New Car Launches in India Ahead of Diwali 2019

Although car sales are slumping, car makers want to cash in on the festive season with some new launches.

The Maruti Suzuki Concept Future S is the basis for its new small car, the S-Presso that will launch at the end of September.

Photo: IANS

The automotive industry in India is going through one of its worst years ever. Sales have slumped continuously for the past 10 months, with little hope of an uptick. Despite recent measures by the government to boost auto sales, the sentiment is still quite muted.

However, with the festive season around the corner, car makers are gearing up to push new products in the market. A number of car makers are lining up new car launches ahead of the festive season.

Here’s a look at the top cars launching during the festive season 2019.

Maruti S-Presso

Maruti Suzuki kicked off Auto Expo 2018 with the showcase of its crossover concept, the Future Concept S.(Photo: The Quint)

The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is the company’s competitor to the Renault Kwid. It is an entry-level hatchback with SUV-inspired styling. It is based on the Future Concept S showcased at Auto Expo 2018 in Greater Noida. However, from spy images captured on YouTube recently by user Ashwani, it appears to be quite different from the concept design showcased.

The Maruti S-Presso will be launched on 30 September and will take on the Renualt Kwid as its direct rival. It will be BS-6 compliant and is expected to be powered by an improved 1-litre, three-cylinder K-Series petrol engine good for 68 bhp of power and 90 Nm of torque.

Tata Altroz

The Tata Altroz will compete with the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Hyundai i20 Elite.Photo: Tata Motors

Tata Motors showcased its upcoming premium hatchback, the Tata Altroz at the Geneva Motor Show 2019. It will be launching the Altroz ahead of Diwali to cash in on the festive season.

The Altroz is likely to be powered by a 1.2 litre turbo-petrol Revotron motor and could also come with the 1.5 litre diesel engine that is available in the Tata Nexon. Expect it to be priced between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 9 lakh.

Tata also has new variants of the Harrier in the works and it is gearing up to launch the seven-seat variant too.

New Renault Kwid

The facelifted Renault Kwid is likely to be similar to the Renault City K-ZE shown at the Shanghai Motor Show. Photo: Netcarshow.com

Hyundai Elantra

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra has been spotted testing in India. Photo: Netcarshow.com

The Hyundai Elantra, mid-size luxury sedan is due for a refresh. The new Hyundai Elantra has been spotted testing in India with full camouflage. It is likely to be launched in the next few weeks.

The Hyundai Elantra competes with the Skoda Octavia, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla Altis. While the volumes aren’t large in this segment, buyers look for luxury features. That’s where the Elantra has a long list. It will sport a 2-litre petrol engine that will also be BS-VI compliant.

Other Recent Launches

The last month has seen a spate of launches from various car makers trying to flood the market with new models in the hope that buyers will start walking into showrooms again.

The Renault Triber MPV was launched end August, with prices ranging between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 7 lakh ex-showroom. Hyundai launched the Grand i10 Nios with prices starting at Rs 5 lakh and going up to Rs 8 lakh ex-showroom.

Maruti Suzuki drove in the Maruti Suzuki XL6, which is a more upmarket version of the Ertiga MPV. And then, there were all-new vehicle like the Kia Seltos and MG Hector making their debut in the Indian market.