Here Are The Top 5 Cars That We Will See This Festive Season

We’ll be seeing new EVs, a hybrid SUV, and several limited edition variants this Diwali

Update (26/09/2022): Maruti has launched the 2022 Grand Vitara, which is its first strong-hybrid offering, priced from Rs 10.45 lakh (ex-showroom pan-India).

The festive season is approaching and carmakers are prepping their launches and heavy offers on their existing lineups. Usually, people prefer to buy cars in this auspicious season. Like every festive season, we have some exciting launches/unveils happening including some EVs, a hybrid SUV and new limited editions. 

So, here are the top 5 upcoming cars that we are expecting this festive season: 

Maruti Grand Vitara

Maruti will reveal the prices of the Grand Vitara towards the start of Navtratri/Durga Puja. Toyota has revealed prices of its counterpart, the Hyryder, which show that the strong-hybrid variants retail from Rs 15.11 lakh to Rs 18.99 lakh. So, we’re expecting the Grand Vitara to carry a similar price tag. The new Maruti compact SUV will be offered with self-charging strong-hybrid and mild-hybrid powertrains, the former claiming to deliver 27.97kmpl. Its other segment-first highlight will be the all-wheel drivetrain, which will be offered with the mild hybrid manual variants. 

Tata Tiago EV

Tata is going to unveil the Tiago EV on September 28, in the Navratri season. It will be India’s most affordable mass-market EV and is likely to be priced from Rs 10 lakh onwards. The Tiago EV might get a smaller battery pack than the Tigor EV, which gets a 26kWh pack with a range of 306 kilometres. We’re expecting the electric hatchback to deliver a realistic range of between 200 to 250 kilometres. 

Mahindra XUV300 Sportz

Update (07/10/22): Mahindra has launched the XUV300 TurboSport with prices starting from Rs 10.35 lakh (ex-showroom pan-India).

Mahindra is expected to launch the XUV300 Sportz edition this Diwali. It will use a 1.2-litre T-GDI turbo-petrol engine that’s rated at 130PS, making it 20PS more powerful than the regular petrol variants. Besides this, it could get some visual changes inside and out and is likely to be based on the subcompact SUV’s top-end variants. 

Mercedes Benz EQS 580

Mercedes Benz’s second electric car for India was the performance-focused AMG EQS 53 and in the coming days, the EQS 580 will also go on sale. The EQS 580 will be the luxury carmaker’s first locally assembled EV in India, which should help keep its prices in check. It gets a 107.8kWh battery pack with a claimed range of up to 770 kilometres. Its dual electric motor claims to produce 523PS and 856Nm on tap. Other than that, it’s the electric S-Class, so we know all the comforts that it will get including seat massagers, gesture controls, rear seat entertainment packages, and top-of-the-line rear seat conveniences. 

BYD Atto 3

Update (11/10/2022): BYD has unveiled the Atto 3 electric vehicle in India. It gets a 60.48kWh battery pack and can cover a range of 521km.

After BYD recently announced its foray into the private electric vehicle space with the E6 MPV, it’s prepping for another launch. The Atto 3 electric SUV is expected to be priced from around Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom), posing as a costlier alternative to the Hyundai Kona electric and MG ZS EV. It’s expected to be offered with two battery packs - 50kWH and 60kWh - with a WLTP-claimed range of 345 kilometres and 420 kilometres, respectively. Besides that, it could also get ADAS, a panoramic sunroof, powered front seats, and a rotating touchscreen system. 

BONUS 

1. MG is set to make the ZS EV range most affordable with the launch of its base-spec Excite variant in October. The technical specifications are unlikely to be changed but we could see some features being dropped. 

2. Many manufacturers will bring in special or limited edition variants this festive season. These editions could get minor cosmetic upgrades or some feature additions.