7 Kia Seltos Rivals That Debuted At 2020 Auto Expo

At least three of these SUVs will go on sale this year

• The 2020 Creta, S-Cross Petrol and Duster Turbo will go on sale later this year.

• The Vision IN, Taigun, MG ZS and the F5 will go on sale in 2021.

• Other Seltos rivals include the Renault Captur and Nissan Kicks.

The Kia Seltos has been leading the compact SUV segment since its debut back in August 2019. But things might change soon as the competition in the segment is about to heat up. As many as 7 compact SUV, which will go on sale in the near future, debuted at the 2020 Auto Expo. Let’s take a look at them. 

2020 Hyundai Creta:

Launch: March 17, 2020

Price: Rs 10 lakh to Rs 16 lakh

Hyundai is all set to launch the second-gen Creta in India. It not only features an all new design but will also get a new set of engines borrowed from the Kia Seltos. The petrol Creta will be offered with a 1.5-litre and 1.4-litre turbo unit making 115PS/144Nm and 140PS/242Nm respectively. The diesel SUV, on the other hand, will be offered with a 1.5-litre unit making 115PS and 250Nm. A 6-speed MT will be offered as standard across the range with multiple automatic options on offer. The new Creta will be loaded with features like a panoramic sunroof, LED headlamps, ventilated seats, upto 6 airbags and Venue-like connected tech. 

Maruti Suzuki S-Cross Petrol: 

Launch: April 2020

Price: Rs 8.5 lakh to Rs 12 lakh

Maruti Suzuki showcased the S-Cross petrol at the 2020 Auto Expo. It is powered by the same BS6 1.5-litre petrol engine that is offered on the Ciaz, Ertiga, XL6 and the upcoming Vitara Brezza petrol. It makes 105PS/138Nm paired to either a 5-speed MT or a 4-speed AT. The 1.5-litre unit replaces the 1.3-litre DDiS engine that was on offer on the S-Cross since its launch. Maruti is expected to offer the mild hybrid system with the automatic variant as seen on the facelift Vitara Brezza that will also go on sale soon. It is important to note that the S-Cross will be getting an automatic option for the first time in India. 

Renault Duster Turbo: 

Launch: August 2020 expected

Price: Around Rs 13 lakh

With the diesel engine being discontinued from April 2020, Renault will introduce a new 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine on the Duster. Called the Duster Turbo, the new SUV looks similar to the existing model but with some sportier cosmetic updates. Under the hood, it gets a 1.3-litre turbo unit that makes 156PS and 250Nm. Although the car showcased at the expo had a CVT gearbox, the Duster Turbo will be offered with a 6-speed MT as well. With the introduction of this variant, the Duster will also become the most powerful compact SUV in the country. 

MG ZS: 

Launch: Early 2021

Price: Rs 12 lakh to  Rs 17 lakh

MG launched the ZS EV in India earlier this year. Now the carmaker is planning to bring in the petrol version of the compact SUV. But MG showcased the facelifted ZS with sharper styling changes compared to the ZS EV, which is based on the pre-facelift model. Globally, it is available with two petrol engines: a 1.3-litre turbo making 160PS/230Nm and a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated unit making 120PS/150Nm. Where the 1.5-litre engine is available with a CVT, the 1.3-litre unit is offered only with a 6-speed AT. In India, MG is expected to offer the ZS with the 1.3-litre turbo-petrol only. The ZS packs features such as a panoramic sunroof, push-button start, six airbags, auto AC, and 10.1-touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It will also get connected tech features like remote lock/unlock and voice commands as we have previously seen on the Hector and the ZS EV. 

Haval F5:

Launch: 2021

Price: 12 lakh to Rs 17 lakh

Chinese carmaker GWM made its India debut at the Auto Expo 2020 and showcased its Haval lineup of SUVs which are scheduled to go on sale by 2021. Out of the lot, the F5 SUV could be Haval's first launch in the country. The F5 is powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine that makes 168PS/285Nm. It is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch auto. In India, Haval could offer a manual transmission as well with the F5 SUV. On the features front, F5 gets a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control, 8-way electrically powered driver seat, a panoramic sunroof and dual zone climate control.

Skoda Vision IN:

Launch: April 2021

Price: Rs 10 lakh to Rs 16 lakh

The Vision IN-based SUV will be the first SUV to be underpinned by the VW Group’s MQB A0 IN platform. It will look largely similar to the rugged looking Vision IN concept from the Auto Expo 2020. Under the hood, it will be offered with two petrol engine options: a 1.0-litre TSI making 115PS/200Nm and a 1.5-litre TSI generating 150PS/250Nm. Both the engines will get a manual and a DSG (dual-clutch automatic) automatic transmission option. Skoda is likely to offer a CNG version of the compact SUV as well. The Vision IN based SUV is expected to be packed with features such as a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, sunroof, connected tech and a large touchscreen. 

Volkswagen Taigun:

Launch: April 2021

Price: Rs 10 lakh to Rs 16 lakh

Like the Vision IN, the Taigun is also based on the MQB A0 IN platform. The similarities between the two doesn’t end with the platform: they will share engines and features as well, but will feature a completely different design. The Taigun will also be powered by a 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre TSI unit, same as the Skoda. In terms of features, it should get a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a large touchscreen along with connected tech like remote start/stop and cabin pre-cool. Aesthetically, the Taigun looks similar to the China-spec T-Cross.

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