Upcoming Utility Vehicle Launches in 2013

Previously, we brought to you a list of the most awaited diesel cars to be launched in 2013 because we know exactly how diesel crazy India is given the current trend in petrol prices. But there is one other thing us Indian's are equally crazy about; and that is Utility Vehicles (UVs). So CarDekho brings to you the lowdown on the six most popular UVs to be launched in the year 2013 and what is expected of them. 

Ford EcoSport

The Ford EcoSport has been generating quite a bit of hype as one of the most popular upcoming cars. At the moment, expectations are that the Ford EcoSport will eat into the sales volumes of Renault Duster and give it a run for its money. The EcoSport will come with 3 engine options; the famed 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine and a 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engine. The 1.5-litre petrol engine is expected to be hooked to an automatic transmission. As far as mileage goes, we have no concrete details as yet, but the expected Ford EcoSport petrol mileage is in the proximity of 20kmpl. As far as the diesel version of the EcoSport goes, from what we can tell , Ford seems to be holding back the diesel version launch till after the petrol version in order to generate an appropriate amount of publicity before its release.

Hyundai Tucson

The Hyundai Tucson is still a relatively unknown vehicle in the Hyundai line-up. That is not surprising considering Hyundai released the car back in 2005 and then had to withdraw it from the market due to lack of sales and public interest. However, it seems Hyundai is all set to try the Tucson in the Indian market once again. Unfortunately, there is little information about the kind of changes Hyundai plans to introduce in the new Tucson. What we do know, is that the facelift will feature 17” alloy wheels,  reversing sensors, Bluetooth connectivity, leather wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, Eco Drive indicator, heated front and rear seats, ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), 6 airbags and a panoramic sunroof. Also, we expect the Tucson SUV to come with a price tag of Rs. 16-20 lakh. Expectations put the 2013 Tucson launch in the first quarter of the year 2013.

Mercedes-Benz GL

The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is another SUV that is eagerly awaited in the luxury SUV segment. Mercedes-Benz India has cleverly revealed the specifications of the car before its expected production initiation in January, 2013. The GL SUV will house a 3.0-litre diesel heart which can generate 258bhp and 620Nm of peak torque. New comfort and safety features include Crosswind Assist, which works with the ESP® sensor system to automatically intervene by braking to keep the car on course after a strong gust of crosswind. In addition, Collision Prevention Assist, which gives the driver a visual and acoustic warning if the set safety distance from the vehicle ahead or station obstacle narrows, is also available for the first time on the GL-Class. 

SsangYong Korando

The SsanggYong Korando was previously speculated to hit the Indian market by the end of 2012 but it has become apparent that this is not the case. Parent company Mahindra and Mahindra recently launched the SsangYong Rexton, pushing back plans for the Korando. However, now with the Rexton past its launch, we expect M&M will have started focusing on launching the Korando. The company has been careful not to give out any dates but we estimate the launch to take place in the second half of 2013. The Korando houses a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine that is capable of churning out a peak power of 147bhp and a peak torque of 360 Nm; the transmission system supported by the engine is 6-speed manual. We expect the car to be priced in the range of Rs. 15-18 lakh.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Fiat owned subsidy, Jeep is possibly the oldest UV maker in the world. And Fiat plans to bring it back to India by the last quarter of 2013. The Grand Cherokee will feature a 3.0-litre, V6 configuration engine that is internationally available in 2 states of tune; one generating 188bhp while the other generates 237bhp. We expect the SUV to be priced somewhere in the proximity of Rs. 54-50 lakh. Of course, this price could come down considerably if Fiat India decided to bring in the Grand Cherokee via the CKD route instead of the CBU route.

Ford Endeavour

Ford India had originally planned the Endeavour launch for mid-2012 but was delayed. This pushed back the plans for the SUV launch and the car is now expected to come out after Ford is taken care of the EcoSport launch. Engine options for the new Endeavour include a 2.2-litre diesel mill that will replace the current 2.5-litre engine and a 3.2-litre engine that will replace the 3.0-litre one. These new engine options will churn out 148bhp and 474bhp respectively. Expectations peg the Endeavour price at Rs. 22-25 lakh.