Five new sedan launches for the festive season

This festive season is going to have a few more great sedans vying for your wallet. The choice of sedans that are being launched over the next few months include two in the entry-level segment, two in the mid-size sedan segment and one premium sedan.

CarToq takes you through what’s on offer this festive season if you are looking out for a sedan.

Toyota Camry

Five new sedans in next five months! — Photo: The new Toyota Camry looks elegant and will likely be feature loaded

Toyota will be launching the new Camry this month. The car has grown slightly larger in size and has a more squared off design. It will compete directly with the Honda Accord and also the Hyundai Sonata. The Camry is powered by a 2.5 litre petrol engine that puts out 167 bhp of power with a six-speed automatic transmission. The car is not the most powerful in its class, but is easily one of the most spacious and comfortable premium sedans.

Also see: Camry launch on August 24!

Why wait for it?

The new Camry is likely to be cheaper than the model it replaces, as it will be assembled locally, therefore attracting a lower rate of duties. The existing Camry’s price starts at Rs. 21.6 lakh, but we expect the new Camry to be priced at about Rs. 19.5 lakh or so, directly competing with the Sonata and providing a much better value for money proposition.

Renault Scala

The Renault Scala is a badge engineered Nissan Sunny. It has a redesigned front end that includes new headlamps, grille and bumper. It actually looks a lot sportier than the Sunny from the front. In profile there’s not much different, but at the rear it gets new tail-lamps and a chrome strip that runs right across the boot, giving it a bit of a premium feel. The Scala is likely to come with the same engine choices as the Sunny – which includes a 98 bhp, 1.5 litre petrol and an 85 bhp 1.5 litre diesel.

Also see: Renault Scala all set to launch; spy photos!

Why wait for it?

For those of you who thought the Nissan Sunny’s design was too plain, the Renault Scala comes across as a sportier looking car. The positive attributes such as the huge amount of interior space that the Sunny has remains on the Scala as well. Prices are likely to be similar to the Sunny, with the petrol variants starting at about Rs. 6 lakh and the diesel at Rs. 8 lakh, ex-showroom. It depends on which badge you are looking for in the car – Nissan or Renault.

Chevrolet Sail sedan

The Chevrolet Sail sedan is a car that will replace the Chevrolet Aveo in India. The Aveo is being discontinued in September. The Sail sedan and U-Va hatchback will share most of their mechanicals. The Sail sedan is expected to come with two engine choices – a 1.3 litre diesel based on the Fiat multijet and most-likely a 1.4 litre 94-bhp petrol engine, that will also likely be fitted in the Chevrolet Enjoy MPV that is to be launched later this year. The diesel engine variant is the car to watch out for.

Also see: Chevrolet Sail sedan spy photos

Why wait for it?

The Sail sedan is a spacious car and is likely to be aggressively priced against other entry level sedans such as the Toyota Etios, Maruti Dzire, Mahindra Verito and Ford Classic. The Sail sedan will have most of the luxury features found in the Optra and Aveo carried over – such as beige interiors and wood inserts. It will likely be even more spacious than the Aveo and will come with GM’s three year maintenance package, which will give buyers zero maintenance costs for three years. It is expected to be priced between Rs. 6 lakh and Rs. 8 lakh.

Tata Manza CS

The Tata Manza CS will be shorter version of the Tata Manza, which is itself based on the Tata Indica Vista platform. The Manza CS will be under 4-meters in length, which will allow Tata to aggressively price the car and compete with the Maruti Dzire. The Dzire has been a runaway success in the segment, selling over 15,000 cars a month. The Manza CS will have the same interior space as the current Manza, but its boot space will be limited to just about 300 litres. Tata were the first to introduce compact sedans in India, with the Indigo CS a few years ago.

Why wait for it?

The Tata Manza has one of the best interior cabin spaces to offer and has a plush ride quality. By introducing a compact variant, Tata can take advantage of lower excise duties for small cars and price it aggressively. The Manza is likely to come with a 1.3 litre diesel engine and probably one variant sporting a 1.2 litre petrol engine. It will be priced between Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 6.5 lakh.

Mahindra Verito CS

Five new sedans in next five months!

Not to be outdone, Mahindra too is working on a compact version of the Verito. It will be reducing the length of the boot to bring the length of the car to under 4 meters in length. The Verito compact sedan will offer the same amount of interior cabin space as the present Verito, but will have reduced boot space. Engine choices are likely to be restricted to a 1.5 litre diesel only, as Mahindra does not have a small capacity petrol engine for the Verito to actually benefit from the small car excise rule (petrol engines need to be under 1.2 litres). Mahindra is also working on a hatchback variant of the Verito, which will make for an interesting proposition.

Also see: Recently launched – new Mahindra Verito!

Why wait for it?

The Mahindra Verito is a sturdy car and one of the most spacious cars in its class. The compact sedan will retain these qualities, but will allow Mahindra to price it aggressively. Expect the Mahindra Verito CS to get a starting price of about Rs. 5.5 lakh, and that too for a diesel only model.

Share your thoughts on these five sedan launches for the next five months.