Also read: A complete guide to new car launches in India
We are well into 2016 and there have been quite a few new SUV launches in India already. There are many more new SUVs to come and these range from mainstream models like the Tata Nexon and Hexa and hyundai Tucson to more premium offerings such as the Range Rover Evoque convertible and the Jaguar F-Pace. Featured here are the SUVs and MPVs expected to head to our shores soon.
New Hyundai Tucson
Thanks to the runaway success of the Creta, Hyundai looks keen on bringing the Tucson badge back to India after skipping a generation. Revealed at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, the new, bigger Tucson slots neatly between the Creta and Santa Fe. The five-seat Honda CR-V rival gets a suite of high-tech engines overseas, including a turbocharged 1.6-litre direct injection petrol engine and 2.0-litre petrol and diesel motors. Gearboxes include a six-speed manual and auto, and a seven-speed dual-clutch option. And yes, AWD is optional too, but it remains to be seen which configuration Hyundai brings to India.
Coming: September 2016
Est price: From 18 lakh
Engine(s): 1.6 P, 2.0 P, 2.0 D
Rivals: Honda CR-V, Skoda Yeti
Hyundai Tucson photo gallery
Hyundai Tucson India launch likely in September
Tata Hexa
The Aria, Tata’s ambitious bid at a properly premium offering, and a very capable car in its own right, was let down by its MPV looks and tad-too-premium pricing. With the Hexa, Tata has gone a long way to make the car look and feel more appealing. It’s been given a thorough design overhaul, with a rugged exterior that lets it look more like a crossover this time around. Add to that the Land Rover-like Multi-Drive mode selection system, improved overall quality and refinement, improved infotainment, or the all new engine – a 154bhp, 2.2-litre VariCor unit, and you get a significantly improved package. The price will, undoubtedly, remain on the high side, but then so is the desirability level.
Coming: 2016
Est price: Rs 11-17 lakh
Engine(s): 2.2 D
Rivals: Toyota Innova, Mahindra XUV500
Tata Hexa first look video
Tata Hexa photo gallery
Jaguar F-pace
Launched at the 2016 Frankfurt Auto Show, the F-Pace marks Jaguar’s first entry into the SUV segment. Strictly speaking, it’s an all-aluminium crossover, and it’s meant to be driven on the road, not off it. The F-Pace borrows the F-type’s 3.0-litre supercharged V6 that is tuned to produce 335bhp or 375bhp, mated to an eight-speed gearbox. Or if you want to be a bit sensible, you can have either a 2.0 or 3.0-litre diesel. You’d think Jaguar didn’t need an SUV when its sister company Land Rover makes nothing but SUVs. But here it is, and it somehow seems just right.
Coming: End 2016
Est price: Rs 65-70 lakh
Engine(s): 3.0 P, 2.0 D, 3.0 D
Rivals: Porsche Macan, BMW X5
Tata Nexon
The Tata Nexon concept from the 2014 Auto Expo is likely to see production by the end of 2016. The sub-four-metre compact SUV will aim straight for the Ford EcoSport which has ruled the roost for quite some time now. The Nexon will be based on a slightly modified X1 platform, which also underpins the Bolt and Zest. Powering the car will be Tata’s new 1.5-litre diesel engine with 110bhp alongside a 1.2-litre petrol motor. Will Tata actually retain the concept’s design cues? Only time will tell.
Est price: Rs 7.5-9 lakh
Engine(s): 1.2 P, 1.5 D
Rivals: Ford EcoSport, Mahindra TUV300
Tata Nexon compact SUV photo gallery
Tata Nexon first look video
Renault Kaptur
The car you see here is the Renault Kaptur that will be coming to India though possibly under a different name. This premium offering will be positioned above the Duster but will be more affordable than the pricey and slow-selling Koleos. It clearly errs more on the side of crossover than full-on SUV, but the good news is that it will likely get AWD. Can the Duster’s success filter up to the Kaptur?
Coming: 2017
Est price: Rs 15-20 lakh
Engine(s): 1.5 D
Rivals: Mahindra XUV500
Renault Kaptur photo gallery
India-bound Renault Kaptur crossover revealed
New Toyota Fortuner
The Toyota Fortuner has had great success in the SUV-loving Indian market. But now an all-new version is set to replace the ageing giant. The new Fortuner’s design language is more in line with current-gen Toyota off-roaders sold internationally. Although the new Fortuner looks much sleeker, it’s still a traditional body-on-frame SUV under the skin. The other major change will be the introduction of two all-new powerplants – more powerful and efficient 2.4 and 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engines replacing the current 2.5 and 3.0. Things that haven’t changed are its immense road presence and its unflappable ability to be driven just about anywhere under the sun.
Coming: End 2016
Est price: Rs 25-30 lakh
Engine(s): 2.4 D, 2.8 D
Rivals: Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
New Toyota Fortuner India launch in 2017
New Toyota Fortuner: First look
New Toyota Fortuner photo gallery
Maruti Vitara
Maruti has burnt its fingers twice with the ‘Vitara’ badge in India. But the brand hopes it will get lucky this time with the next Vitara thanks to the growing premium SUV market in India. Expanding its Nexa showroom chain is also a reason to bring more premium offerings to India. The Vitara, to be placed above the S-Cross, will share its 118bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine and six-speed manual gearbox, but will likely get the advantage of Suzuki’s excellent AllGrip AWD system. It won’t be here for a long time, though, it will give Maruti a chance to etch its Nexa premium into the minds of Indian customers.
Coming: Early 2017
Est price: Rs 18-22 lakh
Engine(s): 1.6 D
Rivals: Honda CR-V, Skoda Yeti
SsangYong Tivoli
Undeterred by the at best average response to the SsangYong Rexton, Mahindra will introduce the Korean brand’s aggressively designed Tivoli SUV, given the steadily growing Indian appetite for rugged- looking vehicles. In true Korean style, the car comes feature-packed. That along with the Tivoli’s contemporary looks, and the option of a 4x4 variant should be sufficient reason to give the Renault Duster and gang something to worry about. To keep prices low, Mahindra could offer the Tivoli with its TUV300’s 1.5-litre diesel engine. In markets abroad, the car is powered by a 1.6-litre, 126bhp, petrol engine. Transmission options include six-speed manual and automatic units. The Tivoli is expected to make for a strong value-for-money proposition.
Coming: End 2016
Est price: Rs 15-18 lakh
Engine(s): 1.6 P, 1.5 D
Rivals: Skoda Yeti, Mahindra XUV500
Mercedes GLA facelift with AMG
Much like the CLA facelift you would have seen earlier, the GLA will undergo similar treatment a little later on. There will be new headlamps, tail-lamps, bumpers and alloys on the outside, and plusher interiors with a new infotainment system on the inside. The motors should get you a few more kilometres on a tank of fuel, and the crazy AMG GLA 45 is now cranked up to a ridiculous 376bhp.
Coming: Late 2016 / Early 2017
Est price: Rs 33-38 lakh
Engine(s): 2.0 P, 2.1 D
Rivals: Audi Q3, BMW X1
Borgward BX7
This is its first new car in 50 years, and reborn German car brand Borgward is shooting for the premium SUV segment. What that means is an Audi Q5-sized SUV for less than the price of an Audi Q3. Initially imported, local assembly is expected to commence soon after. Its engine is a 222bhp, 2.0-litre turbo-petrol; too bad there’s no diesel for now. It does pack in seven people comfortably though.
Coming: End 2016
Est price: Rs 25-27 lakh
Engine(s): 2.0 P
Rivals: Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour
New Nissan X-trail Hybrid
Versatile as they were, not enough Indians took to the first and second-generation versions of the X-trail, and Nissan discontinued it in 2014. Now Nissan is set to bring back the X-Trail with a stronger product than ever. It’s got a third row of seats and is more of a soft-roader now but does get an AWD system. It’s powered by a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain paired with a CVT transmission. The car features gadgetry like Active Ride Control, which scans the road ahead and adjusts suspension to suit. Sadly, since it’s a CBU, price will be a hefty Rs 28 lakh or so, but that puts it right on par with its main rival, the Hyundai Santa Fe.
Coming: 2017
Est price: Rs 28 lakh
Engine(s): 2.0 P + electric motor
Rivals: Hyundai Santa Fe
Nissan X-Trail Hybrid video review
Nissan X-Trail hybrid review
Range Rover Evoque convertible
The Evoque was never short on style. But lop off the roof and the glam quotient just multiplies. The mechanicals will be carried over from the five-door Evoque, albeit with significant reinforcements to the lower body to compensate for the missing rigid roof. There have been a few drop-top SUVs in the past, but none quite as well executed as this. And being a Range Rover, you can probably ford a stream in it too.
Coming: End 2016
Est price: Rs 70 lakh
Engine(s): 2.2 D
Rivals: None
Jaguar F-Pace review
Jaguar F-Pace video review
Jaguar F-Pace photo gallery
Also read: Our complete guide on upcoming cars in India.