In the past week, the ICOTY 2026 winners were officially announced with major wins across the main, premium, and green car categories. Nissan revealed the name of its upcoming MPV for India, while MG finally launched the Hector facelift with a lower starting price. Mahindra opened pre-bookings for the XUV 7XO, and Tata made headlines after the new Sierra recorded over 70,000 bookings within 24 hours.
ICOTY 2026 Results Announced
The ICOTY 2026 winners have been officially announced, bringing clarity to one of the most anticipated automotive awards of the year. In the main category, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris emerged as the Indian Car of the Year 2026, while the Skoda Kylaq secured the position of first runner-up. In the Premium Car category, the Volkswagen Golf GTI took top honours, with the Toyota Camry finishing as the runner-up. Meanwhile, the Green Car of the Year award went to Mahindra’s XEV 9e, followed closely by the Clavis EV as the first runner-up.
Nissan Gravite Name Revealed Ahead of 2026 Launch
Nissan has officially revealed the name of its upcoming MPV for the Indian market, and it will be called the Gravite. Scheduled to be launched in early 2026, the Gravite will become Nissan India’s third model, joining the Magnite and the X-Trail. The MPV is expected to play a key role in the brand’s resurgence strategy, catering to the demand for affordable people movers in the country.
MG Hector Facelift Launched in India
JSW MG Motor India launched the facelifted Hector in the country, with introductory prices starting from Rs. 11.99 lakh, ex-showroom. Notably, this base price is around Rs. 2 lakh lower than the outgoing version. Bookings for the updated Hector have commenced, while details related to the diesel variant will be announced in the coming months.
Mahindra XUV 7XO Pre-Bookings Open
Mahindra has opened pre-bookings for the upcoming XUV 7XO at Rs. 21,000 ahead of its official launch scheduled for 6 January, 2026. Essentially a mid-lifecycle update of the XUV700, the 7XO is expected to draw design inspiration from the recently launched XEV 9S, its electric counterpart. The refreshed SUV is likely to new lightings, fresh dual-tone alloy wheels, and redesigned tail lamps along with new exterior colour options.
Inside, the Mahindra XUV 7XO is expected to receive a refreshed cabin layout with a triple-screen setup and new upholstery themes along with feature additions.
Tata Sierra Registers 70,000 Bookings on Day One
The new Tata Sierra has made an impressive comeback, securing over 70,000 confirmed bookings within the first 24 hours of opening order books. Additionally, Tata Motors revealed that close to 1.35 lakh potential customers have already submitted their preferred configurations and are in the process of completing their bookings. Deliveries of the Sierra are slated to begin from 15 January, while prices for the SUV start from Rs. 11.49 lakh, ex-showroom.
