SUVs, crossovers expected at Auto Expo 2018

The 14th edition of Auto Expo is just a few weeks away, causing a surge in excitement around India’s biggest motor show.

Since most car buyers crave for a high-riding vehicle nowadays, we make a list of the SUVs and crossovers that are expected to be either launched or showcased at the expo.

Maruti Suzuki concepts

Maruti Suzuki is constantly working on maintaining its market-leader position in India by developing new products that adhere to the customer demand. Since SUVs and crossovers are all the rage now and Vitara Brezza was a phenomenal success, Maruti is developing a compact SUV to be positioned below the Brezza. While the crossover is still in its development stage, Maruti will give us an early preview of it in the form of Concept Future S.

Maruti Suzuki is also rumoured to showcase its e-Survivor hybrid concept (pictured above). First showcased at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, the e-Survivor concept is a funky small off-roader with an open top. Based on body-on-frame chassis, the concept is powered by four electric motors – one at each wheel – and sports AWD.

Tata H5 Concept

Tata Motors will most definitely showcase the production-ready concept version of its upcoming flagship SUV, codenamed H5. The H5 will be underpinned by the Land Rover Discovery Sport’s L550 platform and will be positioned to rival the Jeep Compass and Hyundai Tucson. The company has already teased three new vehicles to be showcased at the upcoming Auto Expo.

Kia SUVs and crossovers

For those unaware, Kia Motors is Hyundai’s sister brand, which is all-set to mark its Indian debut sometime in 2019. Kia is expected to showcase its India-bound range as well as its flagship global models at the Auto Expo to create brand awareness.

As far as high-riding vehicles are concerned, Kia could showcase the Sportage (pictured below), Sorento and Stonic at the upcoming motor show. For reference, the Sportage is based on the Hyundai Tucson, while the Sorento on the Santa Fe. The Stonic crossover is related to the global-spec Hyundai Kona.

Also, expect Kia to showcase a concept SUV, which will preview its new India-specific model. This new SUV is expected to share its internals with the popular Hyundai Creta and is said to launch the Kia brand in India.

New BMW X3

BMW will have an action-packed time at the upcoming Auto Expo, with a slew of new launches planned for the event. The company will launch its i3 and all-new M5, which are niche cars mostly aimed at brand building. A more mainstream launch will be the next-gen X3 SUV.

Revealed back in June 2017, the new X3 is completely redesigned from ground up, making it lighter than the outgoing model. Also, a host of new BMW gadgetry is standard inside its cabin to up the luxury ante. Given that the Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60 have had a generation switch very recently – and Mercedes GLC being fairly new – BMW has to launch the new X3 to stay in the mid-size luxury SUV game.

New Honda CR-V

Honda will showcase the next-generation CR-V. The CR-V is one of the oldest running premium crossover brands in India and has been present for over three generations in the country. However, the car has lost its sales momentum due to recent stiffening of competition.  

Honda is expected to launch the latest CR-V in India sometime in 2018, which will feature an additional row of seats and a new diesel engine. The new CR-V continues to be based on a monocoque chassis, giving it a more urbane appeal as compared to the Fortuner and Endeavour.

Mahindra U321

The U321 is expected to be the most upscale vehicle from Mahindra. Aimed squarely at the best-selling Innova, the U321 is either expected to be launched at the expo or be showcased in a rear production-ready concept form.

The most obvious engine expected to be plonked under U321’s hood is Mahindra’s tried and tested 2.2-litre mHawk diesel. However, industry rumours also suggest that Mahindra is developing a brand new 1.6-litre diesel engine for its new MPV. However, not much is known about it as yet.