Top 5 upcoming cars and SUVs under INR 10 lakh - IAB picks

Amidst the slowdown in the automobile industry, various manufacturers are still trying hard to thrive in the competitive market with the latest and best of the offerings from their stable. A number of these models will be budget models that will be priced from under 10 lakh (ex-showroom). Here are the top 5 upcoming cars and SUVs that will have a starting price of under 10 lakh (ex-showroom):-

1. 2020 Hyundai i20

To be officially unveiled at Geneva Motor Show 2020, the 2020 Hyundai i20 has already been officially revealed. This is the third generation of the South Korean premium hatchback. It will be launched in India in June.

With an all-new design which looks much sharper than that of the outgoing model. At the front, it features an angular trapezoidal grille flanked by upswept full LED headlamps and a more pronounced bumper.

The profile of the Hyundai i20 has been heavily revised with bigger, 17-inch alloys, new rearview mirrors, new character lines and angular C-pillar design. At the rear, the Euro-styled supermini sports an all-new look with Z-shaped tail lamps which are adjoined by a long light strip on tailgate.

The cabin too is set to get a major revamp and will have a 10.25-inch fully digital instrument cluster and a bigger, 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Also on offer will be a variety of connected car services.

While the all-new i20 will share the BS6 compliant 1.2-litre 83 PS petrol and 1.5-litre 90 PS diesel engines with the Venue, it might also get the 1.0-litre 100 PS turbocharged petrol from the recently launched Aura and the i10 Nios.

2. 2020 Hyundai Verna

After the mega launches of all-new Creta and i20, Hyundai will also bring the facelifted Verna, which it launched in Russia today.

The new Hyundai Verna has significant changes to the exterior, especially at the front, with the grille becoming wider in appearance along with bigger headlamps featuring full LED lighting this time. Also, the front bumper has been heavily revised with new triangular inserts for fog lamps as seen in the Elantra.

The sides of the new Hyundai Verna remains more or less unchanged, with new alloy wheels giving a freshened appeal to the sedan. The rear too gets mild updates to the tail lamps, with new LED inserts, as well as new faux diffusers for the rear bumper.

The interior of the new Hyundai Verna retains the same cabin design with mild changes to the centre console to house the new free mounted touchscreen infotainment system and new air vents. Along with the features from the current model, the new Verma will also feature Hyundai’s Bluelink telematics technology.

ArrayPowering the new Hyundai Verna will be a new set of 1.5-litre 115 PS petrol and diesel engines, which will be shared with the Kia Seltos in more or less the same configuration.

3. Renault HBC

Riding high on the success of Triber MPV and Kwid, Renault is all geared up to come up with its next India-specific model, an all-new sub-four metre SUV. Codenamed as Renault HBC, this new SUV will be positioned below the Duster and be based on the same CMF-A+ platform as the Triber.

While there are no official details on the styling of the Renault HBC, the SUV is expected to have an upright stance with a muscular design inspired by both the Triber as well as Duster. The new small SUV, as expected, will measure under four metres, with features like projector headlamps, daytime running LEDs and machined alloy wheels to make their way here as well.

The interior of the Renault HBC to is expected to be inspired by that of its inspiration from the Triber, with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, push-button start with keyless entry and push-button start to make the cabin feel vibrant and youthful.

Under the hood of the Renault HBC will be a new 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine which makes 100 PS of power and 160 Nm of torque. A 6-speed MT is a given, while a CVT could be optional.

4. Kia Sonet

After garnering much fanfare at the Auto Expo 2020 in its concept avatar, the Kia Sonet will arrive in the second half of 2020. The Sonet will mark Kia’s entry in the super-competitive segment of sub-four metre compact SUVs.

The Kia Sonet will have a compact but muscular stance, a new version of the signature tigernose grille flanked by full LED headlamps. The front bumper looks aggressive with faux vents placed on either side and premium-looking silver inserts in the middle.

The Kia Sonet looks upright and simple when viewed from the sides, with the production version expected to get machined alloy wheels and roof rails to enhance its premium appeal. At the rear, the Sonet is expected to retain the elongated tail light cluster running across its width as well as wraparound windshield. While not many details are available about its interiors, the Kia Sonet is expected to have a segment-best list of features.

The Kia Sonet will likely borrow the 120 PS 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol and 90 PS 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel engines from the Hyundai Venue, with the former expected to get an optional AMT transmission apart from the standard 6-speed manual transmissions in both variants.

5. Nissan small SUV

After a lethargic performance in the recent years, Nissan will try to bounce back with its first stint in the sub-four metre SUV. Nissan has already teased a couple of official images of the exterior of this new SUV and has confirmed that it will arrive in the second half of 2020.

Going by the teaser, it is safe to say that the new Nissan small SUV will have a contemporary design with an upright stance. The teaser images show that the new Nissan small SUV will have boomerang-shaped headlamps, muscular wheel arches and a blackened C-pillar giving the Kicks a floating roof effect. The tail lamps too get a distinctive design with attractive-looking LED inserts.

The new Nissan small SUV will be built on the same CMF-A+ platform as that of Renault’s upcoming HBC sub-compact SUV, along with the 100 PS 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine coupled to a 6-speed manual transmission as standard.