Tata Harrier, Jan 2019 – Launched in the first month of 2019, Harrier has been a long time in the making. The idea on which Harrier is based, was born the day Tata Motors purchased Jaguar Land Rover, more than 10 years ago. The idea was – when will Tata launch a car which is based on Jaguar Land Rover platform. In Jan 2019, that day finally arrived. Harrier is the first Tata car which is based on Land Rover platform.
Nissan Kicks, Jan 2019 – Considering that the Indian customers gobble up compact crossovers faster than they could be manufactured, the Nissan Kicks should have been a massive hit. It has got the looks as well as equipment but unfortunately the Japanese brand couldn’t make it stick. Unlike the global version which is underpinned by the new Micra’s platform, the Indian version is based on the heavily localized Duster’s architecture. With prices ranging from INR 9.55 lakh to 13.69 lakh (ex-showroom), the Nissan Kicks is not exactly competitively priced. The stylish crossover was one of the first launches of 2019 but spent the entire year on the fringes. A late turnaround in 2020 is highly unlikely, especially considering that it’s primary rival, the Hyundai Creta, is set to enter second generation.
Maruti WagonR, Jan 2019 – The new WagonR also made its entry in Jan this year. This is the third generation WagonR that came in to replace the ageing model. Based on the Heartect platform, the new WagonR has gone on to be the best selling vehicle in its segment. The WagonR is launched with 1.0 liter and 1.2 liter engines of which the 1.0 liter, 3 cylinder engine has been recently upgraded to comply with new BS6 emission standards. The 1.2 liter engine complied with these new BS6 norms earlier this year itself.
Mahindra XUV300, Feb 2019 – Mahindra XUV300 has been a long time in the making. Just like Tata using Land Rover platform to give us Harrier – Mahindra has used SsangYong platform to give us XUV300. Internationally, the new SsangYong Tivoli is about 4.2 meters, but was made under 4 meters for India and launched as the XUV300. Thanks to this, XUV300 is the widest car in the segment, with the longest wheelbase. This has resulted in better driving dynamics and large space in cabin. Sales were decent initially, but declined post launch of Hyundai Venue.
Hyundai Venue, May 2019 – Launched in India on 21st May 2019, the Venue SUV has amassed over 75,000 bookings and is all set to end this year to take this figure upto 1 lakh. Price between Rs.6.50 to 11.10 lakhs, the Venue SUV gets petrol and diesel engine options. Thanks to this, it has given a proper fight to long time segment leader Maruti Brezza – so much so that Venue even managed to become best selling car in segment for 2 consecutive months. Speaking about sales since launch, Venue is behind Brezza in sales by a few hundred units.
MG Hector, June 2019 – MG Motors is a British car brand, owned by the Chinese automotive giant SAIC Motor Corporation Limited. Thanks to their Chinese roots, the brand regularly undergoes a lot of criticism on social media. But when we sales figures, the brand has punched through all through criticism quite impressively. The demand was so high, that the company had to close bookings. Hector has become the best selling car in the segment. Post launch of Hector, sales of Harrier, Compass and XUV500 have declined. The biggest loser post launch of Hector is Tata Harrier. From registering sales of over 2,000 units before Hector launch, Harrier sales have now come down to 700 units a month range.
Hyundai Kona Electric, July 2019 – Another significant development is Hyundai jumping into the EV bandwagon with a top-down approach. The CBU import has a steep price tag of INR 25.5 lakh (ex-showroom). The compact crossover is equipped with a 100 kW (131 hp) PMSM motor which derives electricity from a 39.2 kWh battery pack. The Kona EV has a claimed range of 452 km. The zero-emission vehicle will serve as a brand shaper and a learning platform for Hyundai to come up with more affordable EVs for the Indian market.
Kia Seltos, Aug 2019 – Kia Motors marked its foray into the Indian automobile sector in August 2019 with the new Kia SUV. The company got off to a flying start with this new model with sales having crossed the 40,000 unit mark by end of November while the company has received over 90,000 bookings. This has made Kia Motors one of the top 5 manufacturers in India with a 5.33 percent market share with just a single model in its lineup. Seltos has been India’s best selling SUV for past 2 consecutive months. It registered sales of about 14k units, and exported over 3k units in Nov 2019.
Renault Triber, Aug 2019 – Renault finally launched a new car in India, after a long wait. It was 2017 when Renault launched their last new car in India, in the form of Captur. Unlike in the international market, where the company regularly launches new models every year, in India that is not the case. A sub 4 meter car, which comes with first in segment removable 3rd row, is essentially an MPV. Luckily for Renault, the Triber seems to have worked the trick. It has seen much demand in the country with Nov 2019 sales crossing 6k mark. Priced from Rs.4.95-6.53 lakhs, Renault will soon launch AMT variant to boost sales further.
Maruti S-Presso, Sep 2019 – Based on the Future S Concept which was showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo, Maruti S-Presso derives its name from Espresso coffee. It was one of the most awaited small cars to be launched in 2019. Sold by Maruti as a mini SUV, the car is well received in the country and has joined the top 10 best selling car list with over 10,000 units sold a month. The new S-Presso is based on the Heartect platform. It boasts of SUV like design and styling and comes in with a 1.0 liter petrol engine borrowed from the Alto K10. This engine is BS6 compliant and offers 67 bhp at 5,500 rpm and 90 Nm of peak torque at 3,500 rpm mated to a 5 speed manual gearbox as standard.
Tata Tigor Electric for private buyers, Oct 2019 – The Tata Tigor EV has been around for sometime, accessible exclusively to public sector and fleet operators. In October 2019, the automaker updated the compact sedan’s electric powertrain and made it available to the private buyers, making it Tata’s first EV on the market. It may not be a volume spinner as of now but it surely is a significant development in our fast evolving passenger car market.
The updated Tata Tigor EV is powered by the same 30 kW (41 hp) 3-phase 72 V AC induction motor which is now supported by a higher capacity (21.5 kWh) lithium-ion battery pack which improved the range by 71 km to 213 km. While eligible commercial operators enjoy a hefty subsidy for the Tigor EV under FAME-II scheme (starting price of INR 9.44 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi), private buyers have to shell out the full price (starting at INR 13.09 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi). Now that is a bit of a shame!
