5 Car & SUV facelifts to watch out for

The Indian car market is now f-a-s-t, in terms of facelifts. Cars that used to take 3-4 years for a facelift are getting refreshed every other year as competition is very stiff. In the next few months, there are no less than 5 car and SUV facelifts that will be launched in India. Here’s the round up.

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

The Ertiga sold in Indonesia has already been facelifted. India will get this very facelift, which consists of updated styling and improved mechanicals. Up front, the facelifted Ertiga will receive a new grille design, a new bumper and chromed fog lamp surrounds. Revised alloy wheel design, new tail lamps and a reprofiled rear bumper are other changes. On the inside, more equipment will be added. Under the hood, the diesel variants are expected to go hybrid. Maruti Suzuki’s Smart Hybrid Vehicle System could be fitted on the Ertiga Facelift. Fuel efficiency will see a boost. The 1.4 liter K-Series petrol motor is expected to be carried over, unchanged. The car is likely to be launched on the 10th of October, 2015.

Mahindra Quanto

A facelift for the Quanto Facelift has been long due. The sub-4 meter compact SUV, and Mahindra’s first ever will continue to be sold with a ladder frame chassis and the 1.5 liter-3 cylinder, twin scroll-turbo diesel engine. However, a major mechanical addition in the form of an automated manual transmission (AMT) will make it to the vehicle. More features are expected to be added on the inside. The real story will however be with the styling. The Quanto is expected to look much fresher than before, with a major styling revamp. If the vehicle gets more proportionate, it could attract a fair share of buyers.

Ford Ecosport

The Ecosport facelift will arrive here by X’mas, and Nigel Harris, the MD of Ford India has made it official. The facelifted crossover will gain a new state of tune for the 1.5 liter TDCI turbo diesel engine, with 98.6 Bhp and 215 Nm on tap. The other engine options – the 1 liter-3 cylinder Ecoboost turbo petrol and the 1.5 liter Ti-VCT petrol units – will be retained, with 5 speed manual gearboxes as standard. The 1.5 petrol will also retain the 6 speed twin clutch automatic transmission option. A driver’s side airbag could become standard across variants while the interiors could gain the SYNC infotainment interface with satellite navigation.

Renault Duster

 

The Duster’s sales are dropping, and a facelift is in order. Renault is busy testing a facelifted version of the compact SUV. New headlamps, day time running LEDs, revised front grille and bumpers, and new alloy wheels will be the cosmetic changes on the outside. The interiors could get a mild refresh, and a few new features. The Duster could also gain a twin clutch automatic gearbox on its diesel engined variants. The Hyundai Creta Diesel Automatic will meet its match once/if that happens.

Tata Hexa

The Hexa is the Aria in better clothes. The Aria looked like an MPV, while calling itself a crossover. The Hexa will look like a crossover right from the word go, and this Tata Motors will be hoping, sets things right. Large and luxurious, the Hexa will also be the most powerful SUV that Tata Motors have ever put out on Indian roads. 400 Nm and 156 Bhp will be what the 2.2 liter Varicor diesel engine of the Hexa will put out. 6 speed manual and automatic transmissions are likely to accompany. An early 2015 launch, with class leading space and features is what the Hexa could soon bring to the table.