After a hiatus of three years – owing to the pandemic – the Auto Expo has returned for its 16th edition. Held in Greater Noida, we at CarWale are present like always to bring you the latest updates first hand with comprehensive information through our in-depth coverage. Now, as the sun finally sets onto a hectic Day 1, you can sit back, relax, and take in all the hot and steamy action from the Auto Expo 2023 served right here.
Raising the curtains to the Auto Expo 2023, Maruti Suzuki showcased an all-new electric SUV concept. Christened eVX, this design study marks Maruti’s first foray into electrification and becomes a global strategic EV for Suzuki as well. Maruti says the eVX packs in a 60kWh battery pack with an estimated driving range of 550kms. It also looks butch and we expect most of the design elements to be retained in the road-going, production-ready version.
Apart from the eVX, the Maruti Suzuki stall also saw the presence of the Grand Vitara and Brezza finished in a matte black paint scheme.
Moreover, the Brezza CNG was seen for the first time in the wild, along with the Wagon R Flex Fuel version, and a couple of special edition models of the Ciaz and Baleno with golden garnishes all around.
Like last time, MG once again returned to the Auto Expo arena with an armada. There were many global products making their presence felt at the expo stage, but we were interested in the price announcement of the new and updated Hector. The facelifted Hector range alongside the Hector Plus was launched for a starting price of Rs 14.72 lakh (ex-showroom). Here is the detailed pricing distribution. of MG Hector
Part of the MG armada was the MIFA9 all-electric MPV along with MG 4 electric crossover and eHS plug-in hybrid crossover. We also saw the Marvel R crossover make its India debut.
Hyundai took the stage at the Auto Expo 2023 with the India launch of the Ioniq 5. For the first 500 customers, the introductory pricing of the Ioniq 5 in India is Rs 44.95 lakh (ex-showroom). It’s available in one fully loaded variant with a battery pack of 72.6kWh powering a rear-axle-mounted motor. Its output is 216bhp and 350Nm and the ARAI claimed range is 631kms. The Ioniq 5 offers Level 2 ADAS along with V2L charging function, 20-inch alloy wheels, two 12.3-inch screens and six airbags.
Hyundai also showcased the Ioniq 6 which is an all-electric sedan that looks quite appealing done up in a matte-black finish. More on the Ioniq 6 here.
Kia got two big honchos to the expo stage. There’s the next-gen Carnival which is currently being considered for launch in India, but nothing is confirmed at the moment. Joining it at the stage was the EV9 Concept. The EV9 design study is expected to spawn a full-size SUV.
Grabbing attention at the BYD pavilion was the gorgeous-looking Seal electric sedan. Based on the ePlatform 3.0 which also underpins the Atto 3, the Seal uses the similar 8-in-1 electric module and blade battery seen in all modern BYD models. It measures 4800x1875x1460mm with a wheelbase of 2920mm. Globally, there are two battery pack options – a 61.4kWh unit which offers a range of 550km and an 82.5kWh pack with a claimed range of 700km. The BYD Seal will be the third offering from the Chinese carmaker when it goes on sale later this year.
Joining the BYD Seal was the special edition of the Atto 3 finished in a Forest Green paint scheme.
Lexus has officially showcased the soon-to-be-launched RX in India for the first time at the Auto Expo. The premium SUV was joined by two production models – the LX500 and LM350 – and two outlandish concepts – the LF-Z Electrified and LF-30 Electrified.
Tata Motors took the Auto Expo 2023 by storm thanks to its blockbuster unveils. First up, Tata showcased the Harrier EV Concept which looks pretty close to road-ready. Technical details are scarce, but the Harrier EV is based on Gen2 architecture offering better range and more power. More importantly, it also has an AWD configuration which hints at a two-motor setup.
Joining the Harrier EV was the second surprise of the day which came in the form of the Sierra EV Concept. A follow-up to the previous version showcased at the last expo, the newer Sierra EV looks more handsome and practical with five doors. We expect a production version of this to arrive in a couple of years.
Apart from these two, Tata also showcased the Punch CNG and Altroz CNG for the first time. Moreover, the Curvv concept from before was painted in red and the Altroz hatchback also received a sportier Racer edition. The latter showcased many goodies that the standard Altroz doesn’t offer.
Stay tuned to CarWale for all the latest updates from the Auto Expo 2023.
