With the sports utility vehicles segment showing resilience in the face of a massive meltdown of India’s automobile industry, most car-makers have made a beeline for new launches in this segment at the ongoing Auto Expo here. While India’s two largest car-makers Maruti Suzuki (MSIL) and Hyundai (HMIL)on Thursday showcased new models of their most popular SUVs- Vitara Brezza and Creta respectively, global carmakers such as Volkswagen, MG, Kia and newbie Great Wall Motors too showcased their new offerings in this segment.
MSIL has sold over five lakh units of diesel-powered Vitara Brezza since its launch in 2016 and going forward the company is confident that with a new model of its popular car, it will manage to muscle in more sales.“We are confident that the new Vitara Brezza will receive an overwhelming response from the customers… SUVs continue to hold consumer interest with almost 35 per cent share of the industry and the segment is growing rapidly,” said MSIL Managing Director and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa.
The new Brezza is powered by the bigger 1.5 litre K-series BS6 petrol engine and delivers a peak power of 77KW@6000 rpm with a top-end torque of 138Nm@4400rpm. Inside the cabin there is a 7-inch SmartPlay Studio touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity adds a premium touch to the cabin. Hyundai, on the other hand, unveiled the much-awaited mid-size SUV Creta with major design changes in the presence of its brand ambassador Shahrukh Khan. Like Maruti, Hyundai is also sure of new Creta’s success.
“The New Creta would be launched in March and we are sure that this product will offer customer delight and supersede their aspirations and expectations,” Hyundai Motor India Managing Director and CEO S S Kim said. Creta 2020 gets the same powertrain options as that offered by Kia Seltos and will come with three variants of BSVI engines. The other big SUV unveiled on Thursday was MG Motor’s HECTOR PLUS, the latest 6- and 7-seater addition to the HECTOR brand. Scheduled to go on sale later this year, the HECTOR PLUS is designed to build on the market success of HECTOR. The new variant comes with custom seating configuration.
“With the showcasing of HECTOR PLUS, we are further strengthening the HECTOR brand in India,” Rajeev Chaba, President & Managing Director – MG Motor India, said. MG is also unveiling Gloster, which will compete with the likes of Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour, on Friday. On the first day of the expo, China’s Great Wall Motors unveiled its Haval brand of sport utility vehicle (SUV) to mark its foray into the Indian market, while Volkswagen, introduced its SUV line-up compromising of models such as Taigun, T-Roc, Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace.
Everyone wants a share of the pie
India’s two largest car-makers Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai showcased new models of their most popular SUVs — Vitara Brezza and Creta respectively. Global carmakers such as Volkswagen, MG, Kia and newbie Great Wall Motors too showcased their new offerings in this segment