Top Cars Coming To India In 2020: New Models, Facelifts And Electric Cars

Year 2019 saw many notable changes in the Indian automobile industry. Several launches within the year showcased how the auto makers are gearing up for the BS-VI emission norms as well as the ongoing electric vehicle revolution in the country. Meanwhile, new entrees were also seen in the market with impressive products which topped the sales chart for months to come.

As the year 2020 starts, this evolution is expected to continue with a host of electric cars on the lineup alongside the BS-VI compliant variants of many existing as well as new vehicles. Here is a list of exciting cars ready to hit the Indian automobile market this year and what can be expected of them.

New Models

Hyundai Aura

Hyundai Aura (Image: Hyundai India)

One of the most anticipated launches in this list, the compact sedan from the house of Hyundai will come as a successor to the company¡¯s Xcent. Notably, this will also be one of the first cars to hit the Indian markets this year, with its launch scheduled for January 21.

Judging from the car¡¯s unveil back in December last year, Hyundai Aura has been seen to borrow its looks from the Grand i10 Nios, complete with boomerang-shaped LED DRLs and Hyundai¡¯s iconic cascading grille at the front.

As for the performance, the Aura will come with three BS6-compliant engines, with one of them being a turbo-petrol unit that is currently also seen on the Hyundai Venue. Interestingly, the 1.2-litre petrol engine will also come with a factory-fit CNG variant. Check out all you need to know about the Hyundai Aura here.

Tata Altroz

Tata Altroz (Image: Tata Motors)

Right after the launch of Hyundai¡¯s Aura, Tata Motors will be bringing a new premium hatchback - Tata Altroz on January 22. Set to take on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Baleno upon its launch, the Altroz will sport the Tata Motors¡¯ Impact 2.0 design language that will see the likes of projector headlamps, LED DRLs, split tail lamps, piano black ORVM and much more.

For now, the company will be introducing two engine options on the Altroz, both with 5-speed manual transmission. An option for automatic transmission is expected to hit the markets at a later point, as is an electric iteration of the Altroz.

Maruti Suzuki XL5

Maruti Suzuki XL5

Maruti Suzuki has been spotted testing a new hatchback in the country which is expected to be launched in the starting months of the year. The XL5, as it is named for now, will likely come as a premium version of Maruti Suzuki WagonR and will be sold through the company¡¯s Nexa dealerships.

Expect all the bells and whistles of the XL6 on this one too. On the outside, this would mean LED head lamps, tail lamps, a bigger body cladding than the WagonR as well as bigger wheels which have been picked up from the Ignis.

As for its power, the XL5 is expected to come with two engine options which will likely be the same ones as those on the WagonR. In addition, the car is expected to come with better safety features including more air bags, ABS and EBD.

Tata Gravitas

Tata Gravitas (Image: Cardekho)

Tata Motor unveiled its 7-seater SUV named ¡®Buzzard¡¯ at the Geneva Motor Show last year. The company will be bringing the same model to India under the name ¡®Gravitas¡¯. As a bigger alternative to the Tata Harrier, the Gravitas is expected to mark its debut in the country during the Auto Expo 2020.

Tata Gravitas is expected to come with 2.0-litre diesel engine with BS6 compliance. Naturally, the SUV is longer and taller than the standard Harrier but is based on the same design language. Slight changes will include a redesigned bumper as well as rear end.

Facelifts

New-Generation 2020 Honda City

2020 Honda City (Image: Honda)

With its fifth-generation model having been unveiled in Thailand last year, Honda will bring the new-gen City to India in 2020. This time, the company has gone for a more angular and sharper look on the renowned sedan and has equipped it with all the latest features seen on most of the Honda models, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support.

As for its performance, the new Honda City revealed in Thailand gets a new 1.0-litre turbocharged engine with 120 bhp power and 173 Nm of peak torque. It is yet unsure if the Indian-spec model will carry the same engine, though the seven-step CVT gearbox might make its way to India.

Honda is expected to showcase the new-gen City at the Auto Expo this year. If it does, the sedan will likely go up for sale shortly afterwards.

New-Generation Hyundai Creta

2020 Hyundai Creta/ Hyundai ix25 (Image: Indian Autos Blog)

The big unveil for Hyundai at the 2020 Auto Expo, 2020 Hyundai Creta will be the second generation of the SUV in India. This time, Hyundai will have to compete with a couple of solid entries in the segment with the Creta, namely Kia Seltos and MG Hector. So we can expect the South Korean auto maker to put its best foot forward.

Since the 2020 Creta has already been unveiled in China, we have a pretty good idea of how the SUV looks and what it has on offer. Sporting the company¡¯s signature design as seen on the Venue and the Kona. Notably, the SUV will come with a larger wheelbase this time which can eventually evolve to a seven-seater model later in the year.

2020 Hyundai Creta will be powered by a range of BS-VI compliant engines and will have both manual and the automatic transmissions on offer.

2020 Mahindra Thar

2020 Mahindra Thar spy shots (Image: Automobile Enthusiast)

After a decade-long run in the Indian market, Mahindra Thar will see a refreshed version hitting the Indian market this year. The homegrown auto maker has already been spotted testing the new-gen Thar on the Indian roads and is likely to launch the variant this year with updates on its looks as well as engine.

From what is known so far, the 2020 Mahindra Thar will come with a BS-VI compliant 2.0-litre engine option as well as independent suspension at the front. As for its design, not much is known as only camouflaged images of the new Thar have been spotted so far.

Electric

Tata Nexon EV

Tata Nexon EV (Image: Tata Motors)

The most anticipated electric car of the year, the Nexon EV was unveiled by Tata Motors in December last year and is poised to come as the country¡¯s most affordable electric SUV once it is in the market.

Tata Motors has used a new design on the Nexon EV that might also make its way to the 2020 Nexon. Some exclusive highlights in blue around the car will help differentiate the EV version from the IC engine counterpart. In addition, there will be a unique Electric Teal colour option for the Nexon EV.

As for its powertrain, the Nexon EV is powered by 95 kW (129 hp) electric motor that produces 245 Nm of torque and is backed by a 30.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. With this, Tata Motors claims that the Nexon EV can reach up to 60 kmph in 4.6 seconds and a speed of 100 kmph in 9.9 seconds.

Couple that with a promised range of over 300 km on a single charge and the Nexon EV becomes a promising EV prospect at an expected price of around Rs 15 lakh upon its launch.

MG ZS EV

MG SUV

On the premium end, MG Motor will be launching its global electric SUV - MG ZS EV in India. The electric SUV has already been showcased in the country in December and since then, the ZS EV has received encouraging feedback.

The electric iteration of the MG ZS also claims impressive numbers to back that. An electric drivetrain with 143 PS power enough for an acceleration of 0 to 100 in 8.5 seconds and a 44.5 kW battery with a range of 340 km backing it up.

In addition, MG Motor has made big promises on setting up an EV charging network for the ZS EV buyers. So as and when the company launches its electric SUV in the market, the ZS EV will likely impact the overall ownership of electric cars in India.