In the first quarter of financial year 2022-23, car manufacturers will introduce a wide range of new cars and facelifts of existing models. In this article, we bring you a list of top 7 all-new cars and SUVs to be launched in the next 3 months –
1. Volkswagen Virtus
German automaker, Volkswagen will launch the much-awaited Virtus sedan in May 2022. Interested buyers can book the new Virtus online or at authorised dealership. The company has also started production of the new sedan at its manufacturing facility in Aurangabad. It will rival the likes of the Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Maruti Suzuki and the newly launched Skoda Slavia.
The new VW Virtus shares the engine options, platform and components with the Slavia sedan. It is based on the MQB AO In platform that underpins the Kushaq. The sedan will be offered with two engine options – a 115bhp, 1.0L 3-cylinder turbo petrol and a 148bhp, 1.5L 4-cylinder turbo petrol. Transmission choices will include a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed torque convertor automatic and a 7-speed DSG automatic.
2. Honda City e:HEV
Honda will unveil the new City e:HEV hybrid sedan in the India market on April 14, 2022. The sedan is expected to be launched in May 2022. Select dealers have already started taking pre-orders for the sedan. The new City hybrid will come with Honda’s i-MMD hybrid technology featuring two electric motors and a 1.5L 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated Atkinson Cycle petrol engine.
The petrol engine produces 98bhp of power and 127Nm of torque. The electric motors work as an integrated starter generator (ISG) and offers power worth 109bhp and 253Nm of torque. The sedan will have 3 drive modes – Pure EV, petrol mode and hybrid. Similar to the Thai-spec Honda City Hybrid, the India-spec version is likely to offer fuel economy of over 27kmpl.
3. BMW i4
British luxury carmaker, BMW will unveil the new i4 pure electric sedan in the country on April 28. The electric sedan is expected to be launched in May 2022. The new BMW i4 EV is based on the 3 Series CLAR platform. The EV sedan looks largely identical to the 4 Series Gran Coupe; however, it gets some EV specific touches.
In the international markets, the BMW i4 is offered in two variants – eDrive40 and M50 xDrive – featuring a floor-mounted lithium-ion battery pack having a gross energy capacity of 83.9kWh and a net capacity of 80.7kWh. It is expected that India will get the base-spec xDrive 40 variant, which has a rear axle-mounted electric motor producing 340bhp and 430Nm. It is claimed to achieve 0-100kmph acceleration in 5.7 seconds. This variant has a claimed range of 590km, which is also the highest in the country.
4. Jeep Meridian
The long-awaited Jeep Meridian 3-row SUV will be launched in the Indian market in May or June 2022. Interested buyers can pre-book the SUV at a token amount of Rs 50,000. The new Meridian 7-seater SUV is based on the Small Wide 4×4 platform that underpins the Compass. This platform has been modified to accommodate a longer wheelbase. The SUV is expected to be priced aggressively and we expect the Meridian to cost somewhere between Rs 33 lakh and Rs 40 lakh.
It measures 4,769mm in length, 1,859mm in width and 1,682mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,794mm. The wheelbase has been increased by 158mm to accommodate a longer body. Compared to the Compass, the new Jeep Meridian is around 364mm longer, 41mm wider and 42mm taller. Powering the new Meridian is a 2.0-litre Multijet II diesel engine that produces 173bhp and 350Nm of torque.
It is claimed to offer a top speed of 198kmph and 0-100kmph acceleration in 10.8 seconds. Transmission choices could include a 6-speed manual and a 9-speed automatic. While the manual version will get 4×2 drivetrain system, the automatic SUV will come with both 4×2 and 4×4 setup. The SUV offers 4 driving modes – Sand, Snow, Auto & Mud.
5. Citroen C3
French automaker, Citroen will launch the much-awaited C3 hatchback in the Indian market by May-June 2022. The new Citroen C3 is based on the Stellantis CMP (Common Modular Platform), which will also underpin the future Citroen cars. Measuring 3.98 meters in length, the new C3 is a hatchback with crossover design. It comes with raised bonnet and high ground clearance. Its overall width and height stand at 1829mm and 1474mm respectively. The hatch sits on a 2539mm long wheelbase.
The Citroen C3 will rival the likes of the Tata Punch, Maruti Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios and others in the category. The new model is likely to be equipped with a 1.2L turbocharged petrol engine and the 5-speed manual and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox options. No diesel engine will be on offer.
6. New Mahindra Scorpio
Mahindra will introduce the new gen Scorpio SUV by June 2022. It is expected that Mahindra could unveil the new Scorpio in June, as the Scorpio nameplate will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in June 2022. The new model could be the new gen Scorpio that has been spotted testing several times on the Indian roads.
The new Mahindra Scorpio will be based on the ladder-on-frame chassis that underpins the new Thar. It will grow in size and will offer forward facing third row of seats. The SUV will be offered in 6 and 7-seat options with former having captain seats in the second row. It is expected to be offered with two engine options – a 2.0L turbocharged petrol and a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel. Transmission choices are likely to include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque convertor automatic. The higher variants will also receive a 4×4 drivetrain along with terrain modes & drive modes.
7. New Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that the new C-Class sedan will be launched in the country in 2022. If reports are to be believed, the new Mercedes C-Class will be launched in mid-2021 – around May. Already on sale in select international markets, the new C-Class is rides on 25mm longer wheelbase and is 65mm longer than the outgoing model. The company is likely to come with a 48V mild hybrid tech.
