Launched in early 2023, the Maruti Fronx proved to be a trump card for the Indo-Japanese automaker in India. The compact crossover has been admired for its urban design, feature-rich cabin, overall performance, and affordability. It’s one of Maruti Suzuki’s fastest selling SUVs. However, its dominance will soon be put to the test as Hyundai and Tata Motors are gearing up to launch the Bayon and Scarlet (codename) in 2026. Here’re the key details of these two upcoming Maruti Fronx rival SUVs.
Hyundai Bayon
Codenamed Bc4i, the Hyundai Bayon will be based on the new-gen i20’s platform and estimated to be priced around Rs 10 lakh – Rs 15 lakh. In India, it’s likely to be offered with Hyundai’s new 1.2L, 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which will be hybrid ready. A 1.0L turbo petrol engine might also be on offer. The Bayon will come with both manual and automatic gearbox options.
Positioned as a premium offering, the Bayon will feature an all-black cabin with features such as a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, connected car tech, fast charging USB Type-C ports, OTA (over-the-air) updates, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, wireless phone charging and ADAS.
Tata Scarlet
The Tata Scarlet compact crossover is likely to arrive during 2026 festive season. It’s likely to be designed on a monocoque chassis and could be offered with multiple powertrains including the Nexon’s 120bhp, 1.2L turbo petrol, a new 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol and Curvv’s 125bhp, 1.2L turbo petrol. The Scarlet might borrow a few design elements from the upcoming Tata Sierra.
In terms of pricing, the new Tata Scarlet will be positioned as a direct rival to the Maruti Fronx. However, its pricing is more likely to overlap with the Nexon, Nexon EV and Punch. According to reports, this new Tata compact crossover will be introduced as a lifestyle SUV, targeting urban buyers.
