Cars to watch out for in 2016

You’ll be seeing many new shapes on four wheels this year — fancy cars with excellent equipment. Manufact-urers are eager to create products in categories that are simply burgeoning. For example, the mini SUV trend is continuing and everyone’s looking for that sub Rs 7-lakh car that seats at least five in absolute comfort.

Leading carmakers, Maruti Suzuki, Tata, Honda, Ford, Mahindra, Renault, Skoda etc, are all planning early launches. A large number of these cars are launching in the very first half of the year.

Maruti is reportedly bringing out the SUV Vitara early February. It will follow that up with XA Alpha, priced around Rs 7 lakh. Tata too is bringing out the very promising Hexa SUV which could give some massive competition to Ford’s upcoming 2016 Endeavour. But that’s not all in Tata’s kitty — it’s unveiling the Kite hatchback, the sedan version and the Nano diesel. Hyundai too is preparing itself to launch the new Eon and rumours claim that it is launching the ambitious two-door luxury car, the Veloster, in India.

Volkswagen too is shaking off a bad 2015 with multiple launches — a Polo-based compact sedan and the highly-anticipated Tiguan mini SUV.

Honda meanwhile are pinning their hopes on these models — a Brio-based SUV, the Honda Accord facelift and a CR-V facelift too.

And maker of rugged vehicles Mahindra is unveiling an automatic Quanto, a mini SUV called the KUV 100 and at least three other models including the XUV 500’s hybrid variant. The company is also bringing back focus on electric cars with the very promising Verito Electric, which could be priced under Rs 9 lakh.