In the first four months of 2024, we have seen several new car launches across various segments and price ranges. It appears that OEMs are not slowing down at all, with multiple new models planned for the coming months. Let’s take a look at the most-awaited new car launches set to take place by the 2024 festive season.
Upcoming Cars By 2024 Festive (Diwali) Season
Tata Altroz Racer
Tata Altroz Racer is set to go on sale in June 2024. It’s essentially the sportier version of the Altroz that made its public appearance twice. The model uses a 1.2L, 3-cylinder turbo petrol engine, borrowed from the Nexon. The motor will be tuned to generate 120bhp and 170Nm of torque. Compared to the Altroz iTurbo, the Racer Edition will generate 10bhp more power and 30Nm more torque. It’s likely to come with a single 6-speed manual gearbox.
The Tata Altroz Racer will come in a dual-tone colour scheme with twin racing stripes on the bonnet and roof. It will have ‘Racer’ badging on the front fenders. Its front grille and alloy wheels will also be different from the regular Altroz. Inside, the hatchback is likely to feature new leatherette upholstery with contrast stitching and coloured accents on the dashboard. The Altroz Racer will get electronic stability control and six airbags as standard.
5-Door Mahindra Thar
The production-ready 5-door Thar version is likely to be named Mahindra Thar Armada. The lifestyle off-road SUV is set to debut on 15th August, followed by its market launch. The model lineup is likely to come in three variants, packed with the Scorpio N’s 2.2L diesel and 2.0L turbo petrol engines. Both 2WD and 4WD gearboxes will be on offer.
The SUV’s base, mid, and higher variants will be offered with steel wheels, 5-spoke alloy wheels, and 19-inch multi-spoke diamond-cut alloys, respectively. The 5-door Thar will have a slightly different front grille, bumpers, a remote fuel filling cap, and a rear wiper over its 3-door counterpart. The interior of the SUV will feature a bigger 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a fully digital instrument cluster, rear AC vents, front and rear centre armrests, push button start-stop, a sunroof, and many more goodies.
New-Gen Maruti Dzire
The all-new Maruti Suzuki Dzire will be the next big product launch from the Indo-Japanese automaker in India. The compact sedan will share a few design elements, interior, and the new Z-Series petrol engine with the new-gen Swift hatchback that recently went on sale. Its interior layout will be similar to the Fronx and Baleno. The spy images reveal that the 2024 Maruti Dzire will come with the segment-first single-pane sunroof and a 360-degree camera.
The list of features will also include a floating 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, rear AC vents, wireless phone charger, an updated instrument cluster, push button start/stop, power adjustable and folding wing mirrors, new seat upholstery, and more. Similar to the new Swift, the next-gen Dzire will get six airbags as standard. Under the hood, the new 2024 Maruti Dzire will employ the 1.2L, four-cylinder petrol engine making 82bhp and 112Nm. Both manual and AMT gearboxes will continue to be on offer.
Tata Curvv EV
Tata Curvv launch is reported to be pushed to this year’s festive season. Earlier, the coupe SUV was slated to hit showrooms by mid-2024. The carmaker will first introduce the Curvv with the electric powertrain, while its ICE version will come six months later. Compared to the Nexon, it will be nearly 313mm longer and have a 62mm longer wheelbase. The Curvv coupe SUV will borrow the four-spoke illuminated steering wheel, 10.25-inch dual screen setup, and digital dials from the Harrier. Its switchgears and some features will be sourced from the Nexon. It will also come with connected car features, a 360-degree camera, ventilated seats, and a wireless phone charger.
The spy images confirmed that the coupe SUV will have a sunroof, but it’s unlikely to be panoramic. Underpinning Tata’s Gen 2 Acti.ev architecture, the Tata Curvv EV is expected to deliver a range of around 450km to 500km on a single charge. The ICE version will be offered with three different powertrain options – 125bhp, 1.2L turbo petrol, 1.5L diesel, and CNG. Once launched, the new coupe SUV from Tata will directly rival the upcoming Citroen Basalt. Though, it will also compete against the Hyundai Creta, Honda Elevate, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, and Toyota Hyryder in terms of pricing.
Citroen Basalt
Citroen’s upcoming Basalt coupe SUV is slated to witness a release in the second half of 2024 (possibly around the festive season). After the C3 Aircross SUV, C3 hatchback, and eC3 EV, it will be the fourth offering from the French automaker to come under the brand’s C-Cubed programme. The Citroen Basalt will be made available with a single 1.2L turbo petrol engine, making 110bhp. Transmission choices will include a manual and a torque convertor automatic.
The company will also bring in its electric iteration, but at a later stage. The Basalt will share most of its features with the C3 Aircross including a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, connected car tech, adjustable headrests, front and rear USB chargers, dual airbags, ABS with EBD, hill hold control, reverse parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system, and more.
New Kia Carnival
The fourth-generation Kia Carnival faceliftwhich was showcased as the KA4 concept at the 2023 Auto Expo, will be launched in the second half of 2024. The MPV will receive comprehensive changes inside and out, while its engine setup is likely to remain unchanged. Similar to the previous generation, the new one will continue to come with the 2.2L diesel engine and an automatic gearbox. In global markets, it’s offered with three powertrains – 1.6L petrol hybrid, 3.5L petrol, and 2.2L diesel. Here, the 2024 Kia Carnival will be offered with 7 and 9-seat configurations.
On the feature front, it will offer a dashcam with front and rear functionality, a digital rearview mirror, a rotary drive selector, and a head-up display along with the existing feature setup. Some of its design highlights will include a newly-designed ‘Tiger Nose’ grille, revised front bumper, L-shaped DRLs, new alloy wheels, and new L-shaped LED taillamps connected by a bar in the centre.
MG Cloud EV
MG Motor India has confirmed a new electric car for this year. While the automaker hasn’t yet revealed the name and details of the upcoming EV, it’s likely to be the MG Cloud EV that will be priced under Rs 20 lakh. For people in the know, MG’s parent brand SAIC retails the Cloud EV as Baojun Yunduo in China and under the Wuling brand in Indonesia. The model will measure around 4.3 metres in length and have a wheelbase of 2,700mm.
Similar to the global markets, it could be offered with two battery pack options – a 37.9kWh and a 50.6kWh. While the former will deliver a range of 360km and the latter will offer 460km. The EV will have a permanent magnet synchronous motor placed at the front axle generating power worth 134bhp. The MG Cloud EV will come with a host of features such as a large centrally mounted touchscreen, a digital display for the instrument cluster, a 360-degree camera, an ADAS suite, fully reclined front seat with ‘sofa mode’ and many more.
