5 Cars To Watch Out For In August 2020

With SUVs more popular than ever, an increasing number of carmakers are joining the fray every month

The Indian automobile industry is slowly gathering steam with new cars being unveiled and launched amid the reopening of the economy. Most upcoming models debuted at Auto Expo 2020 but the launches of many had to be pushed ahead due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s a list of all the upcoming launches and unveils slated for this month:

Maruti Suzuki S-Cross Petrol: August 5

Update (05/08/2020): Maruti Suzuki has launched the S-Cross petrol in India with prices starting from Rs 8.39 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Read more about it here.

Expected Prices: Rs 8.5 lakh to Rs 12.1 lakh

Rivals: Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Renault Duster, Nissan Kicks, Mahindra Scorpio

Maruti used to offer the BS4 S-Cross with a 1.3-litre diesel engine (90PS/200Nm) only that was mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. In the BS6 era, the model will be a petrol-only offering and will get the same1.5-litre petrol motor with the mild-hybrid tech as the facelifted Vitara Brezza. It will also get an automatic gearbox for the first time in India. Unlike segment leaders Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos, the S-Cross will not be offered with connected car tech. The only feature update will be in the form of Maruti’s latest 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Here’s how much it is expected to cost.

Kia Sonet (Reveal): August 7

Update (07/08/2020): Kia has officially unveiled the Sonet. You can read more about it here.

Expected Prices: Rs 7 lakh to Rs 11.5 lakh

Rivals: Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, Mahindra XUV300, and the upcoming Nissan Magnite, Toyota Urban Cruiser and Renault Kiger

Kia’s second SUV for India, the Sonet, will be unveiled on August 7. It is expected to be offered with the same three engines as the Hyundai Venue, with the likely addition of a diesel-automatic option. The Sonet will offer a host of features including the segment-first 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system while 360-degree camera view is also expected. Kia recently released the official exterior and interior sketches of the sub-4m SUV. Here’s how it looks.

Mahindra XUV300 Sportz: August 14

Expected Price: Rs 12.35 lakh

Rivals: Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, and upcoming Kia Sonet

The XUV300 Sportz will be based on the top-spec XUV300 W8(O) petrol variant. Its main highlight is the new 1.2-litre T-GDI (direct injection equipped) turbo-petrol engine that is rated at 130PS and 230Nm. This is 20PS and 30Nm more than what the current 1.2-litre MPFI (multi-point fuel injection) turbo-petrol motor develops. Once launched, the XUV300 Sportz will be the most powerful sub-4m SUV in the country. While it will be paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox, an AMT is also likely to be on offer. To check out its features and sporty red detailing, head here.

Renault Duster Turbo: August 17

Expected Price: Rs 11.5 lakh

Rivals: Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Mahindra Scorpio, Nissan Kicks

Another model that debuted at the expo was the Duster Turbo. It will be powered by the new 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine (156PS/250Nm) offered on the BS6-updated Nissan Kicks. While the current regular Duster only gets a 5-speed MT, the Duster Turbo will come equipped with a 6-speed MT and a CVT. Like the Mahindra XUV300 Sportz Petrol, the Duster Turbo also gets some cosmetic tweaks and redesigned 17-inch alloy wheels over the standard model. It will likely get some connected car tech as well since the showcased model featured cabin pre-cool.

Toyota Urban Cruiser (Reveal): August 21

Graphic rendering for representational purposes only

Expected Prices: Rs 8.5 lakh to Rs 11.5 lakh

Rivals: Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, Mahindra XUV300, and the upcoming Kia Sonet, Nissan Magnite, and Renault Kiger

The Maruti Vitara Brezza-based Toyota Urban Cruiser will finally break cover with its revised front-end this month. It is expected to be launched in September 2020. It will be powered by the donor SUV’s 1.5-litre petrol engine (105PS/138Nm) and could also come with the mild-hybrid tech seen on the Vitara Brezza. Both manual and automatic transmission options will be offered with the Urban Cruiser. Toyota is expected to start official bookings sometime in the second half of the month.

all prices, ex-showroom