2017 is going to see a lot of new SUV Cars being brought to India by both domestic and international automakers. Here’s a list of them.
1. Volkswagen Tiguan The Hyundai Santa Fe rival would be manufactured at Volkswagen’s Aurangabad plant. Estimated to be priced at Rs.30 lakhs, the Tiguan would come with a 2.0-litre diesel engine, a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and an optional all-wheel-drive.
2. Jeep Compass The Compass is a Hyundai Tucson-sized SUV that looks like a mini Grand Cherokee. Like the Grand Cherokee, it features slim headlamps, an upright stance, massive ground clearance and big alloy wheels. It’s likely to come to India with a Fiat-sourced 172hp 2.0-litre turbo-diesel which will send power to the front wheels on base variants via a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
3. Maruti Suzuki S-Cross Suzuki has updated the nose of the S-Cross heavily to make it look more SUV-like. The grille is more upright and larger and comes with chrome inlays. The headlamps are restyled and feature black inserts. The ‘toothy’ chin is now much more aggressive as well.
4. SsangYong Rexton The new Rexton is an all-new design based on the LIV-2 concept first shown at the 2016 Paris motor show. It still looks a bit old-school like most body-on-frame SUVs, but has well-balanced proportions and some modern touches. The cabin is big on space and packs in quality touches such as Nappa leather upholstery, a high-end audio system and a 9.2-inch HD touchscreen. For the Indian market, we could expect the new Rexton to be offered with a 2.2-litre diesel engine as in international markets.
5. Tata Nexon In the ever-burgeoning sub-four-metre compact SUV segment, Tata’s Nexon is sure to be the most stunning automobile you could treat yourself to. That’s thanks to its muscular stance and that edgy coupé-like roofline; a marked departure from its boxy rivals. Its premium interior too is just as impressive, featuring an eight-speaker audio system and a dash-top-mounted 6.5-inch touchscreen for the Harman-sourced infotainment unit. It will also come with a multi-drive mode system; a class-first feature.
6. Renault Kaptur The India-bound Kaptur’s building blocks are closely related to that of the rugged Duster. Along with its underpinnings and all-wheel-drive gear, the Kaptur will share the 1.6-litre petrol and popular K9K 1.5-litre diesel with the Duster. Additionally, it’s likely to get a 2.0-litre petrol with a four-speed automatic too.
7. Skoda Kodiaq Skoda’s upcoming flagship, the Kodiaq, is a seven-seat luxury SUV that will take on the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Toyota Fortuner. Skoda has raised its bar for quality and luxury with the use of plush materials all around the cabin. It’s loaded with features too. There’s an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system on higher variants with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a panoramic sunroof, Wi-Fi Hotspot connectivity, wireless phone charging and lots more.
8. Datsun Go Ross The Datsun Go Cross is a GO+ based crossover. You’d hardly notice the link between the two though, and that’s thanks to the jacked up stance, beefy body-cladding, skid-plates and radical front end styling of the concept. So strong was the response to this stylish model, that it’s now slated for an earlier-than-expected launch this year. The growing demand for crossovers makes the Go Cross a potential winner for Datsun.
9. New Nissan X-Trail The latest India-bound X-trail looks more modern and rounded than its blocky predecessor. The bigger difference is that it will come here in a petrol-hybrid avatar, rather than a diesel as the previous-generation car did. We drove the car and found it to be quite refined, spacious and well equipped.
10. Audi Q5 Although the new Q5 looks like a Q7 head on, the rest of the car looks pretty much unchanged. But this Mercedes GLC rival is actually all new, and thanks to its modular underpinnings which it shares with the new A4 and Q7, it’s as much as 90kg lighter than before. The resemblance to the Q7 continues into the interior too, where fit, finish and equipment levels have taken a huge step up in the new Q5. It gets the de rigueur 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster, an 8.3-inch free-standing screen for the MMI infotainment system.
