The Most Awaited SUVs Of 2017

• Tata Nexon:

Launch: Late 2017

Price: Rs 7-10 lakh

At the 2014 Auto Expo, Tata Motors revealed its plans of entering the compact SUV space with the official unveil of their Nexon concept. This year, at the 2016 Auto Expo, the Sanand based car maker showcased its production-version to the public. In line with the company’s latest impact design philosophy, the Nexon does well to differentiate itself from the rest of the compact SUVs in the market. However, it still gets elements like the front smiley grille and the humongous pulled back headlamps, that make it unmistakably Tata. The Nexon is also expected to go on sale with a lot of customisation options. The Nexon features a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol and a new 1.5-litre diesel motor. Both these engines come mated to a 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox.

• Ford EcoSport Facelift:

Launch: Early 2017

Price: Rs7-10 lakh

Ford recently took the wraps off its updated EcoSport. The compact SUV gets a larger and wider grille up front that is reminiscent of the Ford Edge. The headlights have been reprofiled, fog lamps have been redesigned along with other updates to the front and rear bumpers. The international-spec model gives the tailgate mounted spare wheel the boot, but the India-spec model will continue to get it. Other changes include a new steering wheel, and an updated touchscreen infotainment system that has been missing on the EcoSport for a while. Engine options for the EcoSport will continue to remain unchanged.

• Hyundai Creta facelift:

Launch: Mid-2017

Price: Rs9-13 lakh

While Hyundai had been apprehensive about SUVs in India, the kind of response the Creta got helped changed their perception. The compact SUV has been consistent in it the numbers game since the time of its launch and to keep it looking fresh, Hyundai will bring in a facelift next year. So far, Hyundai has just released a few teaser images revealing the headlights and taillights of the car. While the images font reveal much, it is expected to come with a wider grille and some other minor cosmetic changes. Under the hood though, the Creta will continue to sport the same 1.6-litre petrol engine along with the 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre diesel engine options.

• Renault Kaptur:

Launch: Early 2017

Price: Rs 15-19 lakh

The Renault Captur that is sold in the European market is smaller and competes against the Ford EcoSport, the Kaptur is a lot larger. The French car maker will bring in the Kaptur and position it above the Duster in its SUV lineup. That being said, both the cars share a lot in common including it crossover-esque styling. In India, however, the Kaptur will share a lot of its parts with the Duster. In fact, it will even come fitted with the same 1.6-litre petrol motor and the 1.5-litre diesel motor, and will be combined with the same gearbox options as well.

• Tata Hexa:

Launch: 18 January, 2017

Price: Rs14-18 lakh

Replacing the Aria, Tata will bring in the new Hexa on January 18. In its production guise, the Hexa bears tremendous resemblance with the concept that was showcased the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Tata has made impressive progress in terms of quality too, the Hexa has premium written all over it. Under the hood, the Hexa comes with a 2.2-litre turbo diesel that is good for 156bhp. It even comes heavily loaded with features, including a 6-speaker JBL system and touchscreen infotainment system with navigation and the works.

Also Read: Tata Hexa Review

• Jeep Compass:

Launch: Late 2017

Price: b20 lakh

At the global unveil of the Compass a few months back, Jeep officially declared that they will be producing their latest model at Fiat Chrysler Automotive’s facility in Ranjangaon. Considering that it will be locally made, the Compass is expected to be priced around the Rs 20 lakh mark. At that price point, the Compass will give the Jeep just the kind of traction that they want. In terms of design, the Compass looks like a scaled down version of the Grand Cherokee, with dimensions identical to the Hyundai Tucson. At the heart, the Compass will have a 2.0-litre Fiat sourced motor that makes max power of 172 horses and comes mated to a 9-speed autobox. The higher variants may also come with AWD and a locking differential.