Top 5 Cars News In India This Week: 2020 Honda City, Kia Seltos Price Hike, Toyota Vellfire Launch Date, Tata Gravitas And Altroz

The final week of November leading to December saw a host of car launches as well as potential price hikes of existing models. It kicked off with the debut of the 2020 Honda City in Thailand, followed by Toyota disclosing the launch date of the Vellfire MPV.  Meanwhile, Kia seems likely to give the Seltos a price hike while Tata gave its upcoming SUV a new name. Tata also rounded off the week with key details of the Altroz ahead of its unveil. Here’s all that happened heading into the final month of 2019:

2020 Honda City Thailand Debut

Honda finally took the wraps off the 2020 Honda City in Thailand. This is the fifth generation of the sedan and its seventh including the early kei car hatchbacks. It features an all-new exterior and interior design and sits lower, longer, and wider than before. The 2020 City is powered by a 122PS 1.0-litre turbocharged VTEC petrol engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). It is priced between THB 579,500 and 739,000 (Rs 13.74 and 17.52 lakh). Expect the new City to make it to India by mid-late 2020 priced at a premium compared to its predecessor. Head here to know more about the next iteration of the Honda City.

Toyota Vellfire Gets An Early 2020 Launch

Toyota India ended the last week of November with a confirmation that the Vellfire luxury MPV will be launched in the first quarter of 2020. It will be brought in via the CBU route and is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 85 lakh to Rs 90 lakh (ex-showroom). The MPV has been spotted previously in Toyota outlets and at select dealers in Bengaluru. Once launched, the Vellfire will take on the  Mercedes-Benz V-Class as its primary luxury rival in India right now. Bookings are currently being accepted at a token price of Rs 5 lakh. For more details on the Vellfire MPV, head here.

Kia Seltos Could Get A Price Hike

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While Kia rides on a crest of positive feedback with the Seltos SUV, you might want to head to your nearest Kia dealer as soon as possible if you’re considering a purchase. Sources have confirmed that Kia is likely to hike the prices of the Seltos from January 2020. The hike could range from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 depending on the variant. In addition to this, a leaked document surfaced online, which reveals that customers that has booked the vehicle now, but have taken delivery post-January 1, will also be entitled to pay the price difference at the dealership. The document also urges dealers to ensure speedy deliveries to avoid a backlog of orders. The Kia Seltos currently retails from Rs 9.69 lakh to Rs 15.99 lakh (ex-showroom India). Head here for more about the price hike.

Tata’s New SUV Gets A Name And Has Been Spied Already!

We finally have an official name for Tata’s upcoming 7-seater SUV -- Gravitas. Tata Motors has also announced that the SUV will be unveiled in February 2020. Shortly after its christening, the Gravitas has already been spied testing in a camo wrap. The test mule was equipped with a testing equipment called Real Driving Emission (RDE) analyser that is used to monitor emission levels. The Gravitas was likely being tested for the upcoming BS6 emission norms. The Gravitas is expected to be longer than the Harrier and carry a different design for its tailgate. It is likely to command a premium of around Rs 1 lakh over the 5-seater Harrier, which currently retails from Rs 13 lakh to Rs 16.96 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Once launched, its primary rivals will be 7-seater SUVs including the Mahindra XUV500 and MG Hector. Head here for more on the Gravitas SUV.

Tata Altroz Rolls Out And Bookings To Begin On December 4 

As the day gets closer for the debut of the Tata Altroz hatchback, further details emerge. Tata Motors has announced the roll out of the first Altroz unit at its Pune plant. Aside from that, sources have confirmed that bookings for the hatchback will commence on December 4, which is a day after the slated unveil date. Bookings will start at a token price range between Rs 21,000 and Rs 24,000, whereas details on the price are expected to be revealed at its slated January 2020 launch. Expect a price range between Rs 5.5 lakh and 8.5 lakh. The car has already been spied testing as well as teased by the carmaker ahead of its debut. Once launched, it is expected to take on bestsellers like the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Hyundai Elite i20. For more info on the Tata Altroz head here.