India’s SUV market has never been bigger, or more multifaceted. It’s highly unlikely that India’s young new car buyers won’t have an SUV listed among their prospective buys. It speaks about how these machines are not just limited to offroading terrain any more, and are rapidly finding places in garages across the country.
Land Rover Range Rover LWB Autobiography
Leading the line for the Tata Motors-owned company is the Autobiography trim of the long wheelbase Range Rover, considered by many as the final word in terms of luxury when it comes to SUVs in the country. Engine options are the same as the regular Range Rover, with a 5-litre petrol, supercharged V8 engine, which makes 503 bhp of power and 625 Nm of torque. The diesel is the familiar 4.4-litre V8, producing 334 bhp and a monstrous 700 Nm of torque.
Rs 2.67 crore (average ex-showroom)
Toyota Fortuner
Toyota has upped the game with every second generation of its bestsellers, and it left no stone unturned with the launch of the second generation of its Herculean big car, the Fortuner, late last year. Offered in six variants, encompassing two engine options, two transmissions and two drive types, the SUV comes with both petrol and diesel powertrains. The former is a 164 bhp 2.7-litre engine that’s paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic, while the latter is a 175 bhp 2.8-litre workhorse, with which you get a choice between a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic.
Rs 26.85 lakh (average ex-showroom)
Jeep Wrangler
It was music to the ears of SUV enthusiasts when Fiat announced the entry of Jeep in India. And while we are all eagerly anticipating the launch of the Compass in India, we are glad that we have the rugged Wrangler for company. In its premium Unlimited avatar, the big American comes powered by a 197 bhp, 2.8-litre ecodiesel engine with an automatic transmission, and also a 280 bhp 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol with the same gearbox that was launched fairly recently. All wheel drive is available as standard.
Rs 56.57 lakh (average ex-showroom)
Hyundai Tucson
After a dull outing in its first avatar some years ago, the Hyundai Tucson marked a successful second coming in its 2016 version. It followed the success of its younger sibling, the Creta, in the previous year and came with a lineup of five variants, that encompass two engine and two transmission options, while an AWD is also expected to arrive in the coming months. The diesel is a 183 bhp 2-litre motor, while the petrol is a 153 bhp 2-litre powerplant. The hexagonal grille with the dual projector LED leads a contemporary design language from the Korean manufacturer, alongside various plush features in the cabin.
Rs 19.43 lakh (average ex-showroom)
Jaguar F-Pace
Land Rover’s sister brand forayed into the SUV segment with the F-Pace, with its new aluminium-intensive architecture. The launch of the car in India came with two engine options – a 2-litre Ingenium diesel (that we’ve seen on the new Jaguar XF) and a 3-litre V6 as well. The four-cylinder motor is good for 177.5 bhp, whereas the latter packs an impressive 296 bhp of power. In line with the 21st century cars from the Indo-Brit manufacturer, the F-Pace also gets various modern features, like the family grille and adaptive LED headlamps with the ‘J-Blade’ daytime running lamps.
Rs 69.87 lakh (average ex-showroom)
