Top car makers and their BIGGEST launches for 2018; Maruti, Hyundai, Tata, Mahindra, Honda & more

Car manufacturers are lining-up their products for 2018, and some of them will be showcased at the Auto Expo 2018 too. What are the biggest launches from top car manufacturers next year? We tell you in a list of 11 cars.

Maruti Swift

Why? The current generation Swift became extremely popular, and after the popularity of the DZire, the all-new Swift is expected to be the best-selling car in India.

Maruti launched the all-new Dzire earlier this year which became a massive success for the brand. Now Maruti will bring the all-new Swift soon. The hatchback has been already imported in India. It will be based on the same HEARTECT platform that underpins the Baleno and the new Dzire.

The all-new Swift will also lose a lot of weight and will perform better than the current model. Also, the fuel efficiency is expected to go up considerably. Maruti is expected to showcase the all-new Swift during the 2018 Auto Expo and then launch the vehicle subsequently.

Hyundai Santro

Why? The Santro was the first car to make Hyundai famous in India. The new Santro is expected to pull in many new customers for the brand.

The new hatchback will be placed between Eon and Grand i10 and will replace the ageing i10. The new hatchback will be inspired by the ix-Metro concept vehicle and will feature the tall boy design. The production of the car has already been started in the Chennai plant of Hyundai.

The new vehicle would be powered by the 1.0-litre petrol engine from the Eon that produces a maximum of 68.5 Bhp – 94 Nm. Hyundai may also plonk a 1.2-litre petrol engine that delivers a maximum of 82 Bhp and 116 Nm of torque. The Santro will make its Indian comeback in the second half of 2018, as confirmed by the company.

Mahindra S201

Why? This is not Mahindra’s first attempt in the sub 4-meter compact segment, but it will be most powerful and looks promising vehicle in the popular segment.

The SsangYong brand did not become much popular in India. Mahindra first planned to launch the Tivoli in India but after seeing the unpopularity of the brand, they shelved the plan, and now they will launch a new SUV based on the Tivoli. It will be a sub-4 metre compact SUV that will take on the likes o Maruti Vitara Brezza and Ford EcoSport in the market.

The car is expected to be powered by both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol engine will be a 1.2-litre direct injection motor that will develop around 140 Bhp. The diesel engine will be a 1.5-litre engine. We may see the car at the 2018 Auto Expo.

Tata X451

Why? Tata’s new products like Tiago and Nexon are doing quite well in the market. The X451 is expected to carry the new image forward.

Tata is still missing from the premium hatchback segment. The X451 will become the first vehicle to be launched on Tata’s new Advanced Modular Platform (AMP). The X451 gets a very futuristic design with inputs from Tata’s Indian and European design teams.

The car is expected to be powered by the new 1.5-litre engine that is available with the 1.5-litre engine that is available with the Nexon. There will be a 1.2-litre turbocharged from the Nexon as well. The concept version of the vehicle is expected to be showcased at the Auto Expo 2018.

Toyota Vios

Why? Toyota is yet to enter the mid-size sedan segment in India. The Vios will be a big step forward and will rival the likes of Maruti Ciaz and Hyundai Verna

Toyota already is the best seller brand in many segments in India. However, the Japanese manufacturer is still missing from the mid-size sedan segment. The Vios looks quite sharp and is wider than the City and Ciaz.

The car is expected to be powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine that generates a maximum of 108 Bhp and 1.4-litre diesel that produces 89 Bhp – 200 Nm. The petrol engine is expected to get CVT automatic and a 5-speed manual while the diesel engine will only get a 6-speed manual.

Honda Amaze

Why? The sub-4 meter sedan segment is quite popular, and Honda is planning to do some big changes in the all-new Amaze.

The Amaze sedan marked Honda’s debut in diesel segment in India. Honda is now preparing the all-new Amaze that will be launched next year in India. The new Amaze has been spied at Honda’s Tapukara plant and is expected to be showcased at the Auto Expo 2018. The car will become roomier but will remain under 4-meter mark.

Honda is also expected to put a more powerful version of the 1.5-litre diesel engine, but the 1.2-litre petrol engine is expected to remain same. It will also get a number of new features like climate control, new infotainment system among others. The launch will happen in early 2018.

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Renault RBC

Why? Renault Kwid is quite a success in India. The customers will look forward to a bigger, 7-seater version of a car based on the Kwid.

Renault will enter the entry-level MPV segment in India with the launch of a new MPV that codenamed as RBC. The car is being specially developed for the Indian market and is based on the CMF-A platform that also underpins the Kwid.

The new MPV will have three-row seats and will seat seven. Renault is expecting a Kwid-like success with the new vehicle. It will be under 4-metres to get excise benefits and will be of the similar size of the Datsun Go+. It will be positioned below Maruti Ertiga in the market. Renault may also showcase the vehicle at the 2018 Auto Expo.

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Jeep Compass Diesel AT

Why? The Compass is already selling like hot cakes, and with the rising popularity of automatics, the Jeep Compass will sell even more.

Jeep recently started the delivery of the Compass petrol automatic. However, the diesel version of the vehicle is yet to offer an automatic transmission. Jeep will launch the nine-speed automatic transmission with the diesel engine early 2018. It will be the most sophisticated gearbox in the segment.

Datsun Go Cross

Why? After the success of funky looking redi-GO in the market, the Go Cross is expected to make an impact in the market

The Go Cross has been in the news for a long time now. Datsun already has two new models based on it in the form of Datsun Go+ and Datsun Redi-Go. Now the low-cost car maker is planning to bring a crossover model. The Go-Cross will be under 4-metres, but it is not confirmed if it will come in 7-seat configuration like the Go+.

New additions done to the car are skid plates at the front and rear, plastic cladding all around, and LED headlamps and fog lamps. The car will be powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine that is also available with the Go hatchback. The 1.5-litre diesel engine will be shared with the Nissan Micra.

Ford Figo Cross

Why? The Figo is a quite capable car. Adding an SUV stance to it may make it more attractive to the market

The Figo Cross has already been spied in India, and the launch is expected to happen sometime early next year in India. The Figo Cross is expected to have body cladding all around the body plus a higher ground clearance. The engine options are likely to remain same as the regular hatchback.

Nissan Kicks

Why? Could prove Nissan breakthrough car for the Indian market

Nissan is working on a new product model, the Kicks for the Indian market. The Kicks will be based on the same B0 platform that forms the base of the Renault Captur and Duster. The Kicks is an urban SUV similar to the Captur, but it will be priced below it in the market.

Engine details of the Kicks are not known yet. The Japanese manufacturer will most likely use the same 1.5-litre K9K diesel engine and the 1.5-litre petrol engine that will be offered with the Captur and also powers the Duster in India. We can expect a showcase of the vehicle during the 2018 Auto Expo and launch later in the year.