater will be fully loaded with features like a massive touchscreen, electrical front seats, leather upholstery, and multi-zone climate control. We expect it to be priced around Rs 30 lakhs, and with it, Mahindra will also diversify into premium retail outlets similar to Maruti’s Nexa.
Expected date – 21 November
We have seen it in images, we have seen it in cladded prototypes, but the Indian-spec Maruti Suzuki new Ertiga will be launched in India on 21 November. Moving to the Heartect platform, the new Ertiga is lighter yet bigger than before. It adopts a much more stylish design language with a much more premium cabin compared to the model it will replace. Under the hood will be the new 1.5-litre K15 petrol motor which debuted in the new Ciaz apart from the 1.3-litre DDiS diesel with the choice of manual and automatic gearbox.
Expected date – January 2019
We saw two good-looking concepts at the Auto Expo this year – the 45X and H5X. The latter is now officially named the Harrier and even in the production form, it is a looker. Underpinned by the new Omega platform derived from JLR, the styling is based on the IMPACT 2.0 design philosophy. The masculine stance of the Harrier will be combined with a feature-rich cabin. Powering it will be a 2.0-litre KRYOTEC diesel engine. When it arrives in early 2019, we expect a price tag of around Rs 16 lakhs and Rs 20 lakhs to rival the Jeep Compass.
Expected date – January 2019
The Kicks is the new premium SUV from Nissan in the country which will be launched at the start of next year. Slotting above the Terrano, the India-spec Kicks has the striking V-motion grille up front and a floating roof at the back. The fiver seater is expected to be powered by 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engine options which will come mated to a six-speed manual transmission, with the petrol being offered with an optional CVT gearbox as well. The Kicks is expected to be priced at around Rs 10-14 lakhs to rival the segment leader, Hyundai Creta.
Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class:
Expected date – Mid-2019.
Mercedes took the wraps off the new-gen GLE in September which sports a new design language and a plethora of new-age driving aids. The new GLE is bigger and lighter than before, owing to the new platform, while the overall silhouette is retained. However, in some section, like the rear, it does look a bit rounded off and it sits on 18-22 inch wheels. The cabin is scrounged from the new S-Class. Under the hood is a 3.0-litre straight-six producing 360bhp/500Nm mated to a nine-speed auto. The AIRMATIC suspension is part of the package along with three-row configuration.
Hyundai QXi:
Expected date – March 2019
Hyundai is prepping a new compact SUV which will be positioned below the Creta. Internally called the QXI, the sub-4 metre SUV will rival the likes of Vitara Brezza, EcoSport and Nexon in the sub-four-metre segment. Design wise, the QXI will have Hyundai’s characteristic styling seen on the new-gen Santa Fe and Kona. The cabin will have all the bells and whistles expected from its segment. Powering it might be the same powertrain as the Elite i20 with choice of AMT as well. Pricing for the QXI is expected to start at around Rs 7-8 lakhs.
