April-June 2023 Recap: All The Major Auto Events That Happened This Past Quarter

We saw many discontinuations, new launches, and even crash test scores over these three months

The second quarter of 2023 was quite hectic as well as exciting, which sounds even more chaotic when you consider we had the Auto Expo 2023 before that with all the unveilings. We saw several much awaited launches but some disheartening discontinuations too. There were many events which were relevant to the Indian auto industry as a whole as well. Here’s a full detailed recap of the all the key headlines in the last three months:

Discontinuations

Owing to the BS6 Phase 2 norms, several cars were discontinued. Here’s the list of models you can no longer buy fresh from the factory: 

1. Honda Jazz, WR-V, and fourth-generation City: All three models were already outdated among their rivals, especially the Jazz and its rugged version, the WR-V. 

2. Maruti Alto 800: After being on sale for over a decade, Maruti has stopped the sales of its entry-level model with the sub-litre engine. The Alto nameplate, however, is still alive with the K10 that uses a 1-litre petrol unit. 

3. Skoda Octavia And Superb: The new emission norms also took a toll on the last few non-luxury executive sedans in the form of the Skoda Octavia and Superb. The Superb might make a comeback in a new avatar, while the Octavia is also rumoured to return as a far pricier import in the vRS version. 

4. Other discontinuations include the likes of the Mahindra KUV100 NXT, Nissan Kicks, and Kia Carnival. The Mahindra and Nissan offerings were finally axed after years of poor sales while the Kia MPV was too outdated and far behind the global model on sale today.

Launches

MARUTI JIMNY

The biggest launch of this quarter was the Maruti Jimny, which finally went on sale after being announced for the country over three years ago. It’s priced from Rs 12.74 lakh to Rs 15.05 lakh (ex-showroom) and is available in two trims -Zeta and Alpha. It features LED headlamps, a 9-inch touchscreen system, cruise control, six airbags, and a rear camera. The Jimny gets a 1.5-litre petrol engine with manual and automatic options and 4X4 as standard. 

MARUTI FRONX

Ahead of the Jimny, we got the Maruti Fronx, an all-new moniker for the brand. It’s based on the Baleno but carries a significantly different look; more of an SUV-crossover design inspired by the Grand Vitara. Powering the Fronx are 1.2-litre petrol and 1-litre turbo-petrol engines, both with the choice of manual and automatic transmissions. It’s  priced from Rs 7.46 lakh to Rs 13.13 lakh (ex-showroom). 

MG COMET EV

The MG Comet EV landed this quarter as the most affordable electric vehicle in India. It’s a small two-door EV with a four-seat capacity. The EV gets a 17.3kWh battery pack with a range of up to 230 kilometres. With a 3.3kW AC charger, it can be fully juiced in up to seven hours. The Comet is a feature-rich offering with LED headlamps, dual 10.25-inch displays for the touchscreen system and digital instrument cluster, dual airbags, and a rear camera. Prices of the Comet range from Rs 7.98 lakh to Rs 9.98 lakh (ex-showroom). 

TATA ALTROZ CNG

Another CNG car joins the club, in the form of the Tata Altroz. The premium hatchback is available with six CNG variants, priced from Rs 7.55 lakh to Rs 10.55 lakh (ex-showroom). It gets a 1.2-litre petrol-CNG engine with a five-speed manual transmission. The main highlight of the Altroz CNG is the dual-cylinder setup which liberates a much generous boot space for the weekend trips. Features onboard include electric sunroof, wireless charger, rain sensing wipers, rain-sensing wipers, and dual front airbags. 

Volkswagen Virtus and Taigun Updates

Volkswagen has added new GT MT and GT Plus DSG variants to the Taigun lineup. Meanwhile, the Virtus finally gets the option of the GT Plus MT, i.e. the 150PS turbo-petrol engine with a manual shifter. Along with this, two new limited edition colours have been added, including Deep Black Pearl and Carbon Steel Grey Matte shades. 

BS6 PHASE 2 Launches

All the cars were updated with BS6 phase 2 emission norms by April and they also witnessed a price hike. Due to the emission changes, several cars also observed changes in power figures and fuel economy. 

Crash Test Scores

Maruti Wagon R

The Maruti Wagon R received a one-star safety rating in the global NCAP crash tests. It scored a single star in adult occupants’ protection and zilch in case of child occupants’ protection. 

Volkswagen Virtus / Skoda Slavia

The Volkswagen Virtus and Skoda Slavia are now the safest cars of India, scoring full five stars in adult and child occupants’ protection. 

Maruti Alto K10

The Alto K10 has scored a two star safety rating in the updated global NCAP crash tests. However, its body shell integrity has been rated stable and capable of withstanding further loadings. 

Unveilings And Teasers

Citroen C3 Aircross

The Citroen C3 Aircross for India was unveiled as the French brand’s entry into the compact SUV segment. It’s a three-row SUV offering which will go on sale sometime in August. The SUV features a 10-inch touchscreen system, a 7-inch digital display, dual airbags, and TPMS. It will be powered by a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine and is expected to get the option of an automatic. Citroen is expected to price the C3 Aircross at a very competitive price from around Rs 10 lakh. 

Honda Elevate

The compact SUV space is set to get hotter with the new Honda Elevate, which was globally revealed this quarter. Its prices will be announced sometime in August. It’s a petrol-only SUV and gets the City’s 1.5-litre petrol engine with manual and CVT transmissions. It won’t get the City’s strong-hybrid powertrain, but will get an EV version by 2025. The Elevate gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen system, a digital instrument cluster, electric sunroof, six airbags, and ADAS. It’s expected to be priced from around Rs 12 lakh. 

Hyundai Exter

We got our first look at a new entry-level SUV when the Hyundai Exter was unveiled recently. It is a micro SUV offering based on the Grand i10 Nios. It’s offered with an electric sunroof, an 8-inch touchscreen system, automatic AC, six airbags, TPMS, and a rear camera. Powering the Exter will be a 1.2-litre petrol engine with manual and AMT transmissions and a CNG option. Prices are expected to commence from around Rs 6 lakh. 

Maruti Invicto

The next big MPV in India could be the soon-to-be launched Maruti Invicto MPV. Only in the last quarter, Maruti confirmed the model’s name and it was spied completely undisguised. It’s a rebadged version of the Innova Hycross with subtle changes to the design. It will use the Hycross’ 2-litre petrol-hybrid engine, which on the Innova claims up to 23.24kmpl. The costliest Maruti will feature a panoramic sunroof, a 10-inch touchscreen system, dual-zone AC, wireless charger, up to six airbags, and ADAS. We’re expecting the Invicto to be priced from around Rs 19 lakh. 

Events That Would Impact The Auto Industry

New Lithium Reserves

India’s first lithium reserves were found in Jammu and Kashmir in February, and even bigger reserves were discovered in Rajasthan in May 2023. With this progress, India is believed to have one of the largest reserves in the world, which would also facilitate production of lithium-ion batteries for EVs. 

Tesla India Launch Confirmed

Tesla has been confirmed for India, by the boss Elon Musk himself when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the USA. The Prime Minister has invited the Tesla founder to explore significant investment opportunities in India. Tesla is also exploring the possibility of setting up factories in India and locally producing EVs.

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