The 5 most important cars at the Auto Expo 2016

While the Auto Expo 2016 was full of plenty of cars to see there weren’t many launches, instead cars were only revealed and new concepts were shown to the media and the public. Nonetheless it was still exciting to see what the future has in store for us, and while there were many cars to check out, we have decided to show you the 5 most important cars at the Auto Expo.

Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza

The Vitara Brezza was certainly the talk of the Expo and it looks like the car will hit our roads very soon. The Vitara Brezza is a compact SUV that will compete against the Ford EcoSport. However it must be said that the design is not as ‘SUVish’ as the EcoSport. The car will be powered by the 1.3 litre, MultiJet diesel engine developing 88bhp and 200Nm, and mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. It will also get a driver airbag as standard while a passenger airbag, ABS and EBD will be offered as options. The Vitara Brezza will go on sale in March 2016, with prices between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 10 lakh.

Volkswagen Ameo

This is the latest compact sedan from the German manufacturer and it also created quite a stir at the Expo. It also shows that VW is very serious about the Indian market. The Ameo is a sub-4m compact sedan, and is based on the Polo and Vento. The exterior design is similar to the Vento but obviously it is much smaller. Even the interior touch and feel is similar to the Vento, and even the engine options will be the same as the Polo. There will be a 1.2 litre, 3-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine and a 1.5 litre, 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine. Both engines will be mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, while the diesel will also have an optional seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. The Ameo will be launched in June 2016 with prices starting from Rs 5 lakhs.

Volkswagen Polo GTI

VW also showcased a very interesting car for the Indian market which will now be their halo product. The Polo GTI is the hot hatch from VW and it is quite simply the best driver’s car that was showcased for launch in India. The Polo GTI is a 3-door hot-hatch that is fitted with a 1.8-litre turbocharged engine that produces 192bhp and 250Nm. It is also a rear-wheel drive with a 7-speed DSG gearbox. The Polo GTI will be imported into the country as a CBU, which means it will attract higher duties, and so it will carry a price tag of somewhere above Rs 20 lakhs. The car will be launched in September.

Toyota Innova

The Toyota Innova is without a doubt the undisputed champion in the Indian MPV segment and it has been for years. The Innova was so impressive that it didn’t require any major updates over the years to compete with the new competition. But now that things seem to be heating up even further, Toyota has launched the all-new Innova and it looks pretty spectacular. The new Innova is called the Crysta and it gets an all new design and interiors as well as a new 2.4-litre turbo diesel engine with 146bhp of power and 324Nm of torque. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission and there will also be a 6-speed CVT automatic transmission available, and this variant will produce 358Nm of torque. The new Innova is expected to be launched this year and prices will range between Rs 13 and 17 lakh.

Honda BR-V

Well certainly the MPV segment is the hottest segment right now and the Honda seems like they want to get in on the action. We already knew they had plans to bring in the car but now it’s official as they unveiled the BR-V compact SUV, which will most likely compete directly against the Hyundai Creta. The car gets a spacious 7-seat cabin and takes design cues from the Mobilio and CR-V. The car has been designed especially for Asian markets and powertrain options on the India-spec BR-V will include 1.5-litre diesel and petrol engines witha 6-speed manual transmission as standard, while an automatic gearbox is likely to be offered in petrol variants as well. The BR-V will be launched this year with prices ranging between Rs 10 and 14 lakh.