Top 10 Car Launches of 2015

Post the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo, we had been looking forward to 2015, for we knew the amount of launches coming our way would surpass the expectations of a lot of consumers. In fact, this year did not concentrate on one segment unlike 2014, which was all about sub-compact cars. 2015 saw the rise of strong competitors, some of which created new waves in existing segments, while others made a name for themselves by creating a segment. Here's our list of the top 10 cars Launched in 2015

1) Renault Kwid
 

The Kwid concept was first showcased at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo and it was later that year that Renault announced that it would be entering the small hatchback segment. Well, the French car manufacturer was still new to India but did not hesitate to enter this highly competitive small car segment.

Also Read: Renault Kwid vs Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 & Kwid Review

Renault announced their entry into this segment by launching the Kwid at a jaw-dropping price of Rs. 2.56 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) and with it announced a whole bunch of customisation options. Dubbed as the baby Duster, the Kwid's proportions were SUV-ish and for the first time we saw a small car that was big on space. The Kwid has already won accolades and has won 7 awards at the NDTV Car and Bike Show, including the Best Design of the Year and the Car of the Year.

2) Maruti Suzuki Baleno
 

Maruti Suzuki already had a hatchback in the form of the Swift, but with the advent of launches from Honda and Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki had to go back to the drawing board and chalk out a plan for the premium hatchback segment in India. The Baleno was the answer and Maruti Suzuki managed to pack in a lot of punch into this car.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Baleno Review

The feature list was a rich one and the Baleno also became the first car from an Indian manufacturer to come equipped with Apple CarPlay. Safety features like Airbags and ABS with EBD are also part of standard equipment and the ride and handling of the car too is a big plus to the Baleno's kitty. Maruti Suzuki, though late in this segment, has managed to give a lot more than its competitors.

3) Hyundai Creta
 

The compact SUV segment attracted India's second largest car manufacturer - Hyundai and the Creta burst onto the scene with a look that was unmatched by any other manufacturer. In fact, Hyundai brought out 11 variants of the Creta, giving the consumers a wide number of options to choose from.

Also Read: Hyundai Creta vs Renault Duster Comparison

The Hyundai Creta is available with a choice of 3 engine options, namely, 1.4-litre CRDi diesel (89bhp, 200Nm), 1.6-litre CRDi diesel (126bhp, 260Nm) and 1.6-litre VTVT (121bhp, 155Nm). These engines also do duty on the Hyundai Verna in the same state of tunes. While the 1.4-litre diesel and 1.6-litre diesel engines get a 6-speed manual gearbox, the 1.6-litre diesel engine can be bought either with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. Just so you know, the Hyundai Creta is the only diesel automatic vehicle in its league.

4) Ford Figo Aspire
 

Ford announced its foray into the sub 4-metre compact sedan segment at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo by showing off the Figo sedan concept. The Figo Aspire was an ambitious project for Ford India and with several segment-first features such as 6 airbags, 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, leather seats, etc, the Ford Figo Aspire takes on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Hyundai Xcent, Honda Amaze, Tata Zest and others in the sub-4 metre sedan segment.

Also Read: Ford Figo Aspire Review

Interestingly, the Ford Figo Aspire has become the first car in its league to offer driver and front-passenger airbags standard across all variants. The sub-compact sedan is offered with three engine options - a 1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol (110bhp), a 1.2-litre Ti-VCT petrol (87bhp) and a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel (99bhp). While the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel-engined variants will get a 5-speed manual gearbox, the 1.5-litre petrol model will come equipped with a 6-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox.

5) Renault Lodgy
 

Renault tried to gain some ground by entering into the MPV segment in India. Though the MPV is sold as the Dacia Lodgy in international markets, the Indian model has been re-badged as the Renault Lodgy. The MPV not only shares its platform (slightly modified) with the Duster, but also its interior.

Also Read: Renault Lodgy Review

With a class-leading wheelbase of 2,810mm, the Lodgy offers quite a spacious cabin. The vehicle can be bought in either 7- or 8-seat configurations. While the 7-seater features captain seats for the second row passengers, the 8-seater will have a flat second row seat for three passengers.

Powering the vehicle is a 1.5-litre K9K diesel engine, but in two states of tunes - 85PS (84bhp) and 110PS (108bhp). The engine is the same as the one that powers the company's most popular vehicle - the Duster. There is no petrol model on offer, as of now.

6) Mercedes-AMG GT-S
 

The Mercedes-AMG GT-S marked the company's 14th product launch in the country in 2015. The GT-S has won several accolades including 'World Performance Car of the Year 2015' and Red Dot Design's 'Best of the Best' winner. Now the fastest AMG in India, the GT S is built on the principle of 'Handcrafted by Racers' and also serves as the Official Safety Car of the FIA Formula One World Championship.

Also Read: Mercedes-AMG GT-S Review

Powered by a 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine, the GT S promises 510 horses along with a maximum torque of 650Nm. The car can despatch 0-100Km/h in 3.8 seconds on its way to a top-speed of 310Km/h. Mercedes-Benz is also offering over 10,000 unique configurations with AMG GT S under 'designo'. The customisation options will include 7 exterior colour options, 6 upholstery options, 4 alloy wheel design options, 3 seat belt colour options, 4 trim options, and 5 optional packages. There's no doubt that the Mercedes-AMG GT-S was the hottest car to come out from the Mercedes stable this year. We look forward to many more!

7) Audi RS6 Avant
 

The Audi RS6 Avant is the first performance station wagon to hit Indian shores and we haven't seen any such car in India yet. To be imported as a CBU, Audi has tried to give Indian customers a dose of what a station wagon is actually capable of. One look at the performance attributes tells you the RS6 Avant shows you this saloon is no slow coach. A 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine putting out 552bhp and 700 nm of torque. The car gets an eight-speed automatic gearbox with Audi's Quattro AWD system.

Also read: Audi RS6 Avant Review

The RS6 Avant gets to 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 304 kph with the optional Dynamic Package Plus. Pretty impressive for a station wagon, right? The RS6 Avant also gets the Audi's Cylinder on Demand tech that ensures better fuel consumption.

The design is also on the sporty side with single-frame grille and RS-specific design details along the bumpers and sideskirts. Matrix LED headlights and LED rear lights with dynamic turn indicators offer added appeal. The RS6 Avant does stand quite tall but comes with an adaptive air suspension. RS sport suspension with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) is also offered as an upgrade.

The chunky 20-inch wheels are standard and 21-inch wheels will be offered as an option. The black interior looks sporty along with the RS sport seats with integrated head rests as standard. Also standard is the heads-up display with navigation and a panoramic sunroof on the RS6 Avant.

8) Volvo XC90
 

This is the 2nd generation of the XC90 and is a make or break model for the Geely-owned carmaker. It's coming after a long time - 12 years since the first generation - and the company really wants to cash in on this SUV. The XC90 is based on the new scalable product architecture or SPA, which will spawn a host of new products. There is no doubt in our mind that the SUV looks extremely good and looks proportionate. Not too tall, broad or long.

Also Read: Volvo XC90 Review

The XC90 sports the face of Volvo's new design direction, with an impressive grille that houses the iron mark, and the striking all-LED headlights. Inside the XC90 gets a fresh and roomy cabin. Volvo has done away with all the buttons and now the central console has only 8 of them. The main focus is on the iPad-like touchscreen control panel that makes up most of the central console. The home screen is horizontally divided into four zones: Navigation, Music, Phone and Sound Experience. Each of these tabs can be expanded by simply touching it. Under the hood the XC90 comes powered by the 2.0-litre, 4 Cylinder, automatic 8-Speed AWD with 225bhp and a whopping 470Nm torque.

9) Maruti Suzuki Celerio Diesel
 

Buoyed by the success of the Celerio petrol, Maruti Suzuki India rolled out the diesel version of the car in the country. Claimed to deliver 27.62km/l, the Maruti Celerio diesel is now India's most fuel-efficient car - it beat the Swift Dzire diesel that has an ARAI-certified mileage of 26.59km/l.

Powering the Maruti Celerio Diesel is a 793cc, 2-cylinder diesel engine that has been developed locally by Maruti with an investment of over 900 crore. The cylinder block of this new small engine is all aluminium and gets a compact fuel distribution system along with a turbocharger.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Celerio Diesel Review

This engine churns out a maximum power output of 47bhp and 125Nm of peak torque. Despite being a small capacity engine, it is claimed to churn out higher torque per cc (0.16Nm/cc) than the highly-claimed 1.3-litre multijet unit that powers multiple Maruti Suzuki cars including Swift, Dzire and Ciaz. Weighing 89kg, the new small engine is also the lightest diesel engine in the country, which will also power other small Maruti Suzuki Cars and an upcoming LCV.

10) Mahindra TUV300
 

Positioned above the slow-selling Quanto, the Mahindra TUV300 is a sub-compact SUV and takes on the likes of the Ford EcoSport. Mahindra's compact SUV gets 7 variants across 3 trims - T4, T6 and T8 in a total of 6 colours - Verve Blue, Dynamite Red, Molten Orange, Glacier White, Majestic Silver and Bold Black.

Also Read: Mahindra TUV300 Review

Inspired from a "battle tank", the Mahindra TUV300's design gets elements like flat roof, square-shaped wheel arches, raised shoulders and straight bonnet. It also sports clear lens head-lamps, toothed front grille, and a gloss black D-pillar. Developed and designed in-house, the vehicle is based on a new ladder frame chassis. The research & development work of the TUV300 was carried out at the Mahindra Research Valley (MRV), Chennai.

The Mahindra TUV300 SUV comes powered by a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder, mHawk80 diesel engine that develops 82.5bhp and 230Nm of maximum torque. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual with the AMT also as an option. The TUV300 is the first compact SUV to be offered with the option of an AMT and since its launch the demand for the automatic TUV300 has gone up significantly.