New 7 seat SUVs launching in 2018; Mahindra XUV700 to Tata Q502

SUVs offer street presence, a high seating position, great ground clearance, and toughness, almost everything that Indian roads need on a daily basis. 7 seat SUVs raise the practicality bar by a couple of notches, endearing them to family vehicle buyers. 2018 will see no less than 6 new such seven seat SUVs launching in India. Here’s a quick walk through of what’s coming in.

Mahindra XUV500 Facelift

Mahindra has been testing the facelifted version of the XUV500 on Indian roads for many months now. The facelifted model will feature restyled front and rear styling, and the profile will see a minor stylistic makeover in the form of new alloy wheels. The XUV500 is expected to gain a more powerful state of tune for its 2.2 liter mHawk turbo diesel engine – 170 Bhp-400 Nm. 6 speed manual and automatic gearboxes, with front wheel drive and all wheel drive layouts will be on offer. The 2.2 liter mHawk turbo petrol motor with a 6 speed automatic gearbox will also be retained on the new model. Prices are likely to start from about Rs. 12 lakhs.

Mahindra S201 7 seater

Mahindra is working on a longer, 4 meters+ version of the S201 compact SUV. The S201 is based on the monocoque bodied Ssangyong Tivoli. In India, the 7 seat S201 will take on the likes of the Hyundai Creta and the Honda BR-V in terms of price and positioning. The SUV will be offered with class leading turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, the former making 140 Bhp and the latter outputting 125 Bhp. A starting price tag slightly lower than Rs. 9 lakhs is likely for the new Mahindra compact SUV.

Mahindra XUV700

 

The Ssangyong Rexton’s latest version will arrive into India with Mahindra badging, and is likely to be called the XUV700. The flagship vehicle from the Indian automaker, the XUV700 will be a lower priced, 7 seat alternate to the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Endeavour. The vehicle’s expected to make an appearance at the 2018 Indian Auto Expo, with a launch slated to happen during the festive season. A 2.2 liter turbocharged diesel engine with outputs of about 189 Bhp and 420 Nm will power this SUV. Both rear wheel drive and four wheel drive options are expected. Both manual and automatic transmissions are also likely.

Honda CR-V

The all-new 5th generation Honda CR-V with 7 seats will soon arrive into India. For the first time ever, the CR-V will be offered with a 1.6 liter turbo diesel engine in the Indian market. It’ll be shown at the 2018 Auto Expo, and is expected to be launched later in the year. Manual and automatic gearboxes will be offered on the 2.4 liter i-VTEC, naturally aspirated petrol engine, which will also get a four wheel drive option. The diesel motor is expected to get a 6 speed manual gearbox, driving the front wheels.

Tata Q502

Tata will use the Land Rover Freelander platform to manufacture two new SUVs, one with 5 seats – codenamed the Q501, and the other with 7 seats – codenamed the Q502. The Q502 is expected to share its engines and gearboxes with the 5 seat variant, but will be longer and pricier. It could be Tata’s Mahindra XUV700 rival, undercutting luxury SUVs such as the Fortuner and Endeavour. More details about these SUVs are expected to come in during the 2018 Auto Expo.

Ford Endeavour Facelift