5 SUV Launches Over The Past Week

Car and SUV launches have certainly been the flavour of July 2015, and the third week of this month has really stood out in terms of the sheer number of SUVs being launched in India. Sample this. No less than 5 SUVs were launched over the last 4 days, and July has one more to come. Today, we’ll give you a quick wrap of the 5 SUVs that were launched over the past few days. Here we go.

Hyundai Creta

Hyundai launched the Creta on the 21st of July 2015. The Creta saw no less that 15,000 buyers pre-booking it, making it one of the most successful launches in recent years. Priced between 8.6-13.6 lakh rupees, some of the Creta’s higher variants are overpriced. Considering the freshness of the compact SUV, the lower variants are still a decent deal for those who want something new. The Creta is sold with 1.6 liter petrol, and 1.4 liter and 1.6 liter turbo diesel engines. While 6 speed manual transmissions are standard on all engines, the top end diesel variant also gets a 6 speed automatic gearbox.

Is the Hyundai Creta overpriced?

Isuzu MU-7 Automatic

Isuzu has finally launched an automatic iteration of their only luxury SUV offering for India, the MU-7. This should make the large, imposing SUV more palatable to buyers looking for more convenience. The MU-7 is assembled through the CKD kit route, with the kits arriving into India from Thailand.

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The SUV has been priced at 23.9 lakh rupees, ex-showroom Delhi. A 3 liter-4 cylinder turbo diesel with 160 Bhp and 360 Nm on tap. A rival of the Fortuner, the MU-7’s old school looks aren’t winning it too many fans. Yet, the SUV is sold by Isuzu in India, mainly as a presence marker.

BMW X6

The 2nd generation of the BMW X6 has just been launched in India. The new X6 has been priced at 1.15 crore rupees, ex-showroom Delhi, and the luxury crossover comes to India as a completely built unit (CBU). The X6 is powered by a 3 liter, inline 6 cylinder twin turbo diesel engine with 313 Bhp and 630 Nm on tap.

Mahindra Thar Facelift

The Mahindra Thar has been given a comprehensive makeover. The diesel engined off roader gets minor exterior changes. The real action is on the inside, where the dashboard has been replaced by one borrowed from the Bolero. The result is that the Thar is a much more comfortable place to be in. The offset steering is now gone, while the seats are borrowed from the older Scorpio.

Also See – Why is the new Mahindra Thar wearing a mini skirt?

Mechanically, the 2.5 liter CRDe turbo diesel engine remainc unchanged with 105 Bhp-247 Nm on tap, while a mechanical differential from Eaton is a significant new addition. The new Thar is priced at 8.03 lakh rupees, ex-showroom Nashik, which represents a 50,000 rupee premium over the outgoing version.

Mahindra Scorpio Automatic

Mahindra has soft launched the automatic variant of the facelifted Scorpio SUV. The Scorpio equipped with the 6 speed automatic gearbox is pegged at 15.49 lakh rupees, on road Bombay, for the S10 variant with a rear wheel drive layout. The four wheel drive variant of the Scorpio S10 Automatic is priced at lakh and a half higher, at 16.92 lakh rupees. The automatic variant of the Scorpio is the only automatic transmission equipped ladder frame SUV in the sub-20 lakh category. The SUV squares off against the likes of the Hyundai Creta as far as Diesel Automatics go, and offers buyers a more rugged alternate to the Hyundai soft roader.

Also See – Mahindra Scorpio Facelift in CarToq’s First Drive Review

Coming Soon

Mercedes Benz G63 AMG

On the 30th of July, 2015, Mercedes Benz will launch a new colour scheme for its range topping G63 AMG off roader. This time around, the off roader will be offered in a unique orange shade, making it really stand out. The G63 AMG sold in India will arrive as a completely built unit (CBU) and will use a 5.5 liter twin turbo V8 petrol motor with 536 Bhp and 760 Nm. Expect a sticker price close to a couple of crores for this high performance off roader, which is the fastest, most furiously accelerating vehicle in its class. The 2015 G63 AMG will be launched here on the 30th of July.

Maruti Suzuki S-Cross

August 5th is when Maruti Suzuki will ring in the S-Cross, its first premium offering to be sold from the exclusive NEXA range of dealerships. The S-Cross will be a diesel-only crossover, and will compete with the likes of the Hyundai Creta, the Renault Duster and the Nissan Terrano. Sharp pricing is likely. The S-Cross will be the most premium Maruti Suzuki car on sale in India, with top notch interiors quality levels and features. The 1.6 liter Fiat Multijet diesel engined, top end variant of the S-Cross will also be the torque king of its segment, with 320 Nm of brute torque on tap.