15 Large, Powerful SUVs - Petrol, Diesel, Hybrid And Electric - Launching Soon
SUVs are clearly dominating the Indian market today. Manufacturers are trying their best to cater to this demand with a multitude of products. If you are planning to buy a large, powerful SUV in the near future, here are 15 options to consider. These include petrol, diesel, hybrid, and electric offerings.
JSW MG Motor India will launch the Majestor SUV in the coming weeks. Marketed as India’s first D+ segment SUV, the Majestor measures over five metres in length. It is built on a rugged ladder-frame chassis and is powered by a 2.0L twin-turbocharged diesel engine making 213hp and 479Nm. This powertrain is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Majestor is tech-heavy and a capable off-roader. It comes with three differential locks, crawl control with selectable speeds, low-ratio transfer case, 10 terrain modes and more.
Mahindra is known to be working on a facelift to the Scorpio-N. It will bring subtle styling changes and more features to the SUV. The facelift primarily intends to close the technology gap that the SUV has created with its rivals over the past few years. The updated model is likely to come with ventilated seats, a larger infotainment unit, panoramic sunroof and more. Plus, ADAS features will likely be brought to more affordable variants as well. Even the facelift will be offered with the same 2.2L mHawk diesel and 2.0L mStallion turbo-petrol engines. Both manual and automatic transmissions will be available. 4x4 hardware will be offered on select variants.
The Scorpio Classic sells well in semi urban and rural India. It is also expected to get a facelift in the coming months. The update will bring subtle design changes to the vehicle, making it look more upmarket. Additionally, the facelifted Scorpio Classic may also get a better infotainment system and more storage spaces inside. It will likely continue to be powered by the 2.2L diesel engine, mated to the manual transmission.
Toyota is developing the next-generation Fortuner. It will come with major design updates, and a thoroughly improved cabin. The SUV will get a new front fascia and a restyled rear. Inside, it will likely see the addition of features like a larger infotainment unit and an all-digital instrument cluster. The next-generation SUV is expected to continue with the same engine options as the outgoing model- 2.7L petrol and 2.8L diesel. It will be based on an upgraded IMV platform.
Toyota is also expected to launch the ninth generation Hilux in India this year. It will have a sharper, more aggressive design- a new front fascia, new wheels and subtle tweaks at the rear. Inside, the new Hilux will have a larger, better infotainment unit, digital instrument cluster and many other features. It will be underpinned by an upgraded IMV platform and is claimed to have a significantly better suspension setup. The new truck will also be powered by the trusted 2.8L turbocharged diesel engine.
Skoda has plans to introduce two versions of the Kodiaq SUV in India, in the not-so-distant future- the RS and the diesel. The RS is the SUV’s sportier iteration, powered by the familiar 2.0-litre TSI turbo-petrol engine, in a higher state of tune. It will make 261hp and 370Nm and will be mated to a DSG gearbox. There will be a strong focus on performance. The Kodiaq RS will have several styling improvements as well and will be brought as CBU imports, in limited numbers.
Another highly anticipated Skoda is the diesel-powered Kodiaq. It will also be brought as CBU units, and will be powered by a 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine paired with an automatic transmission. It will also have an all wheel drive (AWD) system on offer. The design and feature list will likely remain identical to those of the petrol version. The market launch is expected in the second half of this year.
Volkswagen will expand the Tayron lineup in the near future by adding a lower-spec variant. Now, the Tayron only comes in the ‘R-Line’ trim. This is the sportier iteration. The lower-spec (non-R Line) version will ditch some signature R-Line styling cues and may even see removal of certain features. It will, however, retain the powerful 2.0L turbocharged petrol engine that makes 201hp and 320Nm. When launched, this product will cater to the more value-conscious set of buyers.
Jeep Meridian has never had a petrol engine. It has always remained a diesel-only product, powered by the familiar 2.0L Stellantis engine. This is set to change soon as Jeep has plans to use Tata’s newly developed Hyperion turbo-petrol engines on the Meridian. More details of the product and the launch window haven’t been disclosed yet. This 1.5L direct injection turbocharged petrol engine is already in use on the Harrier and Safari and would be apt for the Meridian as well.
Honda will launch the new ZR-V in India on May 22, 2026. This SUV will have a technology-packed cabin and a stylish design. It will be powered by a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder hybrid petrol engine that makes 180hp and 240Nm. It will be mated to an e-CVT transmission. The ZR-V will be a CBU product here and could have premium pricing here.
JSW Motors, JSW’s independent automotive business vertical will launch its first product, a badge-engineered version of the Jetour T2 iDM hybrid SUV, in India around festive season this year. It will have a plug-in hybrid powertrain that mates a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with dual electric motors and a 26.5kWh battery pack. The transmission here will be a 3-speed DHT (Dedicated Hybrid Transmission) unit. When launched, the T2 will have a different name and will compete with the Fortuner, Majestor and other such SUVs.
Mahindra is expected to launch the third member in the BE family this year. The BE range now has just two models BE6 and BE6 FE. The upcoming SUV will be the production form of BE.07 concept showcased previously. It will also be based on the INGLO platform and will likely use the same three battery packs- 59kWh, 70kWh and 79kWh- as the XEV 9S. This electric SUV is expected to have its ex-showroom prices in the ballpark of Rs 40 lakh.
Tata Motors is working on its first three-row electric SUV, the Safari.EV. It will rival the Mahindra XEV 9S when launched and will be based on the same Acti.EV+ architecture as the Harrier.EV. It is likely to borrow the same battery packs as well- 65kWh and 75 kWh. There are also rumours that a larger 80 kWh unit could be introduced on the AWD-equipped variants. Time remains before we get to learn more.
Tata Motors will enter the high-end luxury EV space with the Avinya range. ‘Avinya’ will be a family of electric vehicles and not a standalone model. At least five models are known to be in the works, codenamed P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5. These will launch between 2026 and 2030. The Avinya family will be underpinned by a localised version of Jaguar Land Rover’s EMA platform and will likely be offered with 70-90 kWh battery packs. Both Rear Wheel Drive and All Wheel Drive variants will be there.
JSW MG Motor India will also launch the IM6 electric SUV here. Expected to be out in October, the IM6 is likely to be priced in the ballpark of Rs 60 lakh. It will compete with the Hyundai IONIQ5. BYD Sealion 7, Tesla Model Y and Kia EV6. Both Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) configurations are likely to be brought to the Indian market. The RWD version has a 408hp single motor setup while the AWD version comes with a 750hp motor, capable of doing 0-100 kph sprint in just 3.4 seconds.