The year 2020 was really the year of SUVs in India. With over 20 launches in the last 11 months, more than half of new cars were actually SUVs. And that's no surprise given that the sales charts speak really favorably about SUVs. A new year is just round the corner and we are not getting over this SUV trend anytime soon. So here's our pick of the top 5 upcoming SUVs in 2021 and there are quite a few important ones that should get you pretty excited.
Next-gen Mahindra XUV500
Let's start with what is currently the spy shot king and once again, its a Mahindra. Mahindra will be debuting a brand new generation of the XUV500 next year and it has been completely redesigned from grounds up, just as the new-gen Thar. It will be loaded with tons of fancy new tech, some highlights including a Mercedes-like twin instrument console and even Level 1 autonomous driver assistance features. Under the hood, the next-gen Mahindra XUV500 will be powered by the new crop of petrol and diesel engines that Mahindra debuted with the Thar, possibly in a higher state of tune.
Toyota Fortuner Facelift
The Toyota Fortuner is the best selling full-size SUV in the country and also the off-road king of its segment. The current Fortuner has been around for quite a few years and Toyota unveiled the Fortuner facelift for Thailand earlier this year. The facelifted Fortuner will make it to India next year with a much more mature design, but still retaining its butch character. There however wouldn't be many changes under the hood or inside the cabin, save a few new features. If however, Toyota brings the new top-spec Legender variant of the Fortuner that they unveiled for Thailand earlier this year, there's a lot to look forward to.
Also Read : Mahindra XUV500-Based Ford SUV Spotted For the First Time!
Tata Gravitas
The Tata Gravitas has long been coming and it is finally expected to debut by early 2021. The Tata Gravitas is one of the most important upcoming SUVs in 2021 as it will take the fight up to the MG Hector Plus and the aforementioned next-gen Mahindra XUV500. The Gravitas is essentially a six-seater version of the Tata Harrier but it will remain unchanged mechanically and in terms of equipment and features as well. There will however be some stylistic changes towards the rear of the SUV as it will have grown longer to accommodate the extra row of seats.
Citroen C5 Aircross
2021 will again see the debut of a new manufacturer in India after Kia and MG Motors debuted in 2019. Citroen will mark their India entry with the C5 Aircross, which will come to the country as a CKD. It will surely be expensive on account of being a CKD (about INR 20 lakh, ex-showroom), it will have very unique interior and exterior styling in its favor to try and grab the attention of the Indian audience. The Citroen C5 Aircross will also be very generously kitted out and will have the option of both petrol and diesel engines under its hood, with manual and automatic gearbox options as well.
Renault Kiger
The sub-compact SUV segment doesn't stop with the Nissan Magnite but 2021 will see the launch of its sister car, the Renault Kiger. The Renault Kiger is again one of the most important upcoming SUVs in 2021 as it sets its foot in this fiercely competed segment. The Renault Kiger will share the same engines and platform with the Nissan Magnite but will have completely different exterior and interior styling. We have seen a few spy images of the Kiger on test in India and first impressions are that it looks like a jacked up Kwid. If Renault manages to get the pricing as competitive as the Magnite, it will be one of the hottest upcoming SUVs in 2021.
