The production of cars and SUVs is slowly ramping up as more and more carmakers begin to restart operations as lockdown norms ease. While carmakers aren't expected to get to full production anytime soon, there is pent up demand that is being met.
New launches that were scheduled for late March, April and May have been delayed due to the lockdown. However, with the wheels of the economy slowly beginning to turn again, there are a few launches that have been lined up in the coming quarter.
Here's a look at what to expect from some of India's car makers.
Skoda Karoq
Skoda has opened bookings for its upcoming SUV, the Skoda Karoq with a token booking amount of Rs 50,000. The five-seat SUV is expected to be priced at around Rs 30 lakh.
The Karoq is based on the MQB platform shared across many Volkswagen group cars. In size and capability, it is similar to the Jeep Compass and Hyundai Tucson. It will be initially imported as a CBU (up to 2,500 cars can come in through this option) and will later likely be made in India.
The Karoq will come with a 1.5 litre TSI turbo-charged, four-cylinder petrol engine that puts out 150 bhp and 250 Nm of torque, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It will be a front-wheel-drive model only for the Indian market.
Hyundai Verna
All the details of the 2020 Hyundai Verna are out, including the prices, but the car hasn't got its official launch yet. It is expected to roll out of showrooms alongside the all-new Creta in the next few days, as Hyundai has started operations now.
The new Hyundai Verna's prices range between Rs 9.30 lakh and Rs 15.09 lakh ex-showroom. It comes in five trim variants with three engine options. The variants are the S, S+, SX, SX (O) and SX (O) turbo. The last one comes with a 1-litre, turbo-charged three-cylinder motor and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The other variants come with either a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol motor and six-speed manual or CVT option and a 1.5-litre diesel engine with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic option.
Honda City
Honda Car India had planned the launch of the 2020 Honda City sedan in March, but it has been delayed. The car is ready and in production, with a formal launch expected soon.
The 2020 Honda City will continue to use the tried-and-tested 1.5-litre petrol motor that powers the current City. In BS-6 guise, it will put out 121 PS of power and 145 Nm of torque. It will come with a six-speed manual or a CVT and come in three variants. Further specifications of the all-new Honda City are awaited. It is expected to be priced between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh ex-showroom.
Mahindra Thar
Mahindra will be launching the all-new 2020 Mahindra Thar soon. The vehicle has been spotted testing a number of times with camouflage. It was recently spotted in Delhi, just before lockdown as well.
The 2020 Thar is based on the Mahindra Scorpio chassis. It will come with the 2.2 litre diesel engine and a six-speed manual transmission. The interiors sport an all-new design with a relocated 4x4 shifter. It is wider and longer than the outgoing Thar. There are rumours that it will also come with a petrol motor and an automatic transmission, as seen in some spy shots.
With added features and safety kit, the all-new Thar will be offered in both hardtop and soft-top options from the factory. Prices are expected to start at about Rs 10.5 lakh going up to Rs 15 lakh.
Kia Sonet
Kia is all set to launch its third vehicle in the Indian market - the Kia Sonet. It was showcased as a prototype at the Auto Expo in February. The Sonet will compete with the Hyundai Venue and share a lot of common parts.
The Sonet was expected to be launched in July, but it's quite likely that the launch may get delayed till September 2020. Just like the Hyundai Venue, the Sonet will come with multiple engine options including a 1.5-litre diesel, 1.5-litre petrol and 1-litre turbocharged petrol, with automatic and manual transmission options.
Prices are expected to start at Rs 8 lakh going up to Rs 12 lakh.
MG Hector Plus
The MG Hector Plus will be the next launch from MG Motor India. Banking on the popularity of the MG Hector, the company is bringing in a larger 7-seat version of the Hector, called the Hector Plus. It was showcased at the Auto Expo in February.
The MG Hector Plus sports three rows of seating with revised front and rear styling. It will likely have six and seven seat options. The engine choices are expected to be the same as the regular Hector – a 1.5 litre petrol with a mild hybrid option and a 2-litre diesel.
Prices are likely to be about Rs 1 lakh more than the standard model.
Renault Triber AMT
Renault is all set to launch another variant of the Triber in the coming week. The Renault Triber with an automated manual transmission (AMT) goes on sale in the last week of May. The Triber comes with a 1-litre, three-cylinder petrol motor putting out 71 bhp of power and 96 Nm of torque. There are rumours of a turbo-charged variant of this engine in the works, but that may come later.
The seven-seat Renault Triber is quite versatile when it comes to space, offering 625 litres of boot space with the third row removed and 84 litres with all seats in place.
Besides these vehicles, also coming soon are the updated Datsun Go and Datsun Redigo. The latter gets design tweaks as well. The new Mahindra Scorpio in BS-6 guise and XUV500 are also coming into showrooms now. The all-new Scorpio, which had been spotted testing several times, has been delayed.
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