While 2023 opened with a big-bang Auto Expo, the shortest month of the year also has a lot to offer. Here we have compiled a list of eight new cars we expect to see this month.
We started 2023 with a bang thanks to the Auto Expo. Maruti Suzuki, for example, finally unveiled the 5-door Jimny for the Indian market as well as the Fronx compact SUV, not to mention the eVX electric car concept. Then there was Tata Motors with their slew of unveils like the electric Harrier, Punch, new Altroz variants and even the upcoming Sierra. Now that the shortest month of the year is here, we would expect a smaller list of launches, but that is not true. Here’s what we expect to see launching in February.
2/9
Toyota Innova Crysta Diesel | After a short hiatus, Toyota Kirloskar Motor is bringing back the Innova Crysta Diesel variant. Right at the end of last year, Toyota launched the newest edition of the MPV, the Innova Hycross complete with a whole set of updates, both on the design front as well as the mechanicals. Unfortunately, the new Hycross didn’t get a diesel powertrain and at the time of launch, the company did say that diesel buyers could still opt for the last-gen Crysta. The MPV is back now and while the petrol powertrain option has been removed, the 2.4-litre diesel will be available. The 4-cylinder turbo-charged engine is capable of producing 150 hp of maximum power at 3,400 rpm and 343 Nm between 1,400 and 2,800 rpm. Toyota has also mildly refreshed Crysta’s design with a new, more prominent front grille and tweaked fog lamp housings. The front bumper has also been tweaked slightly. The side profile and alloy wheels, on the other hand, remain the same. With the Toyota Innova Crysta back in action, this will be the first time the company has two generations of the MPV on sale. Bookings for the Crysta Diesel have already begun for a token amount of Rs 50,000 and the launch is expected to take place any day now.
3/9
Tata Altroz Racer | Tata Motors had a huge showing at the 2023 Auto Expo with the likes of the Curvv, electric Harrier and even the Sierra. But alongside all of this, the Indian manufacturer also showcased new variants of its smaller cars. The Altroz, for example, sees two new variants coming out. The first one we will talk about is the Altroz Racer. In terms of exterior design, the cars get some cosmetic updates such as a blacked-out hood and roof with racing stripes, blacked-out alloys and an extended rear spoiler. The inside, too, gets a similar blacked-out treatment as well as a new 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, flat-bottomed steering wheel and red accents, all of it done to increase the feel of the sporty nature of the Altroz Racer. The biggest change, however, comes in its powertrain. The new Altroz racer will be powered by a 1.2-litre turbo-charged engine. This is the same engine that does duty on its SUV sibling, the Nexon. It produces 120 hp of maximum power and 170 Nm of peak torque. Transmission duties are handled by a 6-speed manual gearbox, but we could also see a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic option.
4/9
Tata Altroz iCNG | The other Altroz showcased at the Auto Expo was the Altroz iCNG. The biggest disadvantage when it comes to cars with a CNG powertrain is the space taken up for the CNG tank. To solve this Tata Motors has provided a split tank setup which means some usable room in the boot. Of course, the tanks still take up space and the trunk isn’t as deep as in the standard Altroz, but from the looks of things, everything above the lip of the boot is available for storage. We will have to wait for the exact numbers, so for context, the standard Altroz gets 345 litres of space. We expect the CNG variant to come equipped on the 1.2-litre petrol engine which produces 86 PS of maximum power and 113 Nm of peak torque. Transmission may be limited to a single 5-speed manual option. From a design standpoint, there aren’t going to be any changes, save for the iCNG badging on the back.
5/9
Tata Punch iCNG | The same CNG setup is also coming to the Tata Punch and just like the Altroz iCNG, the Punch iCNG will also get a dual-tank setup where the large 60-litre tank has been split into two 30-litre tanks. This, again, like the Altroz iCNG will be available on the 1.2-litre petrol engine which produces the same power and torque figures. In pure CNG mode, this engine produces 77 hp of maximum power and 97 Nm of peak torque, both on the Punch as well as on the Altroz. One of the features that you won’t find on any of Tata Motors’ rivals is the ability to start the car directly in CNG mode. This feature is already available on the Tiago and Tigor CNG cars and will be available on the Altroz and Punch as well. Again, no design changes to the Punch aside from the iCNG badging.
6/9
Maruti Brezza CNG | Another CNG variant coming to the market will be in the Maruti Suzuki Brezza lineup. This, however, will be a fairly unique offering when compared to other CNG cars. The CNG kit will be mated to the same 1.5-litre petrol engine that is found on the Ertiga and XL6. In petrol mode, this engine produces 100 hp of maximum power and 136 Nm of peak torque and in CNG mode, the outputs come down to 88 hp and 121.5 Nm. What makes the Brezza CNG a unique offering is the fact that Maruti Suzuki will be offering a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission as an option. This will make it the only CNG car in the Indian market with automatic transmission. As standard, you will also get the 5-speed manual gearbox. Again no design changes, but we should mention that the paint-scheme on the showcase vehicle at the Auto Expo was a striking matte blue option. The dashboard on the inside, too, saw a new wooden finish against the standard dark interior scheme.
7/9
Citroen eC3 | The Citroen C3 has seen some disappointingly low sales numbers and to give that a boost, the French carmaker has decided to enter India’s affordable EV space with the launch of the eC3. The electric variant of the hatchback was unveiled on January 22 and is slated for launch this month. In terms of design, the eC3 is identical to its ICE counterpart, the only difference being the charging port on the front right fender. Powering the eC3, however, is an electric setup. A 29.2 kWh battery pack will provide power to a front-axle electric motor that is capable of producing 57 hp of maximum power and 143 Nm of peak torque. Citroen claims that the eC3 will be capable of going from 0 to 60 km/h in 6.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 107 km/h. The ARAI-certified range stands at 320 km on a full charge. Speaking of which, the eC3 is capable of DC fast-charging going from 10 to 80 percent in 57 minutes. On a standard home charger, a full charge will take up to 10.5 hours.
8/9
Audi Q3 Sportback | Audi is now expected to launch the Sportback version of the second-gen Q3 that went on sale in India just last year. While the standard gets a proper SUV design, the Sportback, like its name suggests, gets a coupe-like rear sloping roof giving it a ‘faster’ appeal than the traditional boxy silhouette. Most other design cues will remain the same including the interior with features such as the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and Audi’s MMI infotainment system. While globally, both the Q3 and the Q3 Sportback get petrol and diesel options, in India, you get just the 2-litre TFSI petrol. This engine is capable of producing 190 hp of maximum power and 320 Nm of peak torque on the standard Q3 and you will see identical figures on the Sportback as well.
9/9
Fifth-gen Lexus RX | Bookings for the Lexus RX were recently started and the SUV is expected to go on sale soon. Sitting above the NX the new RX features the company’s Alluring X Verve design language for the exteriors. It gets a large front grille and swooping lines throughout. The interiors are based on the Tazuna concept, which Lexus says is designed to connect the driver to the car for better concentration. The RX is available in two variants, RX 350h Luxury and RX 500h F Sport Performance. The 350h variant is powered by a 2.5-litre turbo-charged petrol mated to a strong hybrid system that produces 247 hp of maximum power. This is then mated to a CVT gearbox, which delivers power to either the front wheels or all four wheels depending on which drivetrain option you choose. The RX 500h, on the other hand, is powered by a slightly smaller 2.4-litre turbo-petrol. This engine, however, is capable of higher performance and in combination with the strong hybrid system is capable of producing 366 hp of maximum power and 460 Nm of peak torque. Audi claims a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 6.2 seconds on the RX 500h thanks to the standard all-wheel-drive setup and 6-speed automatic gearbox.
Stanford Masters Journalist who writes on automobiles
