Honda Civic to Maruti Zen: 5 BIG car comebacks to watch out for

Comebacks have been a regular feature of our country. Some major comeback happens every now and then in the various industries and fields of interest. Just like Loki, the god of mischief who is infamous for his notorious comebacks in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (though we doubt if he would make one this time). Late. Sridevi also made a stunning comeback after 15 years with her 2012 flick English Vinglish.

Automotive industry too has its fair share of comebacks every now and then, latest being the launch of the Santro by Hyundai. Today, we bring you five names which will make a comeback in the Indian car scene soon.

G4 Rexton

Expected Launch : 19th November 2018

The SsangYong Rexton was a full size SUV launched in India after Mahindra acquired the Korean brand. It was a good SUV with value for money prospects attached. However, with the likes of Fortuner and Endeavour as rivals, the Rexton fared bitterly in the market.

Mahindra is now set to bring back the Rexton, albeit with a new name. The upcoming Mahindra XUV700 is basically a SsangYong G4 Rexton that will be rebadged. This is because of the failure of the Rexton brand name, which if continued on the new model could affect sales. The new car will be powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine that powers the Rexton G4 in the international markets. The engine produces a maximum of 187 Bhp at 4,000 rpm and 420 Nm peak torque. The interiors and safety will be highly specced as this is the most premium car the company has ever released in India.

Civic

Expected Launch : 2019 first quarter 

The Honda Civic was an iconic car for India. The wide, ground hugging stanced car is still a hot favorite among enthusiasts and modifiers alike. The car has been discontinued by Honda since quite a long time in India and the previous generation model never made it here despite wide speculations.

However, now the company has planned to bring down the latest tenth generation Civic to our shores in the first quarter of 2019. It is expected to come powered by petrol powertrain but a diesel could be on card as well. The international variant is quite stylish and ticks almost all the right boxes. Despite some cost cuttings which the company might make before bringing the car to India, it will be a stellar package for sure.

Santa Fe

Expected Launch : 2019 second half

The first generation Santa Fe to come to India was never a big commercial success for the company. There was an updated model launched sometime later too with Hyundai fluidic design scheme but it failed to capture the buyers eyes. With sales dropping to 10-15 units a month, it was sacked out of the company’s portfolio.

The new Santa Fe is expected to be launched by Hyundai in the second half of 2019. It now features the new design philosophy of the company with cascading honeycomb grille, sleek headlamps and macho overall look. The seven seater SUV will get updated interiors as well and regulars like touch infotainment system, leather upholstery will make an appearance on it. The international models come with a choice of three engines. A 2.4-litre GDI and the 2.0-litre turbocharged unit. The former produces 185 BHP, the latter is good for 232 BHP. The diesel engine is the new 2.2-litre unit. It is capable of churning out 200 BHP.

Zen

Expected Launch : Late 2019

The iconic Zen too is slated for a new launch which will happen sometime late into 2019. However, there’s a catch. The Zen name is being given to a compact SUV this time which can be heartbreaking for many fans. Codenamed the Y1K, it is based upon the Concept Vision S showcased by Maruti during the Delhi Auto Expo.

The current trend in the small car market is inclining more towards compact SUVs and Maruti Suzuki wants to cash into that. The micro SUV would be slotted below the Vitara Brezza upon its launch and will provide competition to many premium hatchbacks. The new Zen could be powered by a 1.0-litre petrol engine. An AMT option, apart from a regular 5-speed manual transmission, could be on the cards as well

X-Trail

Expected Launch : Not Disclosed yet

The X-Trail was a quirky looking SUV from Nissan that posed challenge to the likes of Fortuner and the Endeavour. However, the car never did very well for the company despite being a compelling buy. Some credit that to the odd ball style of the SUV.

The newer model of the X-Trail will have a more conventional design and will be loaded to brim with features. It is built on a new platform and most probably, Indian models would be brought in via CKD route. Speculations are rife that the company will launch the car with two engine options of 2.0 litre and 2.5 litre displacement capacity. Expect the pricing to be in 32-35 lakh ballpark.