Sedans Showcased at 2016 Indian Auto Expo

2016 Indian Auto Expo was the biennial event to be at. Amongst the hoard of overwhelming and insatiably striking concepts and pieces of Automotive art we were able to restrain ourselves to a few conceivable delights, which had a snowball’s chance in hell of making it to the driveway near you. So we have lined up a list of top 5 sedans that were showcased at the recently-culminated Auto Expo. Let’s check them out.

Chevrolet Beat Essentia

Unveiling the next generation concept of Beat hatchback, the American automaker also showcased the sub 4-meter compact sedan iteration of hatchback that dons the moniker ‘Essentia’. Chevrolet Beat Essentia will be offered with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and as far as powerplant options are concerned, the current lineup of petrol and diesel units are expected to be carried forward but speculations also suggest that a downgraded 1.0-liter petrol unit derived from the Spark Hatchback’s 1.4-liter Ecotec motor, which is available in the international markets, will also make its way into the upcoming compact sedan.

Volkswagen Passat GTE

German automaker also showcased the plug-in hybrid version of its Passat sedan at the Expo. The car incorporated a 1.4-liter petrol engine, which comes coupled to an electric motor. This enable the hybrid system to deliver a combined power output of 215bhp. The car is capable of running for 50kms on a full charge and coupled with a full tank of fuel, the hybrid system delivers a maximum range of 1040kms. Can anyone else sense Dieselgate damage control…

Jaguar XE

Jaguar launched its compact sedan, the XE at a price tag of Rs. 39.90 lacs. The car features two 2.0-liter petrol powerplants, which are offered in two states of tune viz. 200PS and 240PS. Speaking of the performance aspects, the capabilities of this sedan are further enhanced by the aluminium extensive lightweight chassis. So not only is this car more powerful than its rivals which include the likes of BMW 3-series and Audi A4 but manages to keep its overall weight also substantially low.

BMW 7-Series

BMW launched its flagship luxury sedan, the BMW 7-Series at Rs. 1.1 crores. The luxury sedan will be offered in both diesel and petrol variants and will incorporate a 3.0-liter diesel mill capable of churning out 265PS of power, whereas the petrol mills, which are offered in two displacements viz. 3.5-liter and 4.4-liters, which produce 326bhp and 444bhp respectively.

Hyundai Sonata Plug-in hybrid

Speaking of eco-friendly hybrids, Hyundai brought in its contender for the segment, The Hyundai Sonata Plug-in. Under the hood, this sedan is powered by a 2.0-litre GDI 4-cylinder petrol powerplant, which comes coupled to a 360V electric motor. This hybrid system delivers a combined power output of 202bhp, which is relatively inferior to the German offering mentioned above. As far as aesthetics are concerned, Sonata Plug-in hybrid also flaunts Hyundai’s fluidic 2.0 design approach.

Tata Kite 5

After the unveil of Zica hatchback, Tata garnered a lot of appreciation for the automotive community of the country and at the recently culminated Auto Expo, Tata better itself by showcasing a compact sedan version of Zica, codenamed ‘Kite 5’, which comes with all the features that you find in Zica, but also comes with the added practicality of a boot. Creature comforts and safety features like  the Harman powered infotainment unit, eight speaker sound system, body-coloured AC pallets, ABS and dual airbags might come as standard. The sedan will be launched shortly after the Zica hatchback and will incorporate the same engine options.

Recommended Read: Chevrolet Beat Essentia vs Tata Kite 5 vs Volkswagen Ameo