New Cars Worth Waiting for in 2015

Snapshot – In a continuum to our series on the “New cars worth waiting for in 2014“, today we bring you some more cars that are worth the wait. This list will feature cars with a 2015 launch on the cards. So, if you are planning to upgrade or a buy your first car in 2015, this list will serve as a guide, listing out your options next year.

Maruti Suzuki Sx4 Crossover

The SX4 crossover is Maruti Suzuki’s first foray into the SUV segment that hosts the likes of the Mahindra XUV500 and Tata Safari Storme. The S-Cross will feature 1.6 liter petrol and Fiat Multijet turbo diesel engines. While most variants will be front wheel driven, an all wheel drive model could serve as the top end version.

The SX4 is a five seat crossover that is designed to sit in between the upcoming sub-4 meter XA Alpha compact SUV and the larger Grand Vitara SUV. The SX4 was showcased at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo and the crossover will be launched here early next year. Expect pricing to start at a little over 10 lakh rupees.

2015 Honda Jazz B+ segment hatchback

The 2015 Honda Jazz will be launched in early 2015, and the B+ segment hatchback is based on an all new platform that has already been introduced in India through the 2014 City sedan. The hatchback will sit at the top of the B+ segment hatchback pile in India, rubbing shoulders with the 2015 Hyundai i20 and the upcoming Maruti Suzuki YRA premium hatchbacks.

The 2015 Jazz, which was discontinued from India a couple of years ago owing to poor sales, will be sold with both petrol (1.2 liter i-VTEC) and turbo diesel (1.5 liter i-DTEC) engines. The addition of the 1.5 liter i-DTEC turbo diesel engine on the Jazz is expected to improve the car’s chances at success. The 2015 Jazz will retain its predecessors versatility by offering spacious interiors and flexible seating options.

Hyundai iX25 Compact SUV

The Hyundai iX25 compact SUV was showcased at this year’s Beijing Motor Show in concept guise. the production version of the iX25 will be ready later this year and Hyundai India will bring this compact SUV to India next year. The iX25 compact SUV will be sold with petrol and turbo diesel engine options.

The iX25 will mark Hyundai’s maiden entry into the hot selling compact SUV space in India. The compact SUV is based on the 2015 i20 hatchback’s platform. In light of this, expect parts sharing. Both the 2015 i20 and the iX25 are expected to share features. Both front wheel drive and all wheel drive layouts will be offered on the iX25, which will also get manual and automatic gearbox options.

Mahindra S101 Compact SUV

Mahindra wants to take a stab at the B-Segment hatchback space in India, albeit with a compact SUV. Dubbed to be one of the most affordable compact SUVs in India, the Mahindra S101 will be launched by the end of 2015. A sub-5 lakh rupee price tag is expected to be the major talking point of Mahindra’s latest crossover, which will feature a monocoque design with inputs from Ssangyong.

The Mahindra S101 compact SUV will be sold with petrol and turbo diesel engine options. The petrol engine on the S101 will come from the newly developed range of petrol motors that Mahindra and Ssangyong have jointly engineered. Although not confirmed officially, Mahindra is also said to be looking at an automated manual transmission for the S101.

Datsun RediGO budget hatchback

The Datsun RediGo hatchback will be the least priced product from the Japanese low cost brand. Currently under development at the Renault-Nissan technical center at Chennai, India, the RediGo will sit lower than the Go hatchback in terms of price and positioning. With a sub-3 lakh rupee price tag, the Datsun RediGo is aimed at getting big sales for Nissan.

An 800 cc-3 cylinder petrol engine has been confirmed for the RediGo and the car will also share its engine and platform with a new Renault entry level hatchback called the A-Entry. The RediGo will be built at Renault-Nissan’s Oragadam factory. Expect a high level of localization as Nissan seeks to keep ownership and servicing costs at a minimum.

All-New Ford Figo

The current-generation Ford Figo hatchback is ageing, and is slowly losing its sheen at the hustings. Later this year, Ford is set to launch the next-generation Figo hatchback in Brazil. The 2015 Figo will come to India next year and will be put together at Ford India’s spanking new facility at Sanand, Gujarat, which is currently under construction.

The 2015 Figo uses a tweaked version of the current model’s platform, but comes with completely revamped exterior and interior designs. The car will get a non-turbo version of the 1 liter EcoBoost petrol engine and a 1.5 liter TDCI turbo diesel motor. The Figo hatchback will be followed by a sub-4 meter compact sedan namesake. The 2015 Figo compact sedan is also expected to be launched next year.