Car makers ranging from budget king Maruti Suzuki to luxury leader Mercedes-Benz are leaving no stone unturned to lure new customers
Text: Hani Musthafa Photos: Various Sources
Mr. Hani Musthafa is a renowned auto-journalist; he established the brand name FlyWheel in 2008 as an Auto show. He is active in automobile media industry from 2003 and has already test-driven over half a million miles around the globe – undoubtedly the maximum kms to be test driven by any south Indian media person. He is the only South Indian to be a Global Media member of most of the automobile manufacturers around the globe.
Indian Automobile sector is one of the key drivers that boost the economic growth of the country. Today, almost every global auto major has set up facilities in the country. After witnessing a fair response in 2016, car makers ranging from budget king Maruti Suzuki to luxury leader Mercedes-Benz are leaving no stone unturned to lure new customers with a plethora of new launches in this year. From hatchbacks to luxury sedans and even sport utility vehicles, new launches will target existing popular segments by undergoing dynamic changes. Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL), Hyundai, Ford Motors and Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) had reasons to cheer last month. On an overall basis, MSIL January 2017 car sales grew 27.1 percent, Hyundai sales rose 17.2 percent and Tata Motors reported 21 percent growth.
While conventional fuels like petrol and diesel will remain as the top choice, electric and hybrids will gather pace this year. India’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki who had a high-spirited 2016, started the new year with the launch of the Ignis. Maruti sales reported 25.9 percent growth in domestic car sales at 133,934 units in January 2017 as against 106,383 cars sold in January 2016. Exports rose 44.8 percent to 10,462 units, taking the total volume sales to 144,396 cars. Auto Enthusiasts who are waiting to experience a power-packed ride in the upcoming vehicles of this year, don’t miss to get updated on the new cars that will soon hit the roads this year. Here are 10 stunning cars that will promise you an exciting drive this year. Also, ensure that you pick a model that’s affordable, performs well, is sufficiently roomy, gets good fuel economy, and gets top marks for safety.
Maruti Suzuki Swift
Suzuki has taken the wraps off the next generation Swift hatchback in Japan. This is the fourth generation for the Japanese automaker’s highly successful hatchback and is expected to arrive in the Indian market in late 2017. The new Swift is based on light weight Baleno platform. The styling is evolutionary and mature from the third generation model. We expect that the same engines from the existing model to be retained. It will be offered across two options- Standard and RS of which the former makes use of the 1.2-litre K-Series engine. A five-speed manual and a CVT power the standard models.
Jeep Compass
Jeep Compass made its global debut in 2016. Compass is the first Jeep product to be assembled in India at FCA plant in Pune. The Compass design is very much like any other Jeep product. It looks like a baby Grand Cherokee with influences from the Jeep Renegade which is also expected to make its way to the Indian subcontinent. It gets the typical wide slatted grille, the high mounted headlamps and the macho front bumper with the blacked out bash plate. While the Compass is set to get about 17 powertrain options globally, for India we will have the 170bhp 2.0-litre Multijet II engine from Fiat to power the Jeep. It will come mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox and will have the famed Jeep four-wheel-drive. Compass might come with a price tag of about Rs 25 lakhs. India launch is expected by the end of 2017.
Skoda Kodiaq
Skoda Kodiaq, the first full-sized SUV from Skoda will be based on VW MQB platform. The styling is totally different from all existing current Skoda cars. Kodiaq will be loaded with features. The Kodiaq will stand alongside the Superb as an alternate body style. It was showcased as the Vision S concept at Geneva last year and was unveiled in production guise at a function the Czech Republic this year. Kodiaq is expected to be powered by 2.0 L TDI and 1.4 L TSI engines. India launch of the Kodiaq is expected to happen mid 2017.
Tata Kite 5
Tata Kite 5 is the upcoming compact sub-4-metre sedan based on Tiago hatchback. It is now expected to get a replacement for the Indigo eCS which it is likely to call the Sway. The revamped vehicle is expected to offer good value for money for consumers on a budget. Like all the new Tata products, the Kite 5 is also loaded with features. Tata Kite 5 is powered by 1.3 L diesel and 1.2 L petrol engines. At this price point for a budget sedan segment, it will create a huge impact on the sub-four metre sedans like the Honda Amaze, Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and the Hyundai Xcent. Launch of kite 5 will happen by the middle of this year.
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius needs no introduction. One of the highest selling hybrid cars in the world, the Prius has been endorsed by everyone from Greenpeace and Hollywood celebrities. The new generation Prius made its global debut in 2015. The Prius is based on TNGA. The design of the new Prius is futuristic. The fourth-generation Toyota Prius gets all new looks. The boomerang-like headlamps, vertical LED fog lamps and a snout-like front bumper can best be called futuristic by all standards. The rear also gets the boomerang-like lamps with LEDs flowing down from the top of the boot. The Prius is a hybrid and has a 1.8-litre four cylinder petrol engine paired with electric motors to make up its powertrain. While the setup is same as before, the engine has been tuned for better efficiency. The batteries have a higher energy density and the motors are smaller. The efficiency has improved by almost 10 percent and Toyota expects the Prius to deliver 40kmpl. Like the earlier the new generation Prius will also be imported as a CBU.
Hyundai Verna
The 2017 Hyundai Verna has made its debut in China after the unveiling at the Chengdu Motor Show earlier in 2016. The design of the new Verna is similar to Elantra. The hexagonal chrome lined grille gets horizontal slats and the air dam gets a honey comb mesh grille. The swept back headlamps come with black inserts. It will get a luxurious and more up market interior. The new model is expected to get mild-hybrid system. The engines will be retained from current model. India will get the 1.4-litre and the 1.6-litre diesel engine options in India with power delivery similar to the existing engines. Both petrol and diesel engines will get six-speed manual gearboxes while the six-speed automatic transmissions will be offered only on the 1.6-litre engines.
Tata Hexa
Tata Hexa is the new Flagship product from Tata Motors and is based on Aria Platform. The car’s fascia boasts of newly designed projector headlamps, a honeycomb grille and new bumper with fog lamps. Though the overall design is similar to the Aria, the Hexa gets a sporty design language which is continued at the rear as well. Tata has gone all black with silver coloured accents to give the interior a premium feel. The top-spec car will get leather upholstery, steering mounted controls for the infotainment system, electrically adjustable and retractable outside rear view mirrors. Under the hood, you will have the Varicor 400 – a 2.2-litre turbocharged four cylinder diesel engine – that develops 154bhp of power and 400Nm of torque.Hexa has been built to compete with the Toyota Innova and the Mahindra XUV500.The official bookings have started as the car launched in India on 18th Jan.
Maruti Suzuki Ignis
The Ignis is a compact crossover to taken on Mahindra KUV 100. The minimalist body consists of plain surfaces and round roof with straight lines that give it a distinctive stance. The Ignis is packed with features like climate control, Apple CarPlay and more. The car will also get LED daytime running lights. The Ignis will get typical Maruti Suzuki black interiors with silver accents. The interior quality will be very similar to that of the Maruti Suzuki Swift in India. The car will get automatic climate control, a modern touchscreen SmartPlay infotainment system equipped with USB and BlueTooth connectivity, reverse parking sensors and a multifunction steering wheel. The India-spec Ignis will receive the 1.2-litre K-Series petrol engine and the 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The petrol engine makes 83bhp and 115Nm of torque while the diesel makes 74bhp and 190Nm of torque in the Swift. The car is expected to be priced between Rs 5 – 7 lakh.
Mercedes Benz E Class
The new E-Class made its global debut at 2016 Detroit Motor Show. The design of E-Class is inspired of its big cousin S-Class. The E-Class has always been different from the S-Class and the C-Class, but the W213 blends in. The grille is upright and pronounced while the lines are curvy and flowing. From a distance the only thing that would give away the E-Class from the S and the C would probably be the alloy wheel design. The interior too is brand new. It is more in line with the latest Mercedes interiors we have seen with the new S-Class and the C-Class. It feels bright and roomy and gets the new touch panel controller for the infotainment system. For us in India, we will continue to get the 2143cc four cylinder turbo-diesel engine developing close to 190bhp of power and 400Nm of torque for the E220d and E250d while the E350d may get the straight six instead of the 3.0-litre turbocharged V6. Mercedes will assemble E-Class in India.
BMW 5 Series
BMW finally took the wraps off the all new BMW 5 series and honestly, the new sedan looks absolutely stunning. The new BMW 5 Series made its global debut in October 2016. This 7th generation 5 series is based on CLAR platform. The new 5 series gets an evolutionary design theme. The all new BMW 5 series will come with two engine options- a new 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder inline engine in the BMW 530i supersedes the gasoline unit previously fitted in the BMW 528i. The turbocharged direct injection engine delivers its peak output of 248 hp and puts its maximum torque of 349Nm. The BMW 530i sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 6 seconds (5.8 seconds with xDrive) and reaches a top speed of 209kmph. We can expect the luxury sedan to enter the Indian market sometime by April 2017.