These Are The 7 Car Launches We Saw In September 2023

Apart from the new models and facelifts, we also saw some edition launches from Renault, Skoda, MG, Jeep, Audi, and BMW.

September 2023 was a busy month for the auto industry, full of new car launches from both mass-market and premium car brands. It included highly awaited launches like the 2023 Tata Nexon and Honda Elevate, while luxury EVs like Volvo C40 Recharge, Mercedes-Benz EQE, and BMW iX1 also landed on our shores. In September alone, India witnessed the introduction of seven new models, and some special editions as well. 

Let's take a closer look at each of the new cars that India welcomed this month.

Honda Elevate

Price Range: Rs 11 lakh to Rs 16 lakh

After a gap of almost seven years, Honda finally launched its all-new product in India in the form of the Elevate compact SUV. The Honda Elevate shares its platform and engine/transmission options with the Honda City. In addition to Honda’s refined engine and brand reliability, the Elevate also packs in advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features.

However, unlike the Honda City, the Elevate doesn't offer the option of a hybrid powertrain. But in the future, Honda plans to launch an all-electric version of the Elevate compact SUV.

Volvo C40 Recharge

Price: Rs 61.25 lakh

Volvo has launched its second pure electric, the C40 Recharge, in India. It is the coupe-SUV version of the XC0 Recharge, which comes with the same 78kWh battery pack, but offers an improved driving range of 530km. This enhancement is due to the improved energy efficiency of the battery pack and more aerodynamic and sleeker design of the C40 Recharge.

Hyundai i20 and i20 N Line Facelift

Price Range

• 2023 Hyundai i20: Rs 6.99 lakh to Rs 11.01 lakh

• 2023 Hyundai i20 N Line: 9.99 lakh to Rs 12.47 lakh

The Hyundai i20 facelift has also been launched in India this month, with minor styling changes and just one feature addition, which is a Type-C USB charger. Its engine and transmission options however have been rejigged.  The regular i20 is now only available with a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. The turbo-petrol engine is now reserved for the Hyundai i20 N Line.

Hyundai also introduced the updated version of the i20 N Line, which now comes with a proper 6-speed manual transmission, replacing the 6-speed iMT (clutchless manual). The option of the 7-speed DCT has been retained with the i20 N Line.

2023 Tata Nexon and Tata Nexon EV

Price Range

• 2023 Tata Nexon: Rs 8.10 lakh to Rs 15.50 lakh

• 2023 Tata Nexon EV: Rs 14.74 lakh to Rs 19.94 lakh

Among the most awaited launches this month, the updated Tata Nexon and Nexon EV arrived together in mid September. Both versions of the 2023 Tata Nexon have received comprehensive design updates and new tech features. 

The petrol version of the Nexon now offers more transmission options, including a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). On the other hand, the Nexon EV has received an updated lightweight electric motor, resulting in an improved driving range of up to 465km.

Citroen C3 Aircross

Price Range: Rs 9.99 lakh to Rs 12.10 lakh

Following the release of the Honda Elevate, another newcomer in the compact SUV segment is the Citroen C3 Aircross. What sets the C3 Aircross apart from other compact SUVs in the segment is the choice of 5-seater and 7-seater (with removable third-row seats) configurations.

The C3 Aircross draws inspiration from its hatchback sibling, the Citroen C3, both in terms of its interior and exterior design. This compact SUV utilises the same 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine as the C3 and is only offered with a 6-speed manual transmission.

Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV

Price: Rs 1.39 Crore

Mercedes-Benz brought its new all-electric offering, the EQE to India. It’s the third EV in the German automaker’s current India lineup. The EQE electric SUV is only offered in a single fully loaded all-wheel drive (AWD) variant, which promises a WLTP-claimed range of up to 550km.

The luxury automaker is offering the EQE with a 10-year battery warranty, which is the highest warranty period offered on an electric vehicle by any manufacturer.

BMW iX1

Price: 66.90 lakh

Another premium electric SUV that was launched in India this month is the BMW iX1. It’s the all-electric version of the BMW X1 ICE (internal combustion engine) SUV. The iX1 is the fourth BMW EV in India along with the iX, i7 and i4. 

The India-spec BMW iX1 is only offered in a single fully loaded all-wheel- drive variant, with a WLTP- claimed driving range of up to 440km.

Special Edition & New Variants

• Renault Urban Night Editions: All three Renault models – Kwid, Kiger, and Triber – got a limited-run 'Urban Night' edition. With this special edition, all three cars feature a new Stealth Black exterior shade. Additionally, the Kiger and Triber are equipped with a Smartview monitor that serves as both an inside rear-view mirror and a dual dashcam. However, only 300 units of each of these special edition models will be sold. Customers will need to pay an additional Rs 6,999 for the Kwid's special edition and Rs 14,999 for the special edition versions of the Triber and Kiger.

• Skoda Slavia & Kushaq New Variants: To provide customers with a more cost-effective option this festive season, Skoda has introduced new mid-spec variants: Ambition Plus for the Slavia and Onyx Plus for the Kushaq. These new variants feature minor cosmetic enhancements compared to their corresponding lower variants, with the Slavia also receiving a dashcam. The Slavia Ambition Plus is priced between Rs 12.49 lakh and Rs 13.79 lakh, while the Kushaq's Onyx Plus variant is available at Rs 11.59 lakh.

• Hyundai Venue Gets ADAS:  The Hyundai Venue is the first subcompact SUV in the segment to feature advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). This feature is limited to the SX and SX(O) variants of the Venue, starting from Rs 12.44 lakh, and the top-spec N8 variant of the Venue N Line, priced from Rs 12.96 lakh. Please note that the ADAS kit on the Venue adheres to Level 1 technology.

• MG Astor Black Storm Edition: The MG Astor has joined the all-black with the Black Storm edition. It gets an all-black treatment inside and out along with some red inserts. This edition of the Astor is based on its Smart variant, which is priced from Rs 14.48 lakh to Rs 15.77 lakh.

• 2023 Kia Seltos New ADAS Variants: The 2023 Kia Seltos now gets two more affordable ADAS-equipped variants,  GTX+ (S) and X-Line (S), with prices ranging from Rs 19.40 lakh to Rs 19.60 lakh. Kia reports that 77 percent of total bookings are for higher variants of the Seltos, and within that, 47 percent of the bookings are for ADAS-equipped models.

• BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe M Performance Edition: BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe gets a M Performance edition this festive season. It comes in Black Sapphire metallic paint option, with cerium grey inserts. This special edition is only limited to the turbo-petrol engine option of the entry-level BMW sedan. Customers will have to shell Rs 50,000 extra for this special edition of the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.

• Audi Q8 & Audi Q5 Limited Editions: Joining the lineup of special edition models, Audi has introduced a limited edition version of the Q5 and Q8 luxury SUVs. The former is priced at Rs 69.72 lakh, while the latter costs Rs 1.18 crore. The special edition of the Q5 is based on its 'Technology' variant which is available in a Mythos Black exterior shade. The Q8 special edition, on the other hand, comes in three exterior shades: Mythos Black, Glacier White and Daytona Gray.

• Jeep Compass New Variants: Jeep Compass and Jeep Meridian have also joined the list of special editions, with the Black Shark and Overland editions, respectively. Jeep is now also offering the Compass 4X2 with the automatic transmission, exclusively for India. The Compass MT now starts at Rs 20.49 lakh, while its automatic variant is now priced from Rs 23.99 lakh, almost Rs 6 lakh less than the previous entry-level automatic variant of the Compass. 

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