While electric vehicles and hybrid cars may be the way forward, we Indians love our SUVs. And car manufacturers have enticed SUV fanatics by introducing over 10 new SUVs across different segments. Here, we look at the top five SUVs that made headlines in 2022.
Mahindra Scorpio-N
The new Mahindra Scorpio N was one of the biggest launches of 2022 in the SUV segment. Unlike its predecessor which was available only with a diesel powertrain, the new Scorpio N is now offered with both petrol and diesel engines with manual and automatic transmissions. The latter in its top-spec trim also gets an all-wheel-drive configuration. The deliveries of the Scorpio N are already underway and prices range from Rs 11.99 lakh to Rs 23.90 lakh (ex-showroom).
Stepping into the hybrid game, Maruti Suzuki introduced the Grand Vitara in September 2022. Available in mild and strong hybrid versions, the Grand Vitara is an alternative to the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, and Volkswagen Taigun. The Grand Vitara has gathered over 75,000 bookings and can be had in Sigma, Delta, Zeta, Alpha, and Alpha Plus variants.
While the XUV300 can earlier be had in both petrol and diesel variants, it is now offered in a turbo-petrol guise as well. The Mahindra XUV300 TurboSport makes use of a 1.2-litre petrol engine which has been re-tuned to produce 129bhp and 230Nm of torque. The motor is mated solely to a six-speed manual gearbox and is available in W6, W8, and W8 (O) trims.
In 2022, Jeep India forayed into the three-row SUV segment with the Meridian. The Meridian is a 2.0-litre diesel-powered SUV that produces 168bhp and 350Nm of torque and is coupled with a six-speed manual and a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Meridian goes up against the Toyota Fortuner, Skoda Kodiaq, and MG Gloster.
Hyundai’s mid-size premium SUV, Tucson entered its new generation this year with a newly designed exterior design, a revamped cabin, and two powertrain options. The Hyundai Tucson is offered in 2.0-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel engines and comes equipped with ADAS features such as forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist.
