2024 is all set to be an exciting year for car enthusiasts with a number of new launches such as the Maruti Suzuki eVX, Toyota Taisor, Renault Duster and others.
The year 2023 set up great momentum for the four-wheeler industry with amazing launches such as the Maruti Suzuki Jimny, the Hyundai Exter and even the Tata Harrier and Safari facelifts. 2024 is now all set to soldier on with that momentum with a string of exciting new launches and facelifts, both in the EV segment as well as the ICE segment. But, because a list of all the upcoming cars is a long one, we’ve compiled the top-10 cars you should be looking out for in the new year.
2/11
Maruti Suzuki Swift: We’ll start off with India’s best-selling manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki, and one of their best-selling models, the Swift. The Maruti Suzuki Swift may not be in dire need of a new look, but a new generation is incoming nonetheless. The hatchback has already been launched in international markets and is expected to make its way here early in 2024. With a generation upgrade, the car gets updated interiors as well as a new powertrain. On the outside, you get to see a redesigned face thanks to a new, sleeker grille, tweaked headlamps and LED DRL signatures and a new bumper. the sides get new 16-inch alloys and door-mounted handles, while the rear sees new C-shaped LED tail lamps and a reprofiled bumper. Powering the new Swift is a 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine that replaces the old 4-cylinder unit. Output figures are expected to remain the same at about 90 hp of maximum power and 113 Nm of peak torque. The 5-speed manual and AMT automatic transmission options are expected to be carried forward. Additionally, we could see a mild-hybrid option at launch. (Image: Suzuki Japan)
3/11
Maruti Suzuki eVX: Maruti Suzuki is also finally readying its first electric vehicle with introduction of the eVX slated for 2024. The eVX is pretty much ready for a launch and what we will see in 2024 is a reveal of the final production version of the car. According to reports, the we could see the EV debuting around October, next year, with its price announcement slated for early 2025. The car was showcased at the Auto Expo as a concept and it has already been spied testing on the streets. In terms of design, we don’t expect to see many changes from the concept car. It will still get the unique headlamp assembly with the LED DRL patterns, a bold upright stance, and a very rugged look. Additionally, we also know that the SUV will be about 4.3 metres in length with a wheelbase of 2,700mm. Now, not a lot about the powertrain is known at the moment, but we know it will be run on a born-EV skateboard platform. The manufacturer had announced that a 60 kWh battery powered the concept allowing for a 550 km driving range but there may be minor changes here. Something else to look forward to Toyota’s version of the eVX, called the Urban SUV concept, which will also be revealed shortly after the eVX. (Image: Maruti Suzuki)
4/11
Toyota Taisor: Speaking of Toyota rebadges, the Taisor, a badge-engineered version of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx is all geared up for its launch next year. The name Taisor, at the moment, is just a rumour but it is worth noting that Toyota had it trademarked earlier this year. As far as the SUV is concerned, we will see just a few alterations to the exterior to differentiate it from the Fronx. These include the likes of grille tweaks, new DRL signatures, subtle changes to the tail lamps and maybe a different set of alloys. Over on the inside, aside from the Toyota badge on the steering wheel and a different upholstery colour scheme, we won’t see any changes. All the equipment from the Fronx will be carried over to the Taisor including the 9-inch infotainment screen, head-up display, wireless phone charger and others. The powertrain options will also remain the same. The Fronx is currently powered by a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol as well as a 1-litre turbocharged petrol engine. Even the 89 hp and 100 hp output figures respectively will remain the same. Gearbox options include a 5-speed manual and an AMT automatic. (Image: Maruti Suzuki Fronx for reference)
Hyundai Creta facelift: A facelift of Hyundai’s best-selling model, the Creta has also been actively testing on the streets and is due to reach us January 16. Now, of course, the car has been wrapped in black cloth to obscure design changes, but a few details still shine through. The headlights and tail lamps, in particular have been tweaked along with the front grille. Some other highlights include a set of roofrails, new alloys, roof-mounted spoiler, high-mounted stop lamp and even side-steps for a more rugged look. The inside will see upgrades that match the recently launched Kia Seltos as well such as a larger infotainment system. Level-II ADAS is also expected to be available on the facelifted Creta. Mechanically, we won’t see any changes. The SUV will continue to be powered by the same three engine options that we have today. These include the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, 1.5-litre diesel as well as the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit. Transmission options include a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed iMT, 7-speed DCT, CVT and a torque convertor automatic.
6/11
Hyundai Kona Electric: The new-gen Kona Electric was first showcased back in 2022 and its specs were revealed later on in March, this year. Complete with an all-new look and the electrified Kona will be launched first before any of its ICE counterparts. As part of the design package, you get to see an all-new face, with a single, full-width pixelated LED DRL up front, the main headlamp clusters have been redesigned as well in a stacked formation. Of course, there is no grille, but the air dam is now significantly larger and giving it a fairly mean appearance. At the rear, the pixelated LEDs are present again with its main tail lamp clusters flanking positioned off to the sides. The new Kona Electric will come with two powertrain options. The Standard Range will be your entry-level powered by a 48.4 kWh battery pack mated to a 155 hp/250 Nm electric motor. The Long Range variant on the other hand will be powered by a 65.4 kWh battery pack. This will also power a more powerful electric motor that generates 218 hp of maximum power and 255 Nm of torque.
7/11
Tata Curvv: Next up in line is another home-grown manufacturer. Tata is getting ready to launch the Curvv SUV. The first showcasing was back at the 2023 Auto Expo and the production ready SUV has been spotted testing on the streets for a while now. In terms of design, the Curvv will sport more of coupe-SUV styling rather than the conventional upright SUV stance. This will allow it to look sportier when compared to the rest of its rivals, but it will have the same kind of rugged appeal as the others. As far as powertrains go, the Curvv is expected to be powered by a new 1.5-litre diesel engine that was also showcased at the Auto Expo this year. The electric variant, we expect, will get two versions: a single-motor, front-wheel-drive variant and a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive variant. Range is expected to be around 400-500 km on a single charge. A few spy shots also reveal ADAS sensors on the car which means the tech could come to the Tata Curvv at least on the EVs or top spec variants.
8/11
Tata Harrier EV: Another major launch to look forward to from the Tata stable is the Harrier EV. Tata launched the facelifted versions of the Harrier and Safari just recently and the EV variants are, again, just around the corner. The Harrier EV has been spotted testing on streets giving us some key details about what to expect as far as design goes. At the front, you get to see the same fascia as the production-ready prototype of the SUV showcased at the Auto Expo complete with the horizontal slat grille design, split LED headlamps and a connecting light bar. The spy shots also revealed a camera under the Tata logo pointing towards ADAS technology and 360-degree camera capabilities. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much revealed in terms of powertrain options at the moment, but we do know that the Harrier EV is being built on Tata’s Gen 2 architecture. The company also revealed that unlike its ICE counterpart, the Harrier will get all-wheel-drive capabilities.
Mahindra XUV.e8: From the Mahindra and Mahindra stable, we will get to see the XUV.e8. Based on the XUV700, the electrified versions get a host of styling changes to differentiate itself such as a new headlamp design complete with a connected light bar, closed off grille and a more futuristic appearance. In profile, the e8 is similar to its ICE counterpart, but there is a new set of alloys and at the rear, a new connected tail light setup could be seen. The XUV.e8 is built on Mahindra’s INGLO platform which can be configured for both rear-wheel-drive as well as all-wheel-drive setups. There are no details about the battery capacities, but we can expect something like 285 hp of power output from the rear-wheel-drive motor and closer to the 400 hp mark on the all-wheel-drive setup. The interior of the e8 has been spied too, and the pictures show an entirely new cabin layout. There is a new 2-spoke steering wheel, three displays, one of which will be the instrument cluster, touch-panel for the HVAC controls, a traditional gear lever as well as a knob for drive modes.
10/11
Kia Sonet facelift: Kia has just unveiled the facelifted Sonet, prices of which are expected to be announced in early January. The SUV started off strong at the time of launch thanks to the vast number of powertrain and gearbox options it had available. Sales have slowed down slightly since and the Sonet has been in need of an update for a while. The new facelift expects to change this as it features not just exterior changes but updates to the tech as well. on the design front, there is a revised version of Kia’s tiger-nose grille, tweaked headlamps and tail lamps as well as refreshed bumpers all around. There is a new set of 16-inch alloys as well as well as a new Pewter Olive paint scheme for the adventurous. Powering the new Kia Sonet will be an option between three engines. The base 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol produces 82 hp and 115 Nm. There is a 1-litre turbo-petrol that generates 118 hp and 172 Nm and finally a 1.5-litre diesel that churns out 114 hp and 250 Nm.
11/11
Renault Duster: Finally, Renault globally unveiled the third-generation Duster late last month. The same car is expected to be revealed for the Indian market, too, but somewhere in the second half of next year. The SUV sits on CMF-B platform which underpins a number of cars from the Dacia, Renault and Nissan lineup. Design-wise, the Duster soldiers on with its rugged persona but wears a slightly more futuristic look thanks to a bright set of LED headlamps and unique DRL signatures. The sides are characterized by the squared-off wheel arches and the rear gets a new set of Y-shaped LED tail lights. On the powertrain front, globally, there are three engines on offer, two of which are electrified. The first is a 1-litre turbocharged petrol/LPG compatible engine that is very unlikely to come to India. The second is a 1.2-litre three-cylinder mild hybrid while the third is a 1.6-litre full hybrid petrol engine.
Stanford Masters Journalist who writes on automobiles
