Toyota Hilux, Kia Carens bookings open in India
Toyota Hilux
Toyota Hilux pickup truck is scheduled to debut in India on January 20. Bookings for this truck are now open with a booking fee of Rs 1 lakh. The Hilux will begin deliveries in March of this year. It will compete in the niche sector of lifestyle pickup trucks with the Isuzu D-Max.
The Hilux is built on the well-known IMV-2 platform shared with the Innova Crysta and Fortuner. As a result, several components such as the engine, transmission, four-wheel-drive system, and suspension components will be shared.
Toyota Hilux will be driven by the Fortuner’s 204hp, 2.8-litre diesel engine and will be available with four-wheel drive. This engine provides a whopping 500Nm of peak torque and should fit the load transporter perfectly. Six-speed manual and torque converter automatic transmissions will be available.
On the inside, the Hilux is slated to share a significant amount of equipment and trim with India’s Fortuner. It is likely to include an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility among other amenities.
The base model should start at around Rs 27-28 lakh with the top-end version touching Rs 32 lakh.
Kia Carens
Kia has launched bookings for the Carens in India officially with a reservation fee of Rs 25,000. Customers may reserve the MPV in advance of its February introduction through Kia dealerships or on the company’s website. The Carens will be Kia’s fourth model to be built in India and will be sold both domestically and internationally.
In India, the Carens will come in five trim levels: Premium, Prestige, Prestige Plus, Luxury, and Luxury Plus. It will be offered with either six or seven seats, depending on the variation.
Notably, the Kia Carens has the longest wheelbase in its class at 2,780mm. It is 40mm longer than the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and XL6 and 20mm longer than the Hyundai Alcazar. The wheelbase of the Carens is also 30mm longer than that of the Toyota Innova Crysta. Thus, the MPV should have ample legroom in both the second and third rows.
It will be offered with two petrol engines and one diesel engine. The first is a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 115hp and 144Nm, which will be available exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. Then there’s the 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 140hp and 242Nm of torque, which is available with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DCT transmission.
The 1.5-litre diesel engine produces 115hp and 250Nm, and Kia offers it with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. These engine-gearbox combinations are identical to those available on Seltos.
Kia is anticipated to aggressively position the Carens in the market, with prices ranging from Rs 12 lakh for entry-level variations to Rs 20 lakh for the top-spec diesel-AT model.
Also read: Top new SUVs launching in India in 2022
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