Compact SUV is one of the new-generation segments in the Indian market that saw many newcomers in 2015. The Ford EcoSport opened the segment a couple of years ago, and found success. In 2015, Mahindra launched the TUV300, which became successful in terms of sales. For 2016, there are close to half-a-dozen compact SUVs in the pipeline.
Mahindra KUV100
Mahindra & Mahindra will launch the KUV100 compact SUV on 15 January, 2016. Mahindra KUV100 is built on an all-new platform. The compact SUV will be powered by an all-new range of petrol and diesel engines named the mFalcon. The mFalcon 1.2-litre G80 petrol engine will develop 82bhp at 5,500rpm and 114Nm of torque at 3,500-3,600rpm.The mFalcon CRDe 1.2-litre diesel engine will develop 77bhp at 3,750rpm and 190Nm of torque at 1,750-2250rpm. Both engines will come mated to a manual gearbox and there are no plans to introduce the AMT gearbox at present. The KUV100 is expected to be priced Rs 4 lakh and upwards.
Maruti Suzuki YBA/iV-4/Vitara Brezza
Maruti Suzuki's YBA compact SUV, probably one of the most-talked-about cars among auto enthusiasts in the country, is just a few months away from launch in India. Likely to cost between Rs 5.5 lakh and Rs 8.2 lakh, YBA is expected to make its India debut at the Auto Expo 2016. The engine line-up of the YBA SUV is expected to include the 1.2-litre K-Series engine and 1.3-litre Fiat-sourced diesel engine. The YBA SUV is speculated to have a five-speed manual transmission and could also get Maruti's latest SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle System) technology.
Tata Nexon (Osprey)
Tata Motors is expected to bring its Nexon compact SUV to the Indian market in late 2016. The company has already begun testing the model on Indian roads. Tata Nexon, codenamed Osprey, is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 6-10 lakh. To be pitted against Ford EcoSport and Mahindra TUV300 in India, the seven-seater compact SUV is also rumoured to get 1.2-litre petrol Revotron engine and the 1.3-litre Multijet engine that also do duty in Bolt and Zest.
Honda BR-V
The Honda BR-V compact SUV, slated for an April 2016 launch in India, claims a class-leading spacious and comfortable cabin with additional knee room and head room. BR-V comes with seven seats in three rows, and equipped with rear-passenger air vents between front and second-row seats. BR-V is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder 16-valve i-VTEC petrol engine that delivers 117bhp at 6,000 rpm and maximum torque of 145Nm at 4,700 rpm, mated to a six-speed manual transmission. A new continuously variable transmission (CVT) variant is also available. When the SUV makes it to India, a diesel engine option can also be expected. This engine is likely to be the 1.5-litre i-DTEC engine that is employed in most diesel cars offered by Honda in India. Price expected is Rs 5.5-8 lakh.
Mahindra Quanto facelift (Canto)
After a lacklustre start, Mahindra is planning to give a new lease of life to the Quanto. The Quanto facelift with the rumoured name Canto has been testing on Indian roads for quite some time now. The compact SUV is expected to get a newly styled front fascia with tweaked grille and bumper. The new avatar of the Quanto facelift is also expected to get new alloys. Under the hood, the new Quanto facelift is expected to get the same 1.5-litre three-cylinder diesel engine that can pump in 100bhp at 3,750rpm and 240Nm of torque at 1,600-2,800rpm. Price expected: Rs 5-8 lakh.
