The midsize SUV segment in India will see three new arrivals, by Honda, Maruti Suzuki, and Toyota, expectedly during next year
In the Indian car market, the midsize SUV segment is currently ruled by South Korean carmakers Hyundai and Kia, with the Creta and Seltos, respectively. These two SUVs are considerably more popular than their rivals, but that might be the case for long. Three new midsize SUVs are set to arrive soon, which could disrupt the Korean dominance in the segment.
Honda has confirmed that it is working on a midsize SUV for India, but hasn’t shared any concrete details about it. We expect this upcoming Honda midsize SUV to be based on the ‘RS concept’ SUV, which was showcased at the 2021 GIIAS (Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show). The concept shares its architecture with the new-gen BR-V and City, and has an extremely sharp and futuristic design.
In the Indian market, Honda will likely offer a 1.5-litre NA petrol engine in this SUV. This motor, which also does duty on the new-gen City, can generate a peak power of 121 PS and a maximum torque of 145 Nm. Both manual and automatic transmission options will likely be offered here. There’s also the possibility of a hybrid powertrain option on this SUV, which is also expected to arrive in the City sedan soon.
Maruti Suzuki and Toyota are jointly developing a midsize SUV for the Indian market, which will be launched here under both brands. It will serve as a replacement for the S-Cross in Maruti’s lineup, but be a completely new offering for Toyota. As per speculations, it will be underpinned by the latter’s DNGA platform, and the SUV has already been spotted undergoing road testing in India.
The upcoming Maruti-Toyota midsize SUV will likely be powered by a 1.5-litre NA petrol engine, with 105 PS and 138 Nm on tap, paired with a mild hybrid system. A turbocharged petrol engine option might also be available. Both the manufacturers will offer manual and automatic gearbox choices here.
Just like other Toyota-badged Maruti cars, we don’t expect there to be any major changes between the two versions of this upcoming SUV. The front grille would be different, the front bumper might be restyled, and of course, the logo would be different.
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