Top cars launched in India in 2022

Semiconductor shortages, the long-running Russia-Ukraine war, and coronavirus lockdowns in major countries continued to affect the automotive industry in some or the other way. Despite all troubles, most automobile manufacturers launched new cars, while some even witnessed the best-ever monthly, quarterly, and yearly sales in India. Here we look back at the most popular car launches in 2022.

Maruti Suzuki

India's largest automaker Maruti Suzuki launched a wide range of cars, starting with the Baleno facelift in February 2022, followed by the Ertiga and XL6 in April, Brezza in June, and Alto K10 in August. The brand also entered one of the most popular SUV segments with its Grand Vitara in September. The Brezza and Grand Vitara have been nominated for the 2023 Indian Car of The Year (ICOTY) awards.

Hyundai

Unlike Maruti Suzuki, South Korean carmaker Hyundai launched two models in the market this year. The Venue facelift and new-generation Tucson arrived in June and August, respectively. It also introduced MY2022 Creta with minor updates in May. It is to be noted that the Tuscan is one of the contenders in the 2023 ICOTY awards.

Kia

Kia introduced its Maruti Suzuki XL6 rival, the seven-seat Carens, in India in February 2022. Then, it launched the updated versions of the Seltos and Sonet in April, EV6 in June, and the Sonet X-Line in September. It had allotted only 100 units of the EV6 but received more than 355 reservations until the launch day. Meanwhile, the Carens has been nominated for the 2023 ICOTY.

Mahindra

Indian SUV maker Mahindra launched one of the most-awaited cars in India, the new-generation Scorpio-N, in July, while the previous-gen model of the SUV, the Scorpio Classic, was launched in August. Additionally, Mahindra introduced the 130PS/230Nm XUV300 TurboSport in October, making it the most powerful offering in its segment. Mahindra Scorpio-N has been added to the contender's list for the 2023 ICOTY.

Tata Motors

Along with the launches of special-edition versions of its SUVs, Tata Motors introduced Nexon EV's extended-range variant, the Nexon Max, in May. Two months later, the standard Nexon also received an update and was named the Nexon EV Prime. In addition, the carmaker introduced the Tiago EV in September, while the Tigor EV was updated with a few features.

Toyota

Toyota, the Japanese auto major, launched distinctive models in the country, such as the Camry Hybrid, Hilux, Glanza facelift, Fortuner GR-S, and Urban Cruiser Hyryder. In fact, the new Urban Cruiser Hyryder has been nominated for the 2023 Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) awards. It is worth noting that the brand also unveiled the new generation Innova Hycross a few weeks ago. 

Honda

The City e:HEV was the only new offering from Honda in India in 2022. This strong-hybrid sedan was introduced in May and is being produced at the brand's Tapukara facility in Rajasthan.

Skoda

Czechia automaker Skoda started the new year with the launch of the new Kodiaq facelift in January. Based on the MQB-A0-IN, the Slavia was the second all-new offering from the brand after the Kushaq. Speaking of the SUV, Skoda launched the top-of-the-line Monte Carlo version of the Kushaq in May, while it discreetly revealed prices of the Kushaq Anniversary Edition a couple of months ago. Notably, the Slavia is one of the condensers at the 2023 ICOTY awards.

Volkswagen

The Polo Legend edition, Virtus, and Tiguan Exclusive Edition were the significant launches from German auto giant Volkswagen in 2022. Notably, the Legend edition of the popular hatchback celebrated 12 years of production in the country. Meanwhile, the Virtus, which arrived in June, has also been nominated for 2023 ICOTY.

Jeep

American SUV maker Jeep introduced several cars in the market this year. To start with, it launched the Jeep Compass Trailhawk in February. The Compass also gained two special-edition variants - Night Eagle and Anniversary Edition. Thereafter, the seven-seat Meridian came in May, followed by the new-generation Grand Cherokee in the previous month.

Citroen

The C3 was the second offering after the C5 Aircross from Citroen since its India debut. Moreover, the C5 Aircross received a mid-cycle facelift in November. The French carmaker aims to bring its first-ever C3-based EV, the eC3, sometime next year. Meanwhile, the C3 is on the list of 2023 ICOTY condensers.