Rare cars that you can actually buy new: Mahindra Scorpio Getaway to Force Gurkha Expedition

Among the vast number of car models available in the Indian auto market, it is quite obvious for some of them to be barely visible. This is more so with cars that are placed in a niche segment or are in a price range which is inaccessible by the masses. We are talking about cars that one barely sees on road and many may not be even aware of any such vehicle being on sale. Let’s take a look at 8 such cars that are hard to spot in the real world but are available in the market as new.

Datsun Go+

Datsun itself didn’t so very well in India. However, among its model lineup, the Go+ failed utterly despite offering good value for money. It is based on the extended Go hatchback platform and is the most affordable MPV on sale in India right now, not considering the Eeco of course which is more of a people mover than an MPV. Chances are slim that you may have seen the Go+ on the Indian roads due to its extremely low sales. The Go+ model lineup starts from just Rs. 3.86 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) and you get 7 seats along with a decent amount of room in the car, though the last row seats are best for children.

Mahindra e20 Plus

The Mahindra e20 Plus is the larger four-door version of the older e20 sold in India. Despite being the best electric car in India at an affordable price (base model starts at Rs. 6.07 lakh), it could not become popular in India. While after all those years of production run and promotion, the e20 could be spotted on the road a few times, but only a few. However, the newer e20 Plus is probably among the rarest car on this list and the major cause behind it is not the car itself, but its powertrain. The e20 plus comes with good cabin space and decent features but could not sell because its an electric car. The problem is not with an electric car itself but the lack of supporting infrastructure, which keeps people away from the e20 or any EV as a matter of fact.

Fiat Urban Cross

Next in line is the Fiat Urban Cross, which is an hatchback-SUV crossover based on the Punto. The Urban cross actually is a pretty decent car and is more modern as well as feature-rich than the regular Punto. However, that’s where the answer lies. The Punto itself is not a very common car and a car based on it with a starting price tag of Rs. 7.39 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) is something that is likely to be a rare sight on the road. It actually is even less spotted on roads than the hot Punto Abarth, which has a price tag touching almost Rs. 10 lakhs.

Mahindra TUV300 Plus

The Mahindra TUV300 Plus is the bigger brother to the TUV300 in Mahindra lineup.  It comes with extra seats and more space in the cabin apart from some other cabin. Why is it such a rare sight on road is because of its price point, at which it gets killed by its own brother, the Mahindra Scorpio. The TUV300 Plus is priced at Rs. 9.92 lakhs for the base variant,  which is almost the same as the base Scorpio variant. It also gets competition from more modern SUVs like the Hyundai Creta and the Renault Duster. It is a decent vehicle but is at a wrong place in the wrong time.

Renault Captur

The Captur is a pretty stylish number from the French manufacturer but failed to make a mark on the market. Though stylish on the outside, its interiors feel dated and do not offer the same feel as its rivals. It, in fact, is one of the biggest fails of Renault in India. In its segment, it rivals the likes of the Hyundai Creta and the recently launched Nissan Kicks among others. Finding one on the street might be tough for now, but that may improve in the future as it is constantly being offered with discounts worth more than Rs. 1 lakh making it a decent VFM product.

Scorpio Getaway

The Scorpio Getaway has been on sale since a long time in India now but has failed to evoke interest from the public. Earlier, it was being considered that lifestyle pickup trucks, such as the Scorpio Getaway, are not a thing in our country but the arrival of the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross blew all those assumptions out of question. Available in both 2 wheel drive and four-wheel drive options, the base model of the Scorpio Getaway is priced at Rs. 11.12 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). The one sold here is an older generation model and Mahindra sells the newer generation model in international markets. Hopefully, the company would bring the new generation model here in India soon and then it may see a boost in sales.

Force Gurkha Expedition

The Force Gurkha is one butch vehicle that could not succeed in the market because of its poor brand value and mediocre service network among others. The interiors of the SUV are also nothing to write home about. However, what is gets is amazing off-road ability as well as a towering street presence. The latter might not have been witnessed by most people as it is quite rare to find one on the road. Some of the off-road enthusiasts who own it only use it for off-road purpose and then park it back. It even shames much more expensive SUVs with proper 4×4 drivetrain in hard-core off-roading.

Toyota Corolla Hybrid

Last on the list and also the most expensive one, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is another car which is quite a rare find during regular commutes. The older generation Camrys have had a decent run in India and are a regular sight on the roads but the latest hybrid iteration is a different story altogether. Most of the blame for that goes to its exorbitantly high price, which is set at Rs. 37.50 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). Though it does get the hybrid powertrain and a lot of equipment to somewhat justify that price mark, buyers become more interested in Audi and Mercedes cars when spending close to Rs. 40 lakhs. Ho[efully the upcoming new model will change things for good and make the Camry a decent selling sedan again.