Top-5 Upcoming Utility Vehicles in India

The Indian automotive industry is a complex one and there are multiple layers of this ever-changing industry. It is believed that Indians are fond of affordable fuel efficient small cars but the success of utility vehicle segment is contradictory to that notion. It’s true that Indians do prefer fuel efficient and affordable vehicles but now-a-days, buyers also look into factors like safety, comfort and performance.

The above said also attribute to the growing utility vehicle segment as the UVs come with additional space making them ‘people movers’; strong rugged looks and design further make them suitable for Indian road conditions and icing on the cake is their diesel orientation. Therefore, in last few years the UV segment is outperforming rest of the segments. The other notable reason is the introduction of vehicles like Duster, Ertiga, EcoSport, Mobilio, etc. All these vehicles share platforms of smaller cars and have been developed on more advanced monocoque chassis, which make these products light weight and easy to control. With the ever advancing technologies, the utility vehicles are getting more fuel efficient, reliable, safe and comfortable.

The segment is on a continuous growth path and if we look at last three years, its growth is way higher than the other passenger vehicles. In 2014-15 the utility vehicle segment has contributed around 29 per cent, which is way higher than the 14 per cent in 2011-12. However, the small cars will always remain the first choice and it is pretty evident as only hatchbacks hold the massive 50 per cent of total passenger car sales. Moreover out of the 21 percent of sedans, it is the sub-4 meter ones, which holds the major chunk. However, people are shifting towards better, as the sales of premium hatchbacks and sub-4 meter sedans are increasing.

Having said that we are assuming a further growth in next few years as there is an array of upcoming cars awaited and people also are inclining towards the segment as UVs are versatile in nature and also provide a status symbol. Let’s look what the future has to offer

Next Gen Mahindra Bolero:

Mahindra Bolero is the best seller utility vehicle in India as the home grown manufacturer sells around 10,000 units every month. It is time for Mahindra to give a complete makeover to the Bolero and the spy shots of test mules are suggesting that changes are massive and new Bolero will look quite different than the current generation. The new Bolero is expected to be built on a hydroformed ladder-frame chassis similar to the new Scorpio. However, it might feature a new 1.5 / 1.6-litre diesel engine. The interiors will also be refreshed and the updated Bolero will come with a more car like dashboard.

Expected Launch: Late 2015

Expected Price: Similar to the current Bolero, Rs. 6-8 lac

Mahindra S101:

Mahindra is also testing a compact SUV, which is expected to compete with likes of Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster. The company is testing the vehicle from quite some time and we are hoping a mid-2015 launch. It will be Mahindra’s new entry level offering and it might use the same 1.5-litre engine of the Quanto. As the compact SUV will be a sub-4 meter car and will use an engine under 1500cc, it will get the excise duty benefits resulting in affordable pricing.

Expected Launch: Mid 2015

Expected Price: Rs. 5 Lac

Datsun GO+:

We have seen a constant rise in the MPV segment; therefore Datsun has decided to launch the Datsun GO+ as its second offering in India. Datsun is Nissan’s subsidiary brand for affordable offerings; therefore we can expect competitive pricing from the Japanese brand. The GO+ is a 7-seater MPV and is expected to have a 1.2-litre petrol engine that of the GO and there are also possibilities that it will get 1.5-litre K9K diesel engine of Duster. Earlier the MPV was scheduled for October, 2014 launch, but now it has been postponed to January, 2015.

Expected Launch: January, 2015

Expected Price: Rs. 5 Lac

Maruti Suzuki S-Cross:

Shown at 2014 Indian Auto Expo, the S-Cross is destined to enter in Indian market. The S-Cross is a crossover based on SX4 hatch, which Suzuki used to sell in the European market. The S-Cross is on sale in Europe with 1.6-litre diesel and petrol engines and the same mills are expected in India as well. However, there are possibilities that MSI can use the 1.4-litre K-Series Petrol and 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine, which it is already using in Ciaz and Ertiga. The S-Cross will also come with changes in driving dynamics to suit the Indian conditions. It will also feature all new interiors. With all these changes we are expecting it to cost somewhere around Renault Duster, and will be positioned above the Ciaz.

Expected Launch: Early 2015

Expected Price: Rs. 10 lac

Hyundai iX25:

The South Korean manufacturer has already got a strong hold on the Indian market and to enhance it further they are planning to launch a compact SUV to claim their share in growing UV space. There are reports that Hyundai iX25 will solve this purpose for Hyundai. A near production model of the baby SUV was recently showcased at Beijing Motor Show and it is expected that the same model will be launched in India by mid 2015. However, there isn't anything official on technical specifications but it is expected to use 1.4-litre petrol and diesel, which are on offer with base models of Verna. As Hyundai is known for aesthetic brilliance and plush cabins, this will surely be a dream car for many.

Expected Launch: mid 2015

Expected Price: Rs. 10 Lac

Other UVs in Pipeline:

Apart from these 5 UVs, there are multiple other vehicles are also in pipeline, but there is no concrete info available. To name a few, Honda’s Brio based compact SUV; Maruti’s XA Alpha based compact SUV, Chevrolet Trax and others.