The SUV market has boomed in recent years with the advent of smaller sub-4 metre crossovers. These cars provide the road presence of an SUV despite a compact footprint which helps in congested Indian roads, that too at an affordable price tag. Today there is a subcompact SUV/crossover offering from almost every mass-market carmaker in India.
Let us look at the upcoming subcompact SUVs/crossovers to launch next year.
Kia Sonet facelift
The 2024 Kia Sonet face is expected to break cover in December. This will be the first major update for the subcompact SUV, ever since it was first launched in August 2020. The facelifted model will receive tweaked exteriors starting from the front fascia that will receive a reworked front grill, new headlight layout and redesigned daytime running lights and fog lamps.
Mahindra XUV300 facelift
Ever since it was first launched in 2018, the XUV300 hasn’t received any major upgrade other than minor styling tweaks, feature additions and introduction of the more powerful XUV300 Sport. The Chakan-based will soon introduce a mid-cycle facelift to XUV300 whose test units have been spotted on multiple occasions in recent months.
We are not yet sure about the exact upgrades or launch timeline of the facelifted XUV300 but spy images suggest that the new XUV300 will receive a revamped exterior design. Also, the AMT gearbox might be replaced with a proper torque converter unit in the lineup.
Tata Punch EV
Tata Motors revealed that the company is working on a fully-electric derivative of Punch during the launch of its ICE version back in 2021. However, there has been no launch yet despite the prototypes of the electric SUV spotted on several occasions on Indian roads over the past couple of years. We are hopeful that the homegrown brand will launch the Punch EV in the next few months.
Based on the brand’s Gen 2 Sigma architecture, which is a more electric-friendly version of the Alfa platform, it will be Tata’s fourth electric car after the Tiago EV, Tigor EV and Nexon EV. Expect Punch EV to come with a battery capacity of 30kWh which should offer a range of 300 km on a single charge.
Toyota Taisor
Toyota will be re-entering the sub-4 metre SUV segment with a new crossover named Taisor. It will essentially be another rebadged model from Maruti Suzuki, this time based on the Fronx, which itself is derived from Baleno. Since Toyota already retails the rebadged Baleno in the form of Glanza, adding a rebranded Fronx makes sense. It will carry the same specs and features as the Fronx as well as most of its visual elements barring its logo and badges.
Honda subcompact SUV
There are talks about Honda working on expanding its SUV lineup in India with a new subcompact SUV. The Japanese auto giant hasn’t had a smooth sail off late due to lack of SUVs in its portfolio. After the launch of Creta-rivalling Elevate a couple of months ago, Honda is looking to launch a sub-4 metre SUV.
While we don’t have any specific details regarding this upcoming SUV, Honda could launch the new-gen WR-V which made its debut in Indonesia last year. The older WR-V didn’t make any significant impact in the Indian market due to its crossover-ish design, the new-gen WR-V looks more SUV-ish with its boxy profile. Moreover, it is based on the same platform as Amaze which is locally produced in India which makes it a good choice.