After a pretty eventful 2016, the country’s automakers are preparing more than three dozen new launches in 2017. Here are the pick of them.
MARUTI SUZUKI IGNIS
This funky crossover/micro SUV will be one of the first cars to be launched in 2017. The Ignis will be available with both petrol and diesel engines, like the Baleno, but will be positioned below it at under Rs 5 lakh (ex-showroom).
HYUNDAI VERNA
India has started to embrace the idea of green technology, and the Korean manufacturer is taking note too. The Verna’s 1.6-litre diesel mill is likely to be equipped with Hyundai’s ISG start-stop hybrid technology, and it will be launched around the half-way mark this year.
TATA KITE 5
Tata made its cars more attractive for a younger audience with its new design language, which debuted with the Tiago. A compact sedan based on the hatchback is now in the pipeline. The car has been spotted testing multiple times and is set to break cover with a 1.2-litre petrol motor, in the first half of 2017.
TATA HEXA
With its upcoming range of cars, Tata aims to push the envelope in domestic car manufacturing, and the Hexa crossover SUV could be a vital cog in this blueprint. Buyers for an affordable UV should be looking forward to January 18, when the curtain will be lifted on the Aria’s successor.
HONDA WR-V
SUVs and India go well together, with the market lapping up offerings from a variety of manufacturers. This is why Honda is set to bring its Jazz-based WR-V to India, in late 2017. Showcased at the Sao Paulo International Show in Brazil, the car might just prove to be a shot in the arm for Honda’s stagnating fortunes in India.
SKODA KODIAQ
Named after an Alaskan bear, the Czech carmaker’s first full-size SUV has already hit the right notes with the bearded, 21st century alpha male. The car marks the introduction of Skoda’s new design language, and we look forward to its launch in India by August 2017, at a price tag of around Rs 25-30 lakh.
AUDI Q2
The most affordable SUV from the brand with the four rings has caught the fancy of many, and a no-show in 2016 has made its 2017 launch even more imminent. At around Rs 25 lakh (ex-showroom), the Q2 could become the perfect choice for a young, successful start-up owner’s first premium car.
VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN
There are more models headed from Europe to India, as Volkswagen plans to drive in the all-new Tiguan, which was rated one of the safest big cars by Global NCAP recently. You might have seen it during the 2016 Auto Expo in Delhi, and you could spot it on the roads by the end of 2017.
JEEP COMPASS
The popular American brand caught the fancy of many an adventure seeker as it set foot in India last year, and it now plans to dig its teeth into the country’s market by launching a locally-made SUV by mid-2017. In the ballpark of around Rs 20-25 lakh, it will make for a very tempting set of wheels.
LEXUS RC-F
Last, but definitely not the least, comes the performance enthusiast’s dream coupe, the Lexus RC-F. Yes, Lexus will debut in India this year and yes, this two-door looker will be a part of the introductory line-up. To be launched in the first half of 2017, it will be accompanied by the likes of the RX 450h SUV. Dream on, we say.
