Cars To Watch Out For In January 2021

Which cars are expected to join the Indian market at the start of 2021?

2021 is going to start off busy for the automotive sector with a slew of launches and unveils confirmed for January, and even more expected. Here’s a run through of all the cars to watch out for next month:

Launches

New Audi A4

Expected prices: Rs 40 lakh onwards

Rivals: BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Jaguar XE and Volvo S60

The latest generation of the Audi A4 is due to return to India with sportier looks, a new turbo-petrol engine and updated tech inside the cabin. It is scheduled to launch on January 5 and will once again become Audi’s entry-level sedan offering in India. Bookings have already been open for a deposit of Rs 2 lakh and the carmaker is also including a 4-year comprehensive package for those who pre-order.

Tata Altroz Turbo

Expected prices: Rs 8 lakh onwards

Rivals: Hyundai i20 Turbo, Volkswagen Polo TSI

Tata will finally launch the option of a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine for the Altroz on January 13. The premium hatchback’s new engine option will be its most powerful one yet, with an expected output of 110PS. It would be the first automatic option for the Altroz as the turbo-petrol unit will likely get the choice of a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The new engine option is expected to charge a premium of around Rs 1 lakh over the current petrol variants.

Toyota Fortuner Facelift

Expected prices: Rs 29 lakh onwards

Rivals: Ford Endeavour, MG Gloster

The facelifted Toyota Fortuner will finally be launched in India in 2021 on January 6. The 2021 Fortuner is expected to get the sportier Legender variant as well, which features Lexus-like sporty styling. The regular variants of the updated SUV sports mild cosmetic updates to the front fascia along with a few additional features.

MG Hector Facelift & Hector Plus 7-Seater

Expected prices: Rs 12.99 lakh onwards

Rivals: Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass, Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos/ Mahindra XUV500 (Hector Plus)

The MG Hector has been in the market for less than 2 years and the carmaker is already giving it a mild facelift. It will likely be launched alongside the 7-seater version of the Hector Plus which is expected to be more affordable than the current 6-seater version that offers captain seats in the middle row.

BMW 3 Series Gran Limo

Expected prices: Rs 50 lakh onwards

Rivals: Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Jaguar XE, Audi A4

The latest generation of the BMW 3 Series was launched in India in 2019. Its long wheelbase version is scheduled to launch here on January 21 as the Gran Limousine variant. The 3 Series GL offers extra legroom for rear passengers thanks to the longer wheelbase, while the feature set and engine options are expected to be the same as the regular sedan.

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe Petrol

Expected prices: Rs 38 lakh onwards

Rivals: Upcoming Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan and Audi A3

The entry-level BMW sedan in India is currently offered with a diesel engine only. However, the carmaker is expected to introduce the petrol option for the 2 Series Gran Coupe in January. It would likely be more affordable as well than the current diesel-only variants.

Volvo S60

Expected prices: Rs 45 lakh

Rivals: BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Jaguar XE, Audi A4

Volvo recently unveiled the India-spec version of the third-gen S60 whose arrival has been long overdue. While we do not have a confirmed launch date for this one, we expect it to be launched at the start of 2021. It will be offered in a single, well-equipped petrol-powered variant with Volvo’s renowned safety tech features.

Unveil

Jeep Compass Facelift

Expected prices: Rs 16.5 lakh to Rs 29 lakh

Rivals: Tata Harrier, MG Hector, Hyundai Tucson

The Jeep Compass gets its first major update with this facelift and now it’s coming to India in 2021. It has already debuted in China, but the India-spec facelift is expected to feature some differences such as the headlamp lighting elements and the interior. We’ve spied the cabin and saw that it gets the same new dashboard but the feature updates will likely be confirmed at its unveil on January 7.

Renault Kiger

Expected prices: Rs 5.5 lakh onwards

Rivals: Nissan Magnite, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Maruti Vitara Brezza

Renault is due to join the sub-4m SUV segment in 2021. It teased the Kiger as a concept in late 2020 but the final model may get unveiled in January with the launch soon after. The Kiger will have the same mechanical underpinnings as the Nissan Magnite but it will feature a coupe-like styling and a different interior theme.

Tata Gravitas

Expected prices: Rs 15 lakh onwards

Rivals: MG Hector Plus, Mahindra XUV500

The 7-seater version of the Tata Harrier mid-size SUV is scheduled to make its production-spec debut on January 26. It will offer the same features and powertrain options as the standard 5-seater Harrier. The Gravitas is also expected to offer a 6-seater option with captain seats in the middle row.

2021 Mahindra XUV500 (2nd Gen)

Expected prices: Rs 14 lakh onwards

Rivals: Tata Harrier, MG Hector

The second-generation of the Mahindra XUV500 is due to launch in 2021. There’s no specific date for its arrival but we expect the carmaker to release a new teaser for the final model’s design in January 2021. It  has been spied testing many times and is expected to get semi-autonomous driving tech as well.

Skoda Vision IN Name Reveal

Expected prices: Rs 10 lakh onwards

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

Skoda will be unveiling the production-spec VISION IN compact SUV in March 2021 but the official product name will be revealed in January itself. It will be the brand’s first offering built on the MQB A0 IN platform and will be offered with a petrol engine only.

Price Hikes

Thar, i20 & Magnite

All the models that were launched towards the end of 2020 will experience a significant price hike as the introductory pricing expires in January 2021. This includes the likes of the second-gen Mahindra Thar, Nissan Magnite and Hyundai i20. The Thar’s entry price has already gone up with the discontinuation of the base-spec AX variant. Nissan’s aggressive pricing for the Magnite, starting at just Rs 5 lakh (ex-showroom), will now be similar to its competitors whose prices start near the Rs 7 lakh mark.

These are all the new models that will be either launched or unveiled in the first month of 2021.