Name: Vinfast at 2025 Bharat Mobility Expo : VF3, VF6, VF7, VF8, VF9, VF e34 First Look Review
Uploaded: 2025-01-20T10:26:00.000Z

Brand Overview :&nbsp;Maruti as a car brand is considered as the brainchild of Sanjay Gandhi, the son of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He presented the concept of producing small cars for the Indian masses, which was endorsed by both the Planning Commission and the Government of India. After the approval, Sanjay Gandhi founded Maruti Motors Limited in August 1971, which was followed by the acquisition of 297 acres of land in Gurgaon.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
The first prototype of a car from Maruti Motors Limited was introduced in 1971 using a self-built chassis by Sanjay Gandhi and an engine from a Triumph motorcycle. A few production units were made at this factory before Sanjay Gandhi&rsquo;s involvement in active politics. However, the project faced a lot of roadblocks with events like Maruti&rsquo;s dissolution in 1978 and the untimely death of Sanjay Gandhi. 
However, the project got a fresh lease of life in April 1982 when the Government of India started talks with Suzuki of Japan in April 1982. The series of discussions between the two companies led to the formation joint venture between them, Maruti Udyog Limited, with the Government of India having the controlling stake and Suzuki having a 26 per cent stake in it back then. The first car to come out of Maruti Suzuki was the Maruti 800, a rebadged version of the Suzuki Fronte SS40.

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Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;Maruti Suzuki launched the Maruti 800 in December 1983 with its series production at its the-then only production plant in Gurgaon, which was followed by the launch and beginning of series production of the Maruti Omni (a rebadged version of Suzuki Van) in 1984. Suzuki garnered overwhelming bookings for both models, which led to an increase in production and the launch of its third product, the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy (a rebadged version of Suzuki Jimny SJ410), in 1985. In 1987, Maruti Suzuki started exporting cars to other countries, with the first lot of 500 units of Maruti 800 sent to Hungary. The increase in local demand and exports encouraged Maruti Suzuki to increase the production capacity of its Gurgaon plant to 1 lakh units per annum in 1988. The fourth model from the brand was Maruti 1000, the brand&rsquo;s first-ever sedan During the economic crisis in 1991, Maruti Suzuki faced constraints in securing investments, which forced it to seek foreign aid from Axiom Bank in Japan and start a new production line in Gurgaon to meet the demands. Following the liberalisation of the Indian economy in 1991, Suzuki increased its stake in the joint venture to 50 per cent, making the parent company Maruti Udyog Limited a 50:50 joint venture between the Government of India and Suzuki Motor Corporation. Maruti Suzuki later on launched its fifth model, the Zen, in 1993, followed by the replacement of the Maruti 1000 in the form of its more powerful iteration, the Esteem, in 1994. Following the production of its 1 millionth vehicle in 1994, Maruti Suzuki opened up its second manufacturing facility in Haryana in the same year to meet increased market demand. The later years of the 1990s saw the launches of new models like the all-new iterations of the Maruti 800 and Omni, Zen diesel, WagonR and Baleno sedan. Maruti Suzuki began the 21st century with major milestones like the foundation of Maruti True Value (a separate entity for authorised used car sales), a call centre for customer assistance and new product launches like Alto, Versa and Esteem diesel. In 2002, Suzuki Motor Corporation increased its stake in the joint venture to 54.2 per cent. With Maruti Udyog Limited going public in 2003, the Government of India exited the joint venture, making the Suzuki Motor Corporation the controlling stakeholder of the company. 
More product launches from Maruti Suzuki came in the form of Grand Vitara XL7, Swift and facelifts of Zen, WagonR and Esteem. With the implication of Bharat Stage III emission norms, newer models like Estilo, Ritz, SX4, A-Star, Swift Dzire and second-generation WagonR made their way into the Indian market in the later years of the 2000s. 
In February 2012, Maruti Suzuki sold its ten millionth vehicle in the country, followed by the production of its fifteen millionth vehicle in 2015. By this time, Maruti Suzuki had a market share of 45 per cent, becoming the biggest player in the Indian automobile industry in terms of production volumes. In April 2019, Maruti Suzuki announced the abolishment of diesel cars from its lineup, with an increased focus on petrol, hybrid, and CNG models.

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Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;Maruti Suzuki has the most versatile lineup of small cars in India. The entry-level range of Maruti Suzuki comprises compact hatchbacks like Alto K10, S-Presso, Celerio and WagonR, along with slightly more premium hatchbacks like Ignis, Swift and Baleno in the compact car range. Besides offering compact sedans like Dzire and Ciaz, Maruti Suzuki has increased its focus in the UV range recently, with SUVs like Fronx, Brezza, Jimny and Grand Vitara and MPVs like Ertiga, XL-6 and Invicto. Maruti Suzuki is believed to be working on its first all-electric offering, which is expected to be launched in India in the first half of 2025.

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Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;Maruti Suzuki started its journey in India as a maker of compact cars that scored high on key values like affordability, efficiency and reliability. It is the focus on these attributes that helped Maruti Suzuki become a household name among the Indian people, who wanted a car more as a necessity rather than a luxury. Even today, Maruti Suzuki is perceived as making reliable and fuel-efficient cars. However, with newer models, especially under its NEXA sub-brand, Maruti Suzuki has made a successful transition as a car brand for young buyers who want an aspirational and premium offering.

 
Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;Maruti Suzuki was one of the first car brands to introduce LPG and diesel models in compact car space, besides offering separate homegrown verticals for used car sales, customer care centres and insurance solutions. In recent years, Maruti Suzuki has managed to fill the space left vacant by diesel technology with newer models that have adapted to the latest developments in CNG and Hybrid technology. Maruti Suzuki is currently the pioneer of CNG and Hybrid vehicles in India, while also looking forward to switching to electric mobility with its first scheduled EV in early 2025.

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Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;Despite announcing its plans to venture into the electric mobility space, Maruti Suzuki has made its stand clear on the gradual transition from internal combustion engines to cleaner mobility solutions. Abolishing its plans to manufacture diesel vehicles in 2019, Maruti Suzuki announced that it will first focus on alternate solutions like CNG and Hybrid before transitioning fully to electric vehicles. Maruti Suzuki currently has a versatile lineup of CNG models like Alto K10, S-Presso, WagonR, Swift, Dzire, Baleno, Fronx, Ertiga, Grand Vitara and XL6 and Hybrid models like Grand Vitara and Invicto.

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Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;With the largest market share in the passenger vehicle category, Maruti Suzuki has made a significant mark in the Indian automobile industry as the biggest player in compact car space. It currently has the largest lineup of small-sized hatchbacks and SUVs, besides having a couple of compact sedans and MPVs too. All these models are competitively priced, making them hot favourites among both lower and upper-middle-class buyers. The traditional competitors of Maruti Suzuki in the Indian car market are Hyundai, Tata and Honda, with newer brands like Renault, Volkswagen, Skoda and Kia also giving competition in the premium compact car space.

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Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;The continued focus on key attributes like reliability, efficiency, low maintenance and cost-effectiveness has helped Maruti Suzuki lead the Indian car market for years. Given its increasing focus on more premium compact and midsize models and CNG and Hybrid technology, Maruti Suzuki is eyeing to continue its leadership in the following years.&nbsp;

Brand Overview :&nbsp;One of the largest carmakers in India, Tata Motors was already an established manufacturer of trucks, buses and commercial vehicles. With over 3,500 touchpoints, 250 dealerships and five manufacturing facilities across India, Tata Motors has the third largest sales and service network after Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai. The Indian carmaker has a prominent presence overseas as well, with assembly facilities in other Asian and African countries, with it having sales and service operations in European and Middle-East nations too. Tata Motors is a mass-market car and SUV brand which offers a wide range of compact cars and mid-size SUVs in the sub-Rs 40 lakh segment. It is also currently the country&rsquo;s largest maker of electric vehicles, a category which is considered the future of mobility around the world.

 
Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;While Tata Motors was an established name in the auto industry as a maker of heavy commercial vehicles, the homegrown brand entered the passenger vehicle category in 1991 with the Sierra, a three-door midsize SUV. A ladder-on-frame lifestyle SUV, the Tata Sierra was joined in 1992 by the Tata Estate station wagon, which was heavily inspired by the Mercedes-Benz W124 station wagon. Tata Motors was one of the first automakers in India to explore the potential of SUVs and MPVs in the country. In 1994, the Tata Sumo was launched, the brand&rsquo;s first-ever three-row MPV, and in 1998, the Tata Safari was introduced, the automaker&rsquo;s first three-row SUV.&nbsp;In 1999, Tata Motors launched its first-ever monocoque frame-based passenger car, the Indica hatchback, India&rsquo;s first-ever fully-indigenous passenger car. The Tata Indica became a hit due to its practicality and the option of a frugal diesel engine but suffered from quality niggles. Tata Motors was quick to address the initial concerns, and launched an updated version of the hatchback, the Indica V2, in 2000.&nbsp;In the first half of the 2010s, Tata Motors expanded its product lineup by launching multiple iterations of the Indica, including sedans like Indigo, Indigo XL (long wheelbase version of Indigo) and Indigo CS (sub-four-metre version of Indigo) and Indigo Marina station wagon. The lineup was also joined by new-generation cars like Indica Vista and Indigo Manza.&nbsp;Tata Motors also entered into a joint venture with Fiat for the distribution of Fiat cars like Punto and Linea through Tata&rsquo;s authorised outlets. This joint venture also allowed Tata Motors to have access to Fiat&rsquo;s diesel engine and transmission technologies.&nbsp;In 2008, Tata Motors grabbed headlines for a couple of reasons &ndash; the introduction of the Tata Nano, the then world&rsquo;s cheapest car and the acquisition of Jaguar-Land Rover for $2.3 billion. A slightly more premium version of the Nano, called Tata Nano Europa, was launched in a few global markets in 2010, whereas the exports of India-spec Tata Nano began in late 2009 in African countries. By this time, Tata Motors also expanded its footprint in Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam and the Philippines, while also launching the Tata Aria, the flagship three-row MPV.&nbsp;In 2014, Tata Motors updated its lineup by replacing the Indica Vista with the Tata Bolt, Indigo Manza with Tata Zest and Safari with the Safari Storme, followed by the launch of more new-generation products like Tiago, Tigor, Hexa, Nexon and Altroz in the duration between 2015 and 2020. It was during this time that Tata Motors also entered full-scale production of electric vehicles, becoming one of the first mainstream car brands in India to do so. 
 
Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;Tata Motors has one of the most versatile product lineups among all carmakers operating in India. The range starts with the Tiago hatchback and its sedan derivative, the Tigor, both of which are available in petrol and all-electric versions. Then there are compact SUVs like Punch and Nexon, along with the premium hatchback, the Tata Altroz. While the Nexon and Altroz are available in petrol and diesel versions, the Punch and Nexon are also available in electric versions. All these sub-four-metre cars from Tata Motors are also available with CNG variants. The lineup of mid-size SUVs from Tata Motors includes Curvv SUV-coupe, Harrier and Safari. While the Harrier and Safari are available only with a diesel engine, the Tata Curvv is offered with petrol, diesel and electric powertrains. 
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Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;Tata Motors made a masterstroke move by shifting its focus to making cars with strong build quality that are capable of withstanding big-impact crashes. The first big outcome of this move was the achievement of a commendable 5-star rating by Tata Nexon in crash tests conducted by Global NCAP, becoming the first made-in-India car to do so. Since then, Tata Motors has been rolling out safer cars &ndash; while Tiago and Tigor have secured 4-star ratings, the rest of the entire lineup has secured 5-star ratings in crash tests. Besides being high on safety and build quality, Tata cars and SUVs are also known for their spacious cabins, sturdy ride quality and well-tuned suspensions. In recent times, Tata Motors has also made its cars and SUVs available in several well-differentiated variants with thoughtfully integrated features in all of them. 
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Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;The initial Tata Motors cars and SUVs had reliable but crude petrol and diesel engines, which were low on refinement. The joint venture with Fiat helped Tata to offer a more durable 1.3-litre diesel engine for its range of compact cars, including Indica Vista, Indigo Manza, Bolt and Zest. However, with the arrival of Bolt and Zest, Tata Motors also introduced its new range of indigenously developed powertrains, the Revotron petrol and Revotorq diesel. This range was further expanded in new-generation cars like Tiago, Tigor, Nexon, Altroz and Punch in different sizes and variations.&nbsp;The new family of turbo-petrol and diesel engines have also debuted in the Tata Curvv SUV-Coupe. Meanwhile, the flagship Harrier and Safari continue to outsource their engine from Fiat and automatic transmission from Hyundai. 
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Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;Being India&rsquo;s largest carmaker in the space of electric mobility, Tata Motors has pioneered electric vehicles in the mass market passenger car space. With its current crop of compact EVs and its expansion plans of introducing electric midsize SUVs, Tata Motors is eyeing strengthening its position as the largest EV maker in India.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;With the shift towards making safer cars for India, the customer perception towards Tata Motors has also changed drastically. With best-in-class safety ratings, spacious cabins and equipment list, the Tata cars and SUVs have become top picks among several customers, helping Tata Motors to be one of the top four carmakers in India.&nbsp;The entry-level Tiago hatchback has small cars from Maruti Suzuki in its crosshairs, whereas the Tigor compact sedan and Altroz premium hatchback competition from Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Honda. Meanwhile, the monocoque SUVs including Punch, Nexon and Curvv face the most significant competition from multiple brands like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Mahindra, Honda, Toyota, MG, Kia, Renault, Citroen, Nissan, Volkswagen and Skoda. The flagship Harrier and Safari SUVs compete with similarly-priced SUVs from brands like Mahindra, Jeep and MG. 
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Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;While Tata Motors had a rough start in making passenger vehicles, the homegrown carmaker has come a long way and is now a prominent maker of modern cars high on safety and technology. With a keen focus on electric mobility and a well-diversified lineup of electric vehicles, Tata Motors has a bright future and a head-start among all carmakers.

Brand Overview :&nbsp;Mahindra &amp; Mahindra is one of the eight publicly listed companies of the Mahindra Group, one of the largest business conglomerates in India. While Mahindra is now known as a leading SUV maker, the company was established on 2nd October 1945 as a steel trading company. The company then started as Mahindra &amp; Mohammed, a joint venture between Kailash Chandra Mahindra, Jagdish Chandra Mahindra and Malik Ghulam Muhammad. 
However, in 1948, Muhammad left the joint venture and shifted to the then-newly-formed Pakistan. With this departure, the company was also renamed Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, with the two Mahindra brothers continuing with the ownership. The company shifted its interests in automobiles in 1954 when it started assembling the Willys Jeep in India under a licensed agreement. Despite Jeep&rsquo;s acquisition by American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1970, Mahindra continued to make licensed Jeep products in India under license from AMC and under license from Chrysler in 1987 after it took over Jeep&#39;s ownership. In the early 2000s, Mahindra started developing its product range under its self-developed research and development department, which led to its repositioning as a major utility vehicle manufacturer in India.

 
Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;Mahindra started its operations in 1954 as a maker of rebranded Jeep CJ3, popularly known as Willys Jeep, under a licensed agreement with Jeep. For this, a manufacturing facility was set up in Mumbai. In 1965, Mahindra entered into a partnership with Roplas India Limited to set up a production facility in Pimpri (Pune), where it started making fibre-glass bodies for the licensed versions of Jeep CJ. In 1979, Mahindra started the local assembly of four-cylinder diesel engines under a licensed agreement with Peugeot and a 4-speed manual transmission under a licensed agreement with Kia in 1982. Mahindra started offering this engine-gearbox combination in its MM range of off-roaders, which were redesigned versions of licensed Jeeps. Later on, the option of a 1.8-litre petrol engine sourced from Isuzu was introduced for the MM range.&nbsp;Mahindra had a decently successful run in the 1990s with the launch of four-wheel drive versions of Jeep CJ rebranded as Mahindra. It was in these years when Mahindra also introduced Commander, the restyled Jeep CJ versions which later on became highly successful in semi-urban and rural regions. Mahindra also expanded its lineup with more products like Classic (a lifestyle-oriented version of Jeep CJ), Voyager (a rebadged version of Mitsubishi Delica) and Major (an upgraded version of the Mahindra Commander). The early 2000s saw Mahindra launching Bolero and Scorpio, its first-ever indigenously-developed passenger vehicles that were also more urban-oriented than all of its previous products. In 2007, Mahindra partnered with Renault. This move witnessed the launch of a compact sedan Logan as the first and only product, before Renault&rsquo;s early exit from the partnership for a solo run in the Indian car market. The sedan was later on rebranded as Verito, which was joined by its hatchback version, the Verito Vibe. In 2008, Mahindra announced its expansion plans at the Delhi Auto Show, where it confirmed that it is working on a whole new range of five and seven-seater utility vehicles. It was in this year when Mahindra set up its first overseas production facilities in Egypt and Brazil, where it started assembling the Scorpio SUV through the CKD route. In 2009, Mahindra launched the Xylo three-row MPV, which was followed by the launch of XUV500 in 2011, its first-ever product based around a monocoque frame. During the early 2010s, Mahindra acquired Reva, a homegrown electric car brand, which saw the launch of Mahindra e2O, a heavily redesigned and re-engineered version of the Reva electric car. Mahindra decided to enter the sub-four metre compact SUV space with the Quanto, a truncated version of the Xylo, in 2014, which was joined by TUV300 in 2015.&nbsp;The lineup was then joined by KUV100 in 2016, which is Mahindra&rsquo;s smallest-ever monocoque SUV. During this time, Mahindra had also acquired Ssangyong, a Korean car maker. As a result, Ssangyong&rsquo;s flagship product, the Rexton SUV, was launched in India. Another key product of Ssangyong, the Tivoli compact SUV, was redesigned for the Indian market and was launched as XUV300 in 2019.&nbsp;

 
Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;Since its inception, Mahindra has primarily remained a manufacturer of SUVs and MPVs, barring the Verito, Verito Vibe and e2O compact cars. After the discontinuation of KUV100 and Verito, Mahindra has become a dominant player in compact and midsize MPV and SUV segments. The product range of Mahindra begins with compact MPVs and SUVs like Bolero, Bolero Neo and XUV3XO. The lineup of midsize SUVs from Mahindra includes Thar, Thar Roxx, Scorpio Classic, Scorpio-N and XUV700, which garner the majority of sales for Mahindra. In addition, Mahindra also has a couple of MPVs like Bolero Neo Plus and Marazzo and the all-electric XUV400, a re-engineered version of the erstwhile-available XUV300.&nbsp;

 
Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;Mahindra might have started as a manufacturer of rugged and bare-bones utility vehicles. However, over the years, the homegrown UV brand has managed to uplift its image as an aspirational brand, which is now looked upon even by urban audiences. In the process, it hasn&rsquo;t diluted its core strength of having a great sense of ruggedness and reliability in its products, which seem fit for the Indian conditions. 
The relatively utilitarian products like Bolero, Bolero Neo, Bolero Neo Plus and Scorpio Classic continue to be top picks in semi-urban and rural regions. At the same time, the other new-generation midsize SUVs have made a remarkable presence in both urban and rural regions, while also helping Mahindra in increasing its sales numbers exponentially.&nbsp;

 
Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;In its earlier days, Mahindra used to make Peugeot-sourced engines and Kia-sourced transmissions for its rebranded iterations of the bare-bones Jeep C3. However, when Mahindra began its expansion plans in the 2000s and 2010s, it came up with the mHawk series of diesel engines, a heavily-reengineered version of the 2.2-litre diesel engine from Austria-based AVL.&nbsp;While the 2.2-litre mHawk still remains the mainstay for Mahindra for its midsize SUVs, Mahindra also came up with a three-cylinder version of the same, named mHawk80, for its compact utility vehicles. In the late 2010s, Mahindra introduced the mStallion range of turbocharged petrol engines for its urban compact and midsize SUVs.&nbsp;

 
Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;Mahindra is also one of the first automakers to actively participate in the electric mobility space for passenger vehicles. Besides selling e2O after the acquisition of Reva and e-Verito in the past, Mahindra currently has XUV400 in its electric vehicle lineup. The UV specialist has already announced its plans to launch more electric vehicles under the newly-formed BE sub-brand, which will have born-electric models with skateboard electric architecture.

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Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;The Indian consumers perceive Mahindra primarily as a maker of rugged utility vehicles, both SUVs and MPVs, which are known to have authoritative road presence, powerful performance and excellent reliability. The rising popularity of SUVs in recent years saw Mahindra becoming a dominant force in the Indian car market, with it consistently ranking as one of the top five auto brands in India. The urban midsize SUV range of Mahindra competes with similarly-priced monocoque SUVs from other carmakers like Tata, MG and Jeep. Besides, the XUV3XO compact SUV has a host of rivals from almost all the mass-market car brands, including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata, Kia, Honda, Renault, Nissan, Skoda and Volkswagen. Meanwhile, rugged entry-level utility vehicles like Bolero, Bolero Neo and Bolero Neo Plus have no direct competition in India.&nbsp;

 
Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;Over the years, Mahindra has built up a solid reputation as a car brand instrumental in the growth of the manufacturing sector of India, while also emerging as a large-scale SUV maker. With the public interest in SUVs and electric vehicles only to rise in the coming years, Mahindra seems to be on the right path with its product and technology expansion plans.

Brand Overview :&nbsp;One of the biggest automakers in the world, Toyota entered the Indian market officially towards the end of the 21st century with a joint venture with Kirloskar Group &ndash; 89 per cent held by Toyota Motor Corporation and 11 per cent held by Kirloskar Group. The Japanese carmaker has pioneered the concept of hybrid vehicles and comfortable and premium three-row people-mover MPVs in India. 
Known for its range of reliable and long-lasting products, Toyota currently has two manufacturing facilities in Bidadi, Karnataka, and also has a strategic partnership with Maruti Suzuki for product and technology sharing in India. 
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Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;While Toyota officially entered India in 1997, the first car to roll out of its production facility in Karnataka was the Qualis MPV, which was launched in 2000. Soon after its launch, the Toyota Qualis captured 20 per cent of the MPV market share and scripted a successful debut for Toyota in India. The Japanese carmaker later on expanded its product lineup by launching the Camry in 2002, the Corolla in 2003 and the Land Cruiser Prado in 2004.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
While the Qualis was still having a successful run in the Indian car market, Toyota replaced it with the much more modern Innova in 2005, which was based on an all-new platform. The Innova scripted an even bigger success story for Toyota in India. Based on the same IMV platform, Toyota introduced the Fortuner SUV in 2009, which also became another blockbuster for it in India. In 2010, Toyota launched the Prius, one of the first hybrid vehicles to be officially launched in India. 
While Toyota was having a runaway success in the premium segments, it decided to enter the mass market compact car segment with the Etios compact sedan in 2010. For this new project, Toyota expanded its production capacity by opening up a new second manufacturing plant and creating more jobs. Based on the same platform, two more models &ndash; Etios Liva hatchback and Etios Cross crossover hatchback were launched in the following years. 
Toyota also entered the motorsport scene in India with the Etios Motor Racing Series in 2012, which was a one-make racing series with purpose-built Etios cars with inputs from the Toyota Racing Department (TRD). Toyota also entered the luxury segment by bringing its Lexus brand to India officially in 2017. 
It was in 2017 when Toyota entered into a strategic partnership with Suzuki for the Indian market, when both companies agreed on model and powertrain sharing technologies, especially for hybrid and electric models. Under this partnership, Toyota has launched several rebadged Maruti Suzuki models between 2019 and 2024. It also launched the Yaris sedan in 2018, which found relatively less success in India. 
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Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;The supremely versatile product lineup of Toyota in India is currently divided into two categories &ndash; the mass-market cars shared with Maruti Suzuki and the premium lineup consisting of global products from Toyota. In the mass market category, Toyota is currently selling a host of rebadged Maruti Suzuki models like Glanza (a rebadged Baleno), Urban Cruiser (a rebadged Vitara Brezza), Urban Cruiser Hyryder (a rebadged Grand Vitara), Rumion (a rebadged Ertiga) and Urban Cruiser Taisor (a rebadged Fronx). 
Toyota has managed to maintain undisputed leadership in the MPV category with the Innova Crysta and Innova Hycross and the full-size SUV segment with the Fortuner. Besides these products, Toyota also has niche products like the Hilux lifestyle pickup, Camry, Vellfire luxury MPV and Land Cruiser LC300 full-size luxury SUV. 
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Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;If there is one aspect in which Toyota has built up a solid reputation, it is the reliability of its cars. Toyota cars and utility vehicles are known to last much longer than common human perceptions. Many customers of Toyota in India have clocked lakhs of kilometres in their cars without major problems and concerns, a testimony to the quality and reliability of the Toyota badge in India. Besides reliability, Toyota is also known to deliver a wholesome quality experience in after-sales service, with hassle-free service tasks and affordable service costs. 
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Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;Toyota was one of the pioneers of hybrid technology in passenger vehicles, with its Prius being the world&rsquo;s first hybrid car. In India too, Toyota is advocating hybrid technology for passenger cars, while also developing all-electric vehicles simultaneously. Currently, Toyota has the most versatile lineup of hybrid cars in India, including Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Innova Hycross, Camry and Vellfire. 
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Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;While Toyota is currently relying on hybrid technology, it is also developing a new series of fully electric cars. In India, Toyota is developing a range of electric vehicles in collaboration with Maruti Suzuki, with the first one of the partnership being a soon-to-be-launched midsize electric SUV. 
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Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;Toyota has consistently ranked high in customer satisfaction and quality index, which is a key reason behind its massive success and customer trust &ndash; not only in India but in all other parts of the world too. With its range of compact cars like Glanza, Urban Cruiser Taisor, Rumion and Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Toyota is competing in the mass market segment with all other mainstream brands like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Citroen, Honda, Kia, Tata, Nissan, Renault, Volkswagen, Skoda and Mahindra. 
While the MPVS &ndash; Innova Crysta and Innova Hycross &ndash; have no direct rivals, they do compete with the three-row SUVs from brands like Mahindra, MG, Tata and Jeep. The Toyota Hilux has the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross as the only competitor, while the Camry sedan takes on the likes of affordable entry-level sedans from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The range-topping luxury models &ndash; Vellfire and Land Cruiser LC300 &ndash; also compete with premium luxury full-size SUVs from German brands and Land Rover. 
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Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;While Toyota has followed a conservative approach to the Indian market by not bringing many of its popular global models to India, it still has found massive success with all of its products in the country, barring a couple of exceptions. With a focused approach to hybrid technology and promising developments towards electric mobility, Toyota has a sure-footed plan of action.

Brand Overview :&nbsp;One of the latest carmakers in India, Kia is a renowned and well-recognised car brand from South Korea. Owned by another South Korean car brand Hyundai, Kia operates individually in the Indian car market by sharing platforms and powertrains with Hyundai, just like how it operates in other parts of the world. Kia debuted in India in 2019 and has been a steady performer as a brand solely focusing on SUVs, MPVs and halo electric offerings. 
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Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;The stone of the foundation of Kia India Private Limited was laid on 19th May 2017, when the Korean car maker announced setting up a new manufacturing facility in Anantapuram, Andhra Pradesh. At the 2018 Auto Expo, Kia made a grand debut in India by showcasing its SP2i concept car, which was announced as the base for its first car for the Indian car market. 
In 2019, Kia launched the Seltos, its first-ever offering for the Indian car market, which was based on the SP2i concept car. The launch of Seltos was followed by Carnival, a premium luxury MPV, in the same year, and Sonet, a smaller compact SUV in the sub-four-metre SUV category, in 2020. 
In 2021, Kia further expanded its value-oriented lineup with the Carens three-row MPV, which shares its platform with the Seltos SUV. Kia also brought its halo offering, the EV6 electric grand tourer, in 2022, which made it the first-ever CBU offering from Kia in India. 
In 2023, Kia updated its lineup by launching the heavily facelifted versions of Seltos and Sonet SUVs. And in 2024, Kia announced the launch of an all-new Carnival and EV9 flagship electric SUV, both of which are brought to India via the CBU route. 
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Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;Since its announcement for the Indian car market in 2017, Kia has affirmed its stand on offering only SUVs and MPVs for the Indian car market. Kia currently has a well-diversified lineup of utility vehicles &ndash; both locally manufactured and fully-imported. 
The models from Kia that are locally manufactured in India are the Sonet sub-four-metre SUV, Seltos compact SUV and Carens compact MPV. There are three CBU models that are sold through selected Kia dealerships &ndash; Carnival luxury MPV, EV6 electric grand tourer and EV9 flagship three-row electric SUV. 
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Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;Kia debuted in the Indian car market when the sentiments and conceptions of people in car buying decisions were changing drastically. With its debut in the Seltos, which arrived with much fanfare by offering several new-age features and well-differentiated powertrain options, Kia spoilt the customers with choices and premium appeal, which were never seen before in the compact SUV segment. 
Kia followed the same approach for its two other mass-market models, Sonet and Carens, which gave middle-class family-oriented car buyers choices of having much more premium and fancier cars at affordable prices. By offering many premium and segment-first features and best-in-class powertrain options in mass-market cars, Kia raised the expectations of the general car-buying public from affordable cars and SUVs. 
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Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;When the Seltos was launched in 2019, Kia became the first-ever carmaker to offer the option of a turbocharged petrol engine in a premium compact SUV space. Kia also provided the options of turbocharged petrol engines in Sonet and Carens as well, thereby offering the customers versatile powertrain options. These mass-market offerings from Kia are also instrumental in making premium features like ventilated seats, wireless chargers, in-car connectivity features, telematics, head-up display, sunroof and powered driver&rsquo;s seat quite mainstream in affordable cars. 
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Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;Globally, Kia is one of the pioneers of electric mobility in luxury segments, with the EV6 and EV9 from its global portfolio getting enough recognition among Indian audiences as well. By offering the EV6 and EV9 in India, Kia is positioning itself as a brand that is open to exploring new opportunities in the electric mobility segment. Kia, along with its parent brand Hyundai, is already developing a compact electric SUV and MPV on the same platform, which is rumoured to arrive in 2025. 
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Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;The game-changing move of spoiling the Indian car audience with several premium modern features has worked for Kia in India, which has helped position Kia as a more premium and aspiration brand among its peers. The compact SUV offerings &ndash; Sonet and Seltos &ndash; are the best-equipped products when compared to their competitors from brands like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata, Mahindra, Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen, Skoda, MG, Renault, Nissan and Citroen. The Carens is also considered a more premium offering when compared to compact MPVs from Maruti Suzuki, Toyota and Mahindra. 
Meanwhile, all of its CBU offerings &ndash; Carnival, EV6 and EV9 &ndash; are in a league of their own, with no direct rivals. However, the EV6 is considered an alternative to the compact electric luxury SUVs from Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volvo. Meanwhile, the EV9 is also a similarly-priced alternative to full-size electric luxury SUVs from Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. 
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Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;By focusing on offering premium, desirable and feature-rich SUVs and MPVs, Kia is one of those carmakers in India which has managed to understand the latest trends and customer requirements from modern vehicles. With a continued approach of offering advanced halo electric vehicles, Kia is also paving a smooth path for its more affordable electric vehicles in the future.

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Brand Overview :&nbsp;Honda is one of the biggest Japanese carmakers that ventured into the Indian car market in the late 1990s when the Indian auto industry was witnessing the arrival of many global auto giants. A carmaker known for making refined, reliable and durable petrol cars and UVs, Honda has earned a solid reputation as a trustable and reliable carmaker in its legacy of around three decades in India. 
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Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;Honda began its operations in India in 1995 as Honda Siel Cars India, which was a joint venture between Honda Motor Company Limited and Usha International. Under this joint venture, a manufacturing facility was set up in Greater Noida. Spread over 150 acres, the first manufacturing facility of Honda began operations in 1997. 
The first car to roll out of this manufacturing facility from Honda was the first-generation City sedan. Launched at the 1998 Auto Expo, the Honda City became an instant hit due to its Japanese engineering excellence and premium appeal in the compact sedan category. 
In the following decade, Honda expanded its lineup in India by introducing many of its global models like Accord, Civic, CR-V and Jazz in the Indian market. Meanwhile, the Honda City also dwelled further with its second and third-generation models in the coming years. During this time, Honda also tried its hands with the Civic Hybrid, its first-ever hybrid car for India. 
Honda began the 2010s with the launch of the Brio hatchback, the smallest and most affordable car from Honda in India to cash in the demand for small cars in India. In 2012, Honda Motor Company Limited acquired the 3.16 per cent stake of Usha International in the joint venture and renamed the Indian arm of the company Honda Cars India Limited. 
At a time when diesel car sales in India peaked in 2012-2013, Honda introduced its first-ever diesel-powered car, the Amaze compact sedan, which was also launched with a petrol engine. Honda introduced the fourth-generation City in 2014, which was followed by new-generation models of the Accord and CR-V. It was at this time when Honda opened its second manufacturing facility in Tapukara, Rajasthan, which is spread over 450 acres. 
In 2015, Honda explored more opportunities in the compact MPV space with the Mobilio and BR-V. At the same time, Honda also introduced the facelifted versions of Brio and Amaze and launched the all-new generation models of Jazz and Accord Hybrid. 
When the craze for compact SUVs was just beginning, Honda launched the rugged-looking crossover version of the Jazz, the WR-V. At a time when the D-segment of sedans was almost dead, Honda decided to revive it by launching the all-new Civic in 2019, besides also launching the new-generation model of CR-V at the same time. 
The launch of the fifth-generation City was a landmark moment for Honda in 2020, but due to a decline in the overall sales of automobiles in the aftermath of COVID-19, Honda shut down its manufacturing facility at Greater Noida, while continuing with the Tapukara plant. 
During the transition to BS6 stage-2 emission norms, Honda revived its lineup and shrunk it to only a handful of models, discontinuing more than half of its models. Given the rising demand for premium compact SUVs, Honda also ventured into the space by launching the Elevate in 2023. 
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Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;From a carmaker which offered a wide range of products ranging from an entry-level compact hatchback to a premium midsize sedan and SUV, Honda&rsquo;s product lineup in India has been reduced to only a handful of models. Currently, Honda has three different models in India &ndash; the Amaze compact sedan, the City premium compact sedan and the Elevate premium compact SUV. 
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Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;Despite the decline in sales of Honda cars in India, people have always looked up to Honda as a premium and aspirational brand. When the Japanese carmaker arrived in India in the late 1990s, it was perceived as a &lsquo;luxury brand for the masses&rsquo;, when the Indian audience had limited exposure to the best of global automotive engineering. With the City sedan in the compact sedan space, Indian mass-market car buyers got an option of a refined, premium and well-built sedan in an affordable price range. 
With more global models arriving in the coming years, the reputation of Honda as a premium brand for the Indian mass market car buyers remained intact. Despite the fact that Honda&rsquo;s portfolio is not as versatile as it was once upon a time, that perception of Honda as a premium brand offering reliable and quality products hasn&rsquo;t faded away from the minds of Indians. 
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Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;Honda is always credited for offering one of the best petrol powertrain technologies in mass-market car buyers, with its i-VTEC range of naturally-aspirated petrol engines, which included 1.2-litre, 1.5-litre, 1.8-litre and 2.4-litre engines. Apart from offering world-class petrol powertrain technology with the i-VTEC, Honda is also one of the first beneficiaries of hybrid technology with the hybrid versions of Civic and Accord in the past and City Hybrid in the current times. 
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Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;Honda is one of the advocates of hybrid technology for cars in India, with the City sedan continuing the momentum for hybrid cars in the country. However, the company seems to be changing its approach from hybrid to pure electric vehicles in India. This move was evident when Honda decided to launch the Elevate as a petrol-only SUV and not offer a hybrid powertrain, despite it offering a suitable hybrid powertrain already in the City sedan. Honda is readying the all-electric version of the Elevate, while it has also indicated the launch of more electric vehicle models soon. 
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Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;With its current range of petrol-only models &ndash; Amaze, City and Elevate, Honda has managed to retain the perception of a trusted Japanese carmaker which has stuck to its grounds of not compromising with quality, reliability and technological excellence. 
The Amaze competes with Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata in the compact space, whereas the City has rivals from Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Volkswagen and Skoda in the premium compact sedan category. Meanwhile, the Elevate SUV has a host of competitors from almost all mass-market brands, including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Kia, Mahindra, Volkswagen, Skoda and Citroen. 
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Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;From a carmaker that enjoyed a rich legacy in the earlier years of the 2010s, Honda seems to have lost the race and hasn&rsquo;t been able to keep up with the changing trends of the auto industry in India. However, being a global giant which has a rich research and development facility and excellence in making products, which have proven their mettle in the past, there are expectations from Honda for the coming years in India with more new-age products.

Brand Overview :&nbsp;Morris Garages, better known by its short abbreviation MG, is a British car brand that&rsquo;s now owned by the Chinese auto giant SAIC Motor. With a manufacturing facility in Halol (Gujarat) and headquartered in Gurugram, MG operates in India in a joint venture with JSW Group. Most of the MG cars sold in India are rebadged versions of models from Baojun, Maxus and Wuling, the Chinese auto brands that belong to SAIC Motor. 
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Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;The news of the arrival of MG in India was floating at the same time as General Motors announced the decision to quit the Indian car market. In 2017, the parent brand of MG, SAIC Motor, set up its subsidiary as MG Motor India Pvt Ltd in India and acquired the manufacturing facility of General Motors at Halol, Gujarat. 
In 2019, MG announced that it would be starting its sales operations in India with the Hector mid-size SUV, which was launched in July 2019. After an overwhelming response to the Hector, MG added the ZS EV electric SUV in the same year in December. 
While SAIC Motor was planning to allocate $650 million for further investments for MG in India, the rising border tensions between India and China in 2020 forced the Indian Government to restrict funding from Chinese corporations and entities in India. However, MG tried to expand its operations in India by launching new products across segments, including Hector Plus (three-row version of Hector), Gloster full-size SUV, Astor premium compact SUV and Comet EV. 
Further restrictions and norms introduced by the Indian Government to curb Chinese investments forced SAIC Motor to reduce its shareholding in MG Motor India Pvt Ltd. In 2023, SAIC decided to overhaul the joint venture, with new partner JSW Group stepping in with a 35 per cent stake. The remaining shares were divided between SAIC Motor, IndoEdge India Fund, dealer trust and employee stock ownership plan. However, SAIC Motor still has the largest stake of 49 per cent in the newly-formed company, which is now known as JSW MG Motor India Pvt Ltd. 
As an aftermath of the revised joint venture, MG showcased the Cyberster electric sportscar in 2024, while also announcing the strategic opening of a premium retail chain for selected premium models in the coming years. MG also expanded its EV lineup with the launch of Windsor EV in September 2024. 
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Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;MG primarily focuses on SUVs and electric vehicles for the Indian car market, since these are the two most talked-about vehicle segments in India. The SUV lineup of MG comprises Astor premium compact SUV, Hector and Hector Plus mid-size SUVs and Gloster full-size SUVs. MG also has a versatile lineup of electric vehicles, which starts with Comet EV micro city car, Windsor EV crossover hatchback and ZS EV premium compact SUV. 
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Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;MG was one of the first carmakers to start the trend of offering gazillions of modern features in cars to tempt the urban car-buying audience. With the Hector, MG initiated the trend of connected car features and popularised voice command operated functions, which later on was followed by other car companies for even compact vehicle models. 
MG was also the first brand to offer a panoramic sunroof in a mass-market model, which has also become a much-preferred car feature in India nowadays. Besides cashing on its success rate of offering best-in-class comfort and convenience features, MG is also known for its versatile electric vehicles, which have grown in popularity in recent times for their ability to make urban driving easier and more affordable. 
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Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;MG has pioneered the concept of connected car features, by offering tech-based connectivity features in its vehicles. For this, MG has tied with several third-party companies, such as Gaana and JioSaavn for music, MapMyIndia for navigation and so on. MG has also partnered with third-party vendors to set up charging infrastructure for electric vehicles across India, making it one of the pioneers in the business. 
&nbsp; 
Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;In 2020, Skoda decided to ditch diesel powertrain technology for its vehicles offered in India to have a complete reliance on turbo-petrol engines for a cleaner future. However, Skoda is actively studying the feasibility of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure in India, The Czech car brand has already testing the Enyaq iV born-electric SUV in India for quite some time, which is expected to be officially launched in India in 2025. Skoda is also known to be developing a compact electric car as its next-generation mass-market EV for India. 
&nbsp; 
Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;MG had a stellar debut in India with the Hector and has enjoyed decent success with the ZS EV. However, the rest of the lineup has only received a lukewarm response amidst the rising competition. The entry-level Comet EV has the Tata Tiago EV as a direct rival, while the Astor has a long list of competitors from Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Toyota, Tata, Mahindra, Kia, Renault, Nissan and Citroen. 
With the Hector and Hector Plus, MG is also marking its presence in the mid-size SUV segment, which is currently dominated by Tata, Mahindra and Jeep. Meanwhile, the Gloster has an undisputable competition from the Toyota Fortuner. Also, while the Windsor EV is a direct rival to the Tata Nexon EV and Mahindra XUV400, the MG ZS EV competes with the Tata Curvv EV and Hyundai Kona EV. 
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Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;After a few roadblocks, the MG-JSW partnership has once again instilled a fresh lease of life in MG&rsquo;s Indian innings. What started with the Hector as a move to offer the latest tech and trendy features is now being followed by other MG offerings. With a keen focus on expanding its operations in electric mobility, MG is eyeing to capture a larger share of the Indian auto industry in the coming years.

Brand Overview :&nbsp;The first mass-market European brand to arrive in India, Skoda has a long-standing legacy of more than two decades in India. The renowned Czech car brand entered India in 2001, and since then, has been delivering high-quality products with the fine touch of German engineering in every aspect. With iconic success stories like Octavia and Superb, Skoda has a good brand recall and has brought premium European appeal to mass-market cars all these years. 
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Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;Skoda became the first brand from the Volkswagen conglomerate to officially enter the Indian market. The Czech car brand entered India in 2001, with a dedicated manufacturing facility at Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The first car officially launched by Skoda in India, and also the first car to be made officially at this manufacturing facility was the first-generation Octavia in 2001. 
After a successful debut with the first-generation Octavia in India, Skoda introduced the first-generation Superb, its global flagship model, in India in 2004. The midsize luxury car was positioned above the Octavia as a more premium offering for those who wanted a more luxurious proposition than the Octavia. 
Skoda launched the second-generation Octavia as &lsquo;Laura&rsquo; in 2005 in India, and continued to sell it alongside the first-generation Octavia in India, as it was still raking in good numbers for the Czech car brand. The Laura was positioned between the Octavia and Superb as a more premium and modern alternative to the Octavia. During this time, Skoda also launched the Octavia Combi, a station wagon variant of the Octavia sedan. 
In 2008, Skoda ventured into the compact car category with the Fabia hatchback, its smallest and most affordable car in India to date. The Fabia was a premium hatchback with several bells and whistles that were unheard of in a small car at those times, due to which it was positioned at a premium over all other small cars. 
Skoda expanded its Indian lineup in 2010 by launching its first-ever SUV in the country, the Yeti, which was also one of the first premium compact SUVs in the country. The Fabia was joined by Skoda Rapid in 2011, which spearheaded Skoda&rsquo;s volumes in the Indian car market for the next decade. The following years saw the launch of newer generation models of Octavia and Superb. 
In 2017, Skoda launched the Kodiaq, its global flagship SUV, in India, which was positioned as a premium alternative in the mid-size three-row SUV category. Skoda also launched the fourth-generation Octavia in 2019, and in 2020, the brand decided to discontinue all of its diesel-powered cars to focus primarily on turbocharged petrol vehicles. As a stop-gap measure, Skoda also sold the Karoq SUV as a CBU import for a brief duration between 2020 and 2021. 
In 2021, under the India 2.0 initiative, Skoda launched the Kushaq premium compact SUV, followed by the launch of the Slavia sedan on the same platform in 2022. These were the first two cars manufactured by Skoda in India for the world, ensuring the European brand&rsquo;s commitment to India. 
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Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;The product lineup of Skoda is divided into two categories &ndash; premium compact and mid-size imports. The premium compact offerings are the Kushaq SUV and Slavia sedan, which are manufactured at Skoda&rsquo;s production facility in Aurangabad. On the other hand, the mid-size offerings from Skoda &ndash; Kodiaq SUV and Superb sedan &ndash; are brought to India through the CBU route. 
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Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;Like its global parent brand, Volkswagen, Skoda also has a reputation for making sturdy, well-built cars, which are known to have terrific build quality and well-engineered powertrains and other mechanicals. Due to these reasons, Skoda has always been a preferred brand by driving enthusiasts, who enjoy driving. 
Right from the Fabia hatchback to the Kodiaq SUV, all Skoda cars have been premium offerings in their respective segments, offering world-class engines, solid build quality and premium features. While they are priced at a premium over their Asian and American competitors, the Skoda cars justify their premium positioning with their typical European engineering prowess. 
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Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;Skoda was the first car to introduce the concept of turbocharged petrol engines in India with the first-generation Octavia vRS. Since then, turbocharged petrol engines have become much more mainstream, and now can be found even in compact hatchbacks, sedans and SUVs. The use of world-class, ultra-responsive 7-speed DSG (dual-clutch automatic) transmissions further enhanced the technological excellence of Skoda cars in India. Currently, all the Skoda vehicles available in India feature best-in-class turbocharged petrol engines. 
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Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;In 2020, Skoda decided to ditch diesel powertrain technology for its vehicles offered in India to have a complete reliance on turbo-petrol engines for a cleaner future. However, Skoda is actively studying the feasibility of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure in India, The Czech car brand has already testing the Enyaq iV born-electric SUV in India for quite some time, which is expected to be officially launched in India in 2025. Skoda is also known to be developing a compact electric car as its next-generation mass-market EV for India. 
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Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;Along with Volkswagen, Skoda is also perceived as a desirable European brand which offers high-quality products with tough build quality, premium fit and finish inside-out and a solid choice of powertrains and transmissions. 
With the Slavia, Skoda is keeping the momentum of compact sedans still rolling, with other carmakers like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Honda and Volkswagen. Meanwhile, the Kushaq is one of the several premium compact SUVs from other carmakers like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, Kia, Volkswagen, Mahindra and Citroen. The CBU offerings &ndash; Kodiaq and Superb &ndash; have limited but well-heeled competition from more premium European brands like BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. 
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Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;While Skoda cars are usually more premium while buying and maintaining over their direct alternatives, they justify it with their top-notch quality and quintessential German engineering levels. With increased focus on localisation and compact car segments and EV plans in foresight, Skoda seems to be on the right path.

Not many know that Ford has been present in the Indian car market since 1995! They had initially tied up with Mahindra and the company was termed as &lsquo;Mahindra Ford India Limited&rsquo; - cars like Escort and the Ikon were launched under this JV. However, with time, Ford parted ways and went onto get cars like the Figo, Aspire, Endeavour and the very successful EcoSport. Reports now suggest that the Ford-Mahindra JV is once again in place and we could expect future products to use engineering expertise from both the companies. Ford continues to make cars that are high in quality and safety levels and come with assured after-sales peace of mind. The &ldquo;kuch family jaisi feeling&rdquo; campaign has been pushed well for the past few years and seems to be working well with new consumers.

Brand Overview : One of the world&rsquo;s largest car brands, Volkswagen, has existed in India as a standalone brand since 2007. The German auto giant is often credited for bringing premium appeal and build quality of more expensive luxury cars in affordable car-buying audiences. Volkswagen is also preferred by driving enthusiasts, for its vehicles are considered to be true drivers&rsquo; delight, thanks to the excellent engineering of their powertrains and chassis. 
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Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;After over half a decade of introducing the Skoda brand in India, Volkswagen Group launched the parent brand in 2007, along with Audi as the premium luxury brand. As a part of the launch of Volkswagen in India, a manufacturing facility for it was inaugurated at Chakan near Pune, Maharashtra. 
The first car launched by Volkswagen in India, which was also the first model to roll out of Volkswagen&rsquo;s manufacturing facility in Pune, was the Passat premium midsize sedan in 2007. It was followed by the launch of another midsize sedan Jetta, which was positioned below the Passat as a smaller and more affordable sedan offering than Passat. 
In 2009, Volkswagen introduced two iconic models in India&mdash;the Beetle and the Touareg SUV &mdash;to expand its product lineup and benefit from its global image. Both were brought to India through the CBU route. 
The big breakthrough for Volkswagen came in 2010 when Volkswagen launched Polo compact hatchback and Vento compact sedan. Both these models were crucial for Volkswagen in establishing the brand as a mass-oriented player, an attempt in which it succeeded with these two locally manufactured models. 
With these two models, Volkswagen managed to offer its trademark German build quality and finesse at more affordable price points. It was in 2010 when Volkswagen also launched the Phaeton full-size luxury sedan through the CBU route, which to date remains the most expensive Volkswagen car ever sold in India. 
In 2011, Volkswagen updated the Passat and Jetta by bringing in their new-generation models, followed by the facelifts for Polo and Vento in the next four years. In 2015, Volkswagen also brought the all-new Beetle, and in 2016, it was joined by another fully-imported hatchback, the Polo GTI. In 2016, Volkswagen also introduced the Ameo compact sedan to mark its presence in the sub-four-metre compact sedan space. 
The year 2017 marked the discontinuation of Jetta and the launch of the new-generation Passat and Tiguan SUV, while the Polo and Vento continued to spearhead the volumes with minor updates. In 2020, during the BS6 transition, Volkswagen decided to not use diesel powertrains in any of its vehicles. At this time, to keep the momentum rolling, Volkswagen also launched the T-Roc compact SUV and Tiguan AllSpace mid-size SUV, which were introduced as the brand&rsquo;s stop-gap measure in the Indian car market. 
Post the discontinuation of two of its highest-selling modes, Polo and Vento, in 2022, Volkswagen replaced them with the all-new Taigun compact SUV and Virtus compact sedan, along with the heavily updated Tiguan facelift. 
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Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;At one point in time, its product lineup of Volkswagen was quite rich, comprising a good mix of locally manufactured and fully imported halo offerings. However, at present, Volkswagen only has three models in its Indian market lineup &ndash; Taigun, Virtus, and Tiguan, all of which are locally made in India. 
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Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;At a time when mass-market carmakers were resorting to cost-cutting attempts in build quality, Volkswagen decided to stick to its principles and not compromise with the typical German build quality for its affordable products. The locally manufactured models had the same levels of build quality and fit and finish levels as their halo CBU offerings, which was unusual in the Indian car market. 
Sticking to these principles meant that Volkswagen products are generally more expensive than their direct rivals, and are also relatively more expensive to maintain. However, the durability, sturdiness and long-lasting appeal of Volkswagen cars, along with their fine-tuned driving dynamics, made them a favourite among driving enthusiasts. 
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Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;With the Polo GT, Volkswagen was one of the first carmakers to introduce a turbocharged petrol engine in the compact car space. It was also the first hatchback to get a dual-clutch automatic transmission, which was earlier restricted only to luxury sedans and SUVs. These two technologies were retained in other Volkswagen models in the following years, making it the pioneer in modern technology. 
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Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;Volkswagen was one of the first carmakers to shy away from diesel technology for its powertrains, to gradually shift towards cleaner mobility solutions. While Volkswagen is currently relying on turbocharged petrol engines, it has plans to introduce electric vehicles in the coming years. Volkswagen has already hinted that it will be launching the ID.4 electric crossover in India in 2025, which will be followed by a mass-market electric vehicle in the following years. 
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Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;Mass-market car customers consider Volkswagen as one of the most premium car brands among the other brands in the same space. While Volkswagens have a general perception of being relatively pricier to buy and maintain, they also justify the premium with their strong build quality and advanced powertrains. 
Currently, the Volkswagen Virtus competes with sedan offerings from Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Skoda, whereas the Volkswagen Taigun has a host of rivals from all major brands, including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata, Toyota, Honda, MG, Citroen, Skoda and Mahindra. Meanwhile, the Volkswagen Tiguan has limited rivals from Hyundai, Citroen, Jeep and Skoda.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;A car brand that literally translates to &lsquo;people&rsquo;s car&rsquo; in German, Volkswagen is widely preferred as a mass brand for the upper-middle-class car-buying crowd. By offering world-class build quality and fit and finish levels reminiscent of typical premium German cars, Volkswagen is the benchmark of premium-ness in affordable car categories.

Brand Overview :&nbsp;Jeep is the driving brand of FCA India Automobiles Pvt Ltd in India after the brand pulled the plug on the Fiat brand in the country. Having a rich legacy in making premium and rugged SUVs, this American SUV brand entered India in 2016 and has been focusing on offering world-class SUVs to the Indian masses. Jeep currently has five models in its Indian lineup and a manufacturing facility in Ranjangaon, Maharashtra, which has a capacity of producing 3,55,000 vehicles a year. 
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Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;The arrival of the Jeep brand was announced by FCA India Automobiles Pvt Ltd in February 2016. The first three products launched by Jeep in India were the Wrangler, Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee SRT, all of which were brought to India via the CBU route from the USA. Jeep began the retail of these three SUVs through its selected dealerships that were opened in major cities in the first stage. 
As a move for expansion, Jeep invested 280 million USD for expanding its network of dealerships and developing a new mass-oriented SUV that was destined to be made in India for both local sales and exports. This led to the birth of Jeep Compass, which was officially launched in June 2017. 
The Compass became the first Jeep SUV to be locally manufactured in India at FCA India Automobiles Pvt Ltd&rsquo;s manufacturing plant in Ranjangaon, which was used for local manufacturing of Fiat and Tata products. This manufacturing plant also started the local assembly of Fiat&rsquo;s 2.0-litre diesel engine in 2017, which was further supplied to Tata Motors and MG for their mid-size SUV offerings, besides being used in the Jeep Compass. 
After the discontinuation of the Fiat brand in India in November 2018, FCA India Automobiles Pvt Ltd put its entire focus on the Jeep brand in India and also began exporting of Jeep Compass from India to other right-hand-drive markets. In 2019, Jeep launched the Trailhawk version of the Compass, which was a more premium and off-road-oriented variant. 
After the transition to BS6 emission norms, Jeep introduced the facelifted versions of Compass and Wrangler, while discontinuing the Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee SRT models from India. The local assembly of the Jeep Wrangler facelift began in India in 2021, which made India the second market out of the USA where the Wrangler was made. 
In 2022, Jeep also launched the Meridian, a heavily redesigned seven-seater version of the Compass, making it the second mass-oriented model from Jeep. In 2023, Jeep introduced the new-generation models of Grand Cherokee and Wrangler, both of which are locally assembled in India at FCA India Automobiles Pvt Ltd&rsquo;s Ranjangaon facility. 
&nbsp; 
Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;Jeep has always remained an SUV-only manufacturer worldwide, and follows the same legacy in the Indian car market as well. Currently, Jeep has two models in the mass-oriented segments, the Compass and Meridian, within the Rs 40 lakh price bracket. Besides these two SUVs, Jeep also has Wrangler and Grand Cherokee premium mid-size luxury SUVS, that are also locally assembled in India. 
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Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;Jeep has a long-standing legacy of making rugged hardcore SUVs, with the Indians already aware of its legacy thanks to the Mahindra Willys Jeep, which was a licensed version of Jeep Willys CJ3-B off-roader that was manufactured and sold in India between the 1950s and 1990s. 
With a strong brand recall of making SUVs that are rugged and premium at the same time, Jeep received a good response after its debut in India, especially with the Wrangler and Compass. Even today, Jeep has an SUV-only lineup, with it offering four-wheel drive variants in all of its models as a testimony of its hardcore SUV DNA. 
&nbsp; 
Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;With the launch of Compass, Jeep became the first carmaker to offer a turbocharged petrol engine in a mid-size SUV within the Rs 30 lakh price bracket. Fiat&rsquo;s 1.4-litre MultiAir turbocharged petrol engine, which was also offered in Fiat&rsquo;s Abarth Punto, Avventura and Linea in different states of tune, was available in the Compass alongside the 2.0-litre diesel engine. 
The Jeep Compass was also launched in the Trailhawk variant, which is Jeep&rsquo;s full-blown four-wheel drive variant for its SUVs. Even the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee come with Jeep&rsquo;s world-class four-wheel drive tech, which makes them go-anywhere luxury vehicles. 
&nbsp; 
Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;Jeep is one of those brands that hasn&rsquo;t announced its plans for electric mobility in India yet. However, overseas, Jeep is developing a new range of compact and midsize electric SUVs, besides selling plug-in hybrid variants of Wrangler and Grand Cherokee SUVs, which we do expect to see in India anytime soon. 
&nbsp; 
Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;Despite its slow pace of growth in India, Jeep is preferred by driving enthusiasts who love the unadulterated SUV DNA of Jeep models, including the most affordable Compass. The hefty build quality, rugged mechanicals and durable powertrain options make Jeep models exude a pure SUV feel. 
The Compass is Jeep&rsquo;s most affordable model, with which it competes with Tata Harrier, Mahindra XUV700 and MG Hector in the mid-size SUV category. Its seven-seater derivative, the Jeep Meridian, competes with premium mid-size SUVs like Citroen C5 Aircross, Skoda Kodiaq, Volkswagen Tiguan and Hyundai Tucson. 
The Jeep Wrangler is a luxury lifestyle off-roader, which has no direct rival at its price but is often regarded as a more affordable alternative to luxury off-roaders like Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Meanwhile, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is a mid-size luxury SUV that goes against luxury SUVs like the Audi Q5, Jaguar F-Pace, Land Rover Range Rover Velar, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. 
&nbsp; 
Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;Jeep might have a relatively slower approach in its product launches and expansion strategies. However, it still ranks high in the parameters of SUV lovers for its true rugged DNA, which hasn&rsquo;t diluted in any of its SUVs, despite them becoming more premium and luxurious in all these years. All Jeep needs is more new products across varying segments and faster updates to its existing lineup of products to make them more desirable among a wider set of audience.

Brand Overview :&nbsp;One of the newest car brands to enter India, Citroen is a part of the erstwhile PSA Group, which now comes under the Stellantis conglomerate formed in 2021 after the merger of PSA and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The launch of Citroen is the third attempt by French auto giant Peugeot, the primary driving brand of PSA Group, to make its mark in the Indian automotive industry. Citroen India was established in 2019 with two production facilities &ndash; a vehicle assembly plant in Thiruvallur and a powertrain production plant in Hosur, catering to local sales and exports. 
&nbsp; 
Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;The foundation stone of Citroen in India was laid by the formation of a partnership between Groupe PSA, the parent company of Citroen, and CK Birla Group from India. Under this partnership, two joint ventures were formed, through which the manufacturing of powertrains and vehicles and the distribution of vehicles across the country were decided. 
While Citroen was set to debut in India in 2020, it was delayed due to COVID-19 breakdown and industry slowdown due to the lockdown that followed it. However, after a delay of almost a year, Citroen launched the C5 Aircross as its debut product in India. With this, the C5 Aircross became the first-ever product to be manufactured by Citroen in India at its manufacturing facility in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu. 
Post its unveil in February 2021, the Citroen C5 Aircross was launched in April 2021 in two variants, both of which came with a diesel automatic powertrain as standard. However, the first significant mass market move by Citroen India came in the form of a C3 hatchback in September 2021, which was eventually launched in early 2022. 
The C3 hatchback was the first product under Citroen India&rsquo;s C-Cubed program, which also saw the launches of more products like eC3 (the electric version of C3), C3 Aircross (a premium compact SUV) and Basalt (an SUV coupe version of the C3 Aircross). All these models under the C-Cubed program are manufactured in India with almost 90 per cent localisation content. 
&nbsp; 
Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;With the C-Cubed program products, which include C3 hatchback, eC3 electric hatchback, C3 Aircross premium compact SUV and Basalt SUV coupe, Citroen is focusing on generating volumes in the mass market end of the Indian automotive industry. Citroen also has the facelifted version of the C5 Aircross as its flagship product in India. 
&nbsp; 
Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;While Citroen has resorted to cost-cutting for its India-made products to keep costs in check, the French carmaker hasn&rsquo;t compromised with its core values of delivering products that offer best-in-class ride comfort. In its initial survey prior to its debut with the C5 Aircross, Citroen India came up with the conclusion that comfort is one of the top priorities among car buyers. All of its products available in India are considered to have the best suspension setups, which make them very comfortable to drive or be driven in. 
&nbsp; 
Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;The inventor of hydropneumatic suspension in vehicles, Citroen offers unparalleled comfort levels in all of its cars, ranging from the entry-level C3 to the flagship C5 Aircross. Citroen also offers one of the most affordable turbocharged petrol cars in the form of C3 Turbo, popularizing turbo-petrol acceptance in the entry-level category. 
&nbsp; 
Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;While Citroen currently focuses on petrol models, the French carmaker is actively studying the feasibility of electric vehicles in India. Citroen already has an eC3 hatchback on sale here, which is one of the most affordable electric cars one can buy in India. Citroen is also testing compact and mid-size SUVs with electric powertrains, which might see the green signal in the following months. 
&nbsp; 
Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;While Citroen has all the basics like performance, ride quality and driving dynamics in all of its vehicles, it also has attracted brickbats and criticism for not equipping the vehicles enough by modern standards. However, after studying the customer feedback, Citroen has introduced more features in its C-Cubed range of products, which are now better equipped than before, if not the best in their segment. 
The entry-level Citroen C3 is pitted against SUV-styled hatchbacks like Maruti Suzuki Ignis and Tata Punch, whereas the Citroen eC3 electric hatchback goes against the Tata Punch EV. The Citroen C3 Aircross is a decent alternative to premium compact SUVs like the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Honda Elevate, Mahindra XUV3XO, MG Astor, Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq. 
On the other hand, the Citroen Basalt goes against the Tata Curvv in the newly-formed SUV-coupe category. Lastly, the Citroen C5 Aircross has rivals like Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Tiguan, Hyundai Tucson and Jeep Meridian. 
&nbsp; 
Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;Citroen might have had a lukewarm start in the Indian car market. However, Citroen has proved its commitment towards India with high localisation, excellent core engineering, consistent launch of new products and updates to existing products with new features. With the already-on-sale eC3 and new electric vehicles lined up for the future, Citroen can also leverage the rising demand for EVs.

Brand Overview :&nbsp;One of the biggest and most iconic car brands from Japan, Nissan officially marked its debut in India in 2005. Initially, Nissan relied on a couple of its global models that were sold in India through the CBU route. However, after setting up a manufacturing facility here in 2010, Nissan intensified its approach as a mass-market carmaker with locally manufactured models that were launched in the following years. Among all mass-oriented brands, Nissan currently has the smallest lineup comprising of only two models, as of 2024. 
&nbsp; 
Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;Nissan had a relatively hush-hush debut with the X-Trail mid-size SUV in 2025, followed by the launch of the Teana mid-size sedan in 2006. Both X-Trail and Teana were brought to India in their first-generation versions as direct imports through the CBU route from Japan. 
To expand its operations in India, Nissan, along with its global partner Renault, signed an MoU with the Government of Tamil Nadu in February 2008 for setting up a manufacturing facility in Oragadam, Tamil Nadu. This production facility was inaugurated in March 2010 after record completion in just 21 months. 
The first two models to be manufactured at Nissan&rsquo;s newly-inaugurated facility were the second-generation models X-Trail and Teana, which were launched in India in 2010. In this year, Nissan also announced its full-fledged entry in the mass-market category with the Micra hatchback, its smallest and most affordable car at that time. 
In 2011, Nissan launched the Micra, its second mass-market car, which was a sedan based on the same platform as that of the Micra. It had one of the longest wheelbases among all cars sold in India, making it a benchmark in space among compact cars for a long time. Nissan also launched the 370Z two-door sports coupe as its halo offering in 2011. 
In 2012, Nissan launched the Evalia, a renamed version of the Nissan NV200 MPV, in India at the Delhi Auto Expo, which was followed by the launch of Terrano, a badge-engineered version of the Renault Duster in 2013. To compete with Maruti Suzuki in the entry-level car category, Nissan launched its budget brand Datsun in India, through which it launched the Go hatchback. 
The Datsun brand expanded with the launch of Go Plus in 2015, a compact MPV, and redi-Go, an even smaller and more affordable car than the Go in 2016. However, Datsun flopped in India due to evident signs of cost-cutting in all aspects. In 2016, Nissan shocked everyone by launching the iconic GT-R sports car, its global flagship model, in India. 
After a long pause with no new models but only the facelifts of the existing lineup, Nissan launched the Kicks as a new premium compact SUV in 2019. However, due to dwindling sales and the deadline of BS6 emission norms, Nissan discontinued the Micra, Sunny and Terrano, along with diesel variants of Kicks. 
Nissan launched the Magnite compact SUV as its first all-new product in all these years, which was designed and engineered entirely in India. After the discontinuation of the Datsun brand and Kicks in 2023, Nissan remained a one-model brand for almost a year. In 2024, Nissan brought back the X-Trail in its fourth-generation version as a direct import from Japan. 
&nbsp; 
Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;Nissan is one of those few car brands in India which has shrunk its versatile lineup to a handful of models. From the times when Nissan&rsquo;s lineup in India had everything ranging from the entry-level Datsun Go to the iconic supercar-killer GT-R, Nissan India&rsquo;s portfolio now comprises only the Magnite compact SUV and X-Trail premium mid-size SUV. 
&nbsp; 
Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;Given the strong brand recall of Nissan worldwide, Indian customers have accepted Nissan products with open arms, though not as overwhelmingly as the likes of Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai. The earlier models like Micra, Sunny and Terrano managed decent success in their earlier days. These three models, and the other Nissan products too, rank high in reliability and good driving dynamics with supple ride quality. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;Nissan was the first car brand in India to offer both mass-market models and sports cars, widening its appeal as a versatile carmaker. Since 2008, Nissan has relied on platform sharing with its global partner Renault. While these two brands came up with badge-engineered alliances like Micra-Pulse, Sunny-Scala and Terrano-Duster in the past, they are now offering well-distinguished models despite platform sharing, evident in the designs of Magnite and Renault Kiger inside-out.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;Until now, Nissan has focused on offering various models with only internal combustion engines, with no foresight on hybrid and electric vehicles, despite its pioneering electric vehicles in the mass-market category globally with the Leaf electric hatchback. However, Nissan is said to be working on bringing a compact electric vehicle in the coming years, which should change things for Nissan India&rsquo;s approach to electric mobility in the country. 
&nbsp; 
Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;As mentioned above, people have trusted Nissan for its strong recall as a brand globally, with its past products showing their worth with their practicality and good ride quality. Currently, with the Magnite, Nissan is trying to make a mark in the highly-competitive compact SUV segment, which also has Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Maruti Suzuki Fronx, Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV3XO, Kia Sonet and Renault Kiger. On the other end of the spectrum, the Nissan X-Trail is seen as an alternative to premium mid-size SUVs like Volkswagen Tiguan, Hyundai Tucson, Skoda Kodiaq and Citroen C5 Aircross. 
&nbsp; 
Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;Despite being such a popular brand globally, Nissan hasn&rsquo;t been able to shake the well-heeled competition from other Japanese and Indian peers in the mass-market segment. The relatively slow pace of product launches and updates has to be blamed here. However, Nissan has already confirmed its upcoming products, which will be launched in the coming years, which hopefully might revive the brand&rsquo;s fortunes in India.

Brand Overview :&nbsp;A fully-owned subsidiary of Groupe Renault from France, Renault entered India officially in the late 2000s. While Renault had a not-so-resounding debut in the Indian car market, the French car brand has witnessed massive hits to date, with success stories like Duster and Kwid. It was one of the first carmakers in India to come up with a compact SUV and a diesel engine in different states of tune. Currently, Renault has a portfolio comprising three petrol-only models in its Indian lineup. 
&nbsp; 
Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;As a first step in setting up its base in India, an MoU was signed between Renault Nissan India Pvt Ltd, the Indian arm of Groupe Renault, and the Government of Tamil Nadu in February 2008. This MoU was signed for setting up a manufacturing facility in Oragadam, Tamil Nadu, which was inaugurated in March 2010. It was in September 2008 when Renault also opened up its fifth global design studio in Mumbai, further ensuring its commitment to the Indian car market. 
The first car to roll out of the Indian manufacturing facility of Renault was the Koleos mid-size SUV, further followed by the Fluence mid-size sedan. Both these global products from Renault received a lukewarm response but helped the French brand gain some recognition in India. 
The year 2012 was instrumental for Renault in India with its three big-ticket launches. Renault launched the Pulse hatchback and Scala sedan, which were essentially badge-engineered versions of Nissan Micra and Nissan Sunny respectively. During this phase, Renault was also expanding its dealer network across the country to facilitate the sales of its mass-market models. 
Renault tasted its first massive success in India with the launch of Duster in mid-2012, which became an instant blockbuster and pioneered the segment of premium compact SUVs in India. The Duster single-handedly ruled the premium compact SUV segment for three years till the debut of the Hyundai Creta in 2015. 
In 2015, the second blockbuster product from Renault came in the form of Kwid, Renault&rsquo;s first-ever product designed and engineered with inputs from Renault&rsquo;s Indian arm. Positioned in the entry-level hatchback category, the Kwid became one of the toughest rivals of Maruti Suzuki&rsquo;s dominance in the segment. This year also witnessed the launch of Renault Lodgy, a budget compact MPV based on the same B0 platform as the Duster. 
With rising competition in the compact SUV category and dwindling sales of the Duster, Renault launched a more premium SUV Captur in 2017, which was positioned as a more upmarket offering over the relatively utilitarian Duster. However, the Captur failed to capture a larger market share for Renault in India. The Fluence and Koleos were phased out in 2017 due to a decline in demand, with the Pulse and Scala meeting the same fate in 2018. 
In 2019, Renault launched the Triber compact MPV, which was positioned below the Lodgy but featured a much fresher design and clever engineering. Ahead of the deadline of BS6 emission norms, Renault also discontinued Lodgy, Captur and diesel variants of Duster, while becoming one of the carmakers to focus only on petrol-powered cars. 
In 2021, Renault introduced the Kiger compact SUV, which was designed and manufactured in India, making it one of the products falling under the &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; initiative. Renault finally decided to discontinue the Duster in 2022. 
&nbsp; 
Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;Once&nbsp; a carmaker that was offering a mix of self-developed and badge-engineered mass-market cars and a couple of its global models, the product portfolio of Renault has shrunk to just three mass-oriented models. These are the Kwid entry-level hatchback, Triber compact MPV and Kiger compact SUV. 
&nbsp; 
Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;With the Duster, Renault showcased how frugal engineering can do wonders if it clicks with the requirements of the Indian audience. The Duster was a spartan product in terms of fit and finish and equipment levels. However, with well-sorted powertrain options and a brilliant chassis setup, the Duster impressed many with its performance and ride quality, which soon became a benchmark. The Duster helped Renault build up a reputation of being a manufacturer of vehicles with supple ride quality, which to date is justified by the current Renault models in India. 
&nbsp; 
Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;Renault might not have offered best-in-class performance and fuel efficiency in its petrol engines, but the 1.5-litre K9K diesel engine is still considered one of the finest small-sized diesel engines in India. Offered in Pulse, Scala, Duster, Lodgy and Captur, the 1.5-litre K9K diesel engine was launched with two states of tune &ndash; 85 PS and 110 PS, both of which are known for their tractability, reliability and impressive fuel efficiency. Currently, all the Renault models are offered with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, which is available in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions. 
&nbsp; 
Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;Renault is one of those car makers which has focused only on conventional petrol and diesel engines in India to date, with no signs of launching hybrid and electric models in India until now. However, rumours are floating that Renault is considering launching a premium compact SUV with a hybrid powertrain, while also developing a couple of electric models for India in the coming years. 
&nbsp; 
Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;Apart from Duster and Kwid, Renault hasn&rsquo;t tasted larger-than-life success in India yet. However, the customers of all Renault vehicles in India, especially the diesel-powered versions, do praise them for their ruggedness and fuel efficiency. 
Renault is now the only carmaker in India that poses competition to the entry-level Maruti Suzuki car models like the Alto K10 and S-Presso with the Kwid. The Renault Triber sits in a unique space and has no direct competition in India, and that makes it a smaller and more affordable alternative to compact MPVs like the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Kia Carens. 
Meanwhile, the Renault Kiger faces the toughest competition from a range of compact sub-four-metre SUVs like Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Maruti Suzuki Fronx, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV3XO and Nissan Magnite. 
&nbsp; 
Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;The entire journey of Renault in India from 2010 to date has seen several ups and downs &ndash; mostly the latter. Besides Duster and Kwid, there has been no other Renault product that has managed to shake up the market and make people stand up and take notice of the French brand. However, Renault has already announced its expansion plans with new products for the coming months, which has managed to attract public attention towards it.

Brand Overview :&nbsp;Build Your Dreams, popularly known as BYD around the world, has emerged as one of the fastest-growing auto companies worldwide. After making a mark in many parts of the world, BYD announced its entry into India as a passenger vehicle brand in 2022. Hailing from China, BYD started its innings as an electric vehicle-only car brand for India, a decision with which it now stands firm, and intends to gradually expand its presence in the country only with electric vehicles in the future. 
&nbsp; 
Key Milestones In India :&nbsp;While BYD now has a retail network dealing in passenger vehicles in India, the Chinese automaker started its journey in India as a supplier of battery and bus chassis to Olectra Greenwich Limited. Ahead of commencing sales of electric passenger vehicles, BYD expanded its manufacturing facility in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. 
BYD entered the passenger vehicle business with the e6 MPV in 2022, which was also the Chinese brand&rsquo;s first car locally manufactured in India. In the same year, BYD also launched the Atto 3 electric premium compact SUV, which was also locally assembled in India. 
However, after the Government of India&rsquo;s crackdown on Chinese companies and stringent scrutiny checks introduced for them in July 2023, BYD halted future investments in local production and started importing its vehicles from China through the CBU route. 
BYD launched Seal as its third all-new product in India in 2024, and after a few months, it launched the eMAX 7 MPV, a heavily updated and renamed version of the e6 MPV.

Product Range And Segments :&nbsp;While BYD has a versatile lineup of ICE, hybrid and all-electric vehicles in other global markets, it has affirmed its stance as an EV-only brand for the Indian car market. The vehicle lineup of BYD India comprises three vehicles &ndash; eMAX 7 compact MPV, Atto 3 premium compact SUV and Seal mid-size sedan, all of which are born-electric models. 
&nbsp; 
Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) :&nbsp;Despite its positioning in the market as an automaker hailing from China and border tensions emerging between India and China in the recent past, people are singing praises for BYD. The prime reasons are its future-ready electric vehicles that are rich in tech and high on the visual drama when it comes to their interior designs. BYD has also emerged as one of the biggest auto giants worldwide, surpassing Volkswagen to become the largest automaker in China, further bringing it more recognition among the Indian masses too. 
&nbsp; 
Technology And Innovation :&nbsp;BYD focuses primarily on electric vehicles for the Indian car market, with all of its products based around the &lsquo;blade battery&rsquo; platform, one of the most remarkable battery technologies in recent times. Featuring thin battery packs that are integrated into the platforms of vehicles, the BYD electric vehicles are light-weight compared to other electric vehicles with conventional Li-ion and NMC battery packs. 
&nbsp; 
Sustainability And Future Goals :&nbsp;While BYD is one of the newest automakers even globally, this Chinese brand has emerged as a pioneer of modern automotive technologies. BYD was the first carmaker to officially introduce a plug-in hybrid vehicle in the form of F3DM back in 2008, while its current crop of born-electric models features the new-age blade battery technology. While BYD might not bring hybrid vehicles to India, it will expand its product lineup in India with more born-electric vehicles in the coming months. 
&nbsp; 
Customer Perception And Competitors :&nbsp;While BYD is a very new carmaker in the Indian context with a not-so-rich or long-standing legacy as other global auto giants, people have gradually been accepting BYD products for their new-age EV technologies. 
The BYD eMAX 7 might not have any other electric MPV in its direct competition, but it is a good alternative to Toyota Innova Hycross and Maruti Suzuki Invicto, both of which are hybrid MPVs. The same goes for BYD Atto 3, which is an alternative to mid-size SUVs like Volkswagen Tiguan, Skoda Kushaq, Citroen C5 Aircross and Hyundai Tucson. The BYD Seal also has no direct competitors but does compete with similarly-priced sedans like the Toyota Camry hybrid, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Audi A4 and BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe. 
&nbsp; 
Closing Thoughts :&nbsp;Due to geopolitical ups and downs between India and China, BYD has faced challenges in launching new products and expanding its operations in the Indian car market, despite showing early commitment to the same. Instead, BYD&rsquo;s new approach of keeping things at a slow and steady pace deserves attention, which it is getting thanks to its new-age products.&nbsp;

Namaste Vinfast, welcome to India! 

The Vietnam based brand is coming up with a factory in Tamil Nadu and soon launch the VF6 and VF7 later in the year via local dealerships. These two electric SUVs will be CKDs to start with (completely knocked down kits, assembled in India) and will be in the Rs 14-25 lakh bracket. 
Expect dual motors or AWD set-up for the bigger VF7.

At the on-going Bharat Mobility Show, Vinfast showcased the entire line up of EVs. Have a look!

Vinfast at 2025 Bharat Mobility Expo : VF3, VF6, VF7, VF8, VF9, VF e34 First Look Review

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