Tata Hornbill to Next-gen Mahindra Scorpio: 12 upcoming all-new SUVs for India

The coming time will see the Indian auto market flooded with SUVs and crossovers. All the major manufacturers now offer SUVs in multiple segments and those who do not are preparing new SUVs. The market shift towards SUVs is such that companies like Tata have cancelled their C-segment sedans in favour of a compact SUV. The list below contains 12 all-new upcoming SUVs in India. By all new, we mean that these are not facelifts or a new variant but a completely new model or a generation update. Read along to plan your next boy accordingly.

Tata Hornbill

Expected Launch by: End 2020

The Tata Hornbill will be a micro SUV that will take on the Maruti Suzuki Ignis and the Mahindra KUV100 among others. It is designed in accordance with Tata’s IMPACT 2.0 design philosophy and will be built upon the ALFA Arc platform. The Hornbill micro SUV will target the customers who lead an active lifestyle and want a practical, comfortable yet versatile and power packed vehicle. We expect that Tata would equip the Hornbill micro SUV with the 1.2-litre petrol engine that will be offered with both manual and automatic transmission options.

Hyundai Styx

Expected Launch by: Mid 2019

The Hyundai Styx was first showcased as the Carlino concept car at the 2016 Auto Expo. It will be the first-ever sub-4m SUV from the brand and will take on the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Ford EcoSport and Tata Nexon. The Styx will be unveiled at the New York Motor Show later this year and will be launched in the Indian market following that. The Hyundai Styx is based on the same platform that underpins the Hyundai Grand i10 but it will be modified to suit the SUV. The power is expected to come from a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and 1.5-litre diesel engine. The petrol variants are expected to get the AMT too

Skoda Kamiq

Expected Launch by: 2020

Skoda plans to launch a new SUV in the compact mid size segment that will challenge the likes of Hyundai Creta among others. The Czech automaker will aim at customers who want a feature rich and premium alternative to its Hyundai counterpart. The upcoming Kamiq SUV will be based on the same platform that underpins the upcoming Volkswagen T-Cross, that is, the MQB-A0 platform. It has been already been caught testing internationally and Skoda will showcase the SUV in production form during the upcoming New York Auto Show and will bring it to India during the 2020 Delhi Auto Show.

Mahindra Thar

Expected Launch by: 2020

Among all the upcoming cars by Mahindra, the new Thar is the one most awaited by enthusiasts. The new Thar has been spied quite a few times now and even caught on video. The new Thar is much larger than the model it is set to replace. It is built on an all new platform that is reportedly shared by the the Scorpio too. It will get all safety features like airbags, ABS+EBD, parking sensors among others as per the new safety norms. According to sources, it will be powered by a new 2.0 litre engine with power figures touching upto 140 Bhp. The new Thar will also get new suspension setup with coil springs up front.

Tata Blackbird

Expected Launch by: End 2020 or 2021

With the growing popularity of the SUVs, Tata has discarded the plan to launch a mid-size sedan to take on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and Honda City. Instead, they will develop an all-new SUV that will take on the likes of the Hyundai Creta in the market. The all-new SUV will be based on the Tata’s Alpha platform that will also underpin the upcoming Tata Altroz premium hatchback. It will be launched to bridge the gap between the Nexon and the Harrier. Tata is likely to power the production version of Blackbird with the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol and 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine option. However, the engines are expected to be more powerful than the Nexon.

Hyundai Creta

Expected Launch by: 2020

The current best selling compact SUV is all set to receive an update in 2020. It will be larger, more powerful and better equipped than the current model. It will be powered by 1.5 liter petrol and diesel engines on the new Creta. The SUV is also likely to be made ready for a hybrid and all-electric future. The new Creta is expected to be feature-rich, just like the current model. Also, it is likely that Hyundai will be launching a 7 seat variant too.

Kia SP2i

Expected Launch by: Mid 2019

Kia has been planning for its India debut since long and the Korean manufacturer will make its foray this year. The first vehicle Kia will launch here will be a SUV based on the SP Concept which has been showcased earlier. It will share its platform apart from other mechanical bits from the upcoming new Hyundai Creta and will be among the most feature loaded SUVs of its segment. As for the powertrains, the Kia SUV it is likely to be powered by a 1.4 litre turbo petrol engine producing 140 Bhp. A 1.5 litre petrol and diesel engine are also expected.

Mahindra Scorpio

Expected Launch by: 2020

Along with the new Thar, another vehicle that will be launched is the new Mahindra Scorpio. The Mahindra Scorpio is among the top selling SUVs of India and has been going. The SUV has been going strong since 2002 and the company hopes to maintain Scorpio’s market share with the new model. According to many reports, the next-gen Scorpio is expected to arrive immediately after the new BS-VI emission norms go into effect on April 1, 2020. It is likely to get powered by the new 2.0 litre engine with an expected output of 140 Bhp-300Nm.

Mahindra XUV500

Expected Launch by: 2020

One of the most popular SUVs by the company, the XUV500 will also be getting a generation update next year. It was the first monocoque chassis SUV by the company and took the market by storm soon after its launch. Till date, the SUV has only received a mid life facelift which added a few features to the SUV along with giving it a smarter face. The new XUV500 will be built upon a new chassis and will get powered by the new 2.0 litre diesel engine that will also be found under the Thar and Scorpio with a different state of tune.

Skoda Karoq

Expected Launch by: Q3 2019

Skoda has already started the assembly of Karoq SUV in their Aurangabad plant. It will be brought here in CKD form and is based on Volkswagen’s MQB platform which we have already seen on other Skoda cars like Kodiaq, Octavia and Superb. On the outside, the Karoq looks like a smaller version of the Skoda Kodiaq SUV. Engine options on the SUV include a 1.5 liter turbocharged petrol unit  and a 2.0 liter diesel unit. A BSVI compliant 1.6 litre diesel engine mated to a DSG gearbox could also be offered. Being a CKD, it would be priced around Rs 25-30 lakh and will rival the Jeep Compass and Hyundai Tucson.

Mg Hector

Expected Launch by: Second half of 2019

MG recently revealed the name of its upcoming new SUV for India. Dubbed the Hector, it will be of the same size as the Honda CR-V and the Hyundai Tucson but will be priced much lower, around Rs. 16 lakhs- Rs. 20 lakhs price range. It will come with both petrol and diesel engine options. The 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and 2.0-litre diesel motor are expected to be in the region of 170 Bhp. Also, the Hector will come with both manual and automatic gearbox options. That said, the new SUV will have the most advanced features in the segment included connected apps and best in class safety standards.

Tata Buzzard

Expected Launch by: End 2019 

The Tata Buzzard will be the new flagship vehicle of the company and is based on the same Omega Arc platform that underpins the Tata Harrier. It gets a similar wheelbase as the Harrier but is much bigger in overall size. The Buzzard will be launched in the Indian market by the end of this year and will be the largest SUV in the segment. It will get powered by the same 2.0-litre KRYOTEC engine as on the Harrier, albeit with power output in the range of 170 Bhp. The major change on the Buzzard when compared to the Harrier is an extra row of seats, increased height and length, more powerful design and a different rear profile. Expect the pricing to start at around Rs. 14.5 lakh.