Honda will likely host the debut of its midsize SUV by the middle of this year and it will go on sale around the festive season
The midsize SUV segment has grown leaps and bounds over the last three to four years and capitalising on the high volume opportunity, more brands have stepped in making it one of the highly competitive segments currently in the Indian market. Brands like Kia and MG debuted locally with their own midsize SUVs in 2019. Here are two of the main contenders that will launch this year.
1. 2023 Kia Seltos Facelift:
The Seltos is currently the second best-selling midsize SUV in the country and it has been the top seller for the South Korean auto major since its debut in 2019. In the global markets, Kia already sells the facelifted Seltos, which was first unveiled at the 2022 Busan Motor Show. It gets a thoroughly redesigned front fascia and a rear end.
Similar changes are expected to be available in India upon its reported launch by the middle of this year. It will also be powered by a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing around 160 PS maximum power and 253 Nm of peak torque. The regular 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines will continue.
2. Honda Midsize SUV:
The midsize SUV from Honda was teased officially nearly a month ago in India and it will debut this summer. While the exact timeline has not been revealed, we do expect it to be unveiled by the middle of this year before entering showrooms this festive season (around October or November). Before its arrival, Honda will launch the mild-life update for the City.
The midsize SUV will be based on the modified version of the Amaze’s platform and it appears to have taken design inspiration from the global crop of Honda SUVs including the new-gen WR-V. As for the performance, it will use a 1.5L NA petrol and a 1.5L strong hybrid petrol engine with manual and automatic transmission options as it will have several commonalities with the City.
The interior will be equipped with a new electronic architecture and the features list could comprise a large touchscreen infotainment system with connected tech, ADAS based driver assistive and safety features, etc.
