The month of July was flooded with new cars ranging from the budget end to a couple of new SUVs and an electric SUV in the luxury segment that will be assembled locally. Now moving into August, it also packs in some exciting launches and unveils in the coming weeks. However, before that, let’s take a quick look at all the new cars that were launched and unveiled in India in July 2022.
Last month started with the unveiling of Toyota’s newest hybrid SUV, the Urban Cruiser Hyryder. Positioned in the mid-size SUV segment, the Hyryder boasts mild and strong hybrid powertrains and is equipped with features like a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, a heads-up display, a 360-degree camera, and more. The bookings for the SUV are underway and production will commence at Toyota’s plant this month. When launched in the coming weeks, we expect it to be priced between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 16 lakh.
Tata Motors updated the feature list of the standard Nexon EV. It now includes several useful features like multiple re-gen modes, cruise control, indirect tyre pressure monitoring system, smartwatch connectivity, and a charging timeout of 110 seconds. With the revision, the Indian carmaker has also renamed the electric SUV to ‘Nexon EV Prime’. All existing Tata Nexon EV owners can have their EVs updated at any authorised Tata service centre without any charge.
2022 Audi A8L
At the luxury end, Audi’s flagship luxury sedan, the A8L received its mid-cycle facelift. It’s now available with a larger chrome-studded front grille, a new five-spoke alloy wheel design, and new graphics for the LED head and tail lamps. The interior, too, is festooned with rear entertainment screens, a relaxation package, and new leather upholstery. The new Audi A8L is available in Celebration and Technology variants with prices starting at Rs 1.29 crore.
Hyundai India pulled the covers off the new generation Tucson last month. With prices slated to be announced on 4 August, the Tucson adopts the brand’s new ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language which translates to new exterior styling and a thoroughly revamped cabin. The new Tucson is being offered in Platinum and Signature variants in both 2.0-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel powertrains. While the gasoline version is paired to a six-speed automatic transmission, the oil-burner is mated to an eight-speed automatic and gets an all-wheel-drive configuration.
2022 Maruti Suzuki S-Presso
Maruti Suzuki launched the updated 2022 version of the new S-Presso hatchback last month. While the carmaker has kept the exterior styling of the S-Presso untouched, the highlight of the update is the inclusion of the K10C petrol engine. The motor puts out 66bhp and 89Nm of torque and now gets idle start/stop technology with an increased claimed fuel efficiency of up to 25.30kmpl. Additionally, the higher variants also benefit from new features like electrically-adjustable ORVMs, reverse parking sensors, and an electronic stability program with hill-hold assist for AMT versions.
Mahindra Scorpio-N Automatic and AWD variants
The Mahindra Scorpio-N has already been making ripples since its launch in June. In the previous month, the carmaker revealed the prices of the Automatic and 4WD variants of the SUV. With prices starting at Rs 15.45 lakh, the automatic versions cost Rs 1.96 lakh more than the manual counterparts. Meanwhile, one needs to shell out a premium of Rs 2.45 lakh for the 4WD variants. The Scorpio-N has already bagged one lakh bookings and Mahindra aims to deliver 20,000 units before the end of this year. The deliveries will commence on 26 September with the Z8L variant getting priority over the lower trims.
Citroen India stepped into the budget end of the segment with the launch of the C3. Available from Rs 5.71 lakh, the C3 is available in Live and Feel variants. The C3 gets typical family styling with a split headlamp setup, funky monotone and dual-tone paint schemes, personalisation packages, and a 1.2-litre petrol engine. Available in two states of tune, the petrol engine is offered only with manual gearboxes. Other highlights include a digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a height-adjustable driver seat, and more.
With a tempting and competitive price tag of Rs 55.90 lakh, the Volvo XC40 Recharge was finally launched in the country. Although a bit late, the Swedish carmaker has surprised us by bringing the newest iteration of the electric SUV. To compete against the likes of the Kia EV6, BMW i4, and the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 5, the XC40 Recharge packs in a 75kWh battery that pushes out 402bhp and 660Nm of peak torque. It claims an electric range of 418km and supports fast charging from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in 28 minutes when plugged into a 150kW DC fast charger.
(All prices, ex-showroom)
