Top 6 Cars Launches Of 2021: Tata Punch, BMW iX And More

The year 2021 has been an exciting one as far as new car launches are concerned. However, the Indian auto industry was majorly impacted because of the COVID-19 pandemic second wave and global chip shortage. Despite such challenging conditions, we have witnessed so many key launches happening in India across segments like SUVs, sedans and hatchbacks. Here is a quick run-through of what we think is our top 6 list of the cars launched in India this year.

Tata Punch

One of the most interesting launches of the year was the Tata Punch. The micro SUV was an instant hit for the Indian carmaker. The company said that the Punch received more bookings than any other Tata car. The Punch is powered by a 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine that comes mated to a 5-speed manual and an optional AMT unit. It is priced at Rs. 5.49 lakh to Rs. 9.09 lakh (ex-showroom).

BMW iX

The BMW iX is the company's first all-electric SUV and was launched in November 2021

The all-electric BMW iX is the newest car on offer in the luxury EV segment from the Bavarian automaker. It is the brand's first electric offering in the country that get a price tag of Rs. 1.16 crore (ex-showroom). The electric SUV was sold out in just one day after the first phase of bookings commenced. It comes with a 76.6 kWh battery pack, which powers the electric motors to develop a combined output of 240 kW or 322 bhp and a peak torque of 630 Nm.

Renault Kiger

The Renault Kiger was launched in February this year

It was this year when Renault India entered into the competitive subcompact SUV space with the Kiger. The car has managed to achieve a decent amount of success, despite the segment being crowded. The subcompact SUV is based on the company's CMF-A+ platform and shares its underpinnings with the Renault Triber MPV and the Nissan Magnite.

Mercedes-Benz A 45 S AMG

The Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ is the hottest hatchback in the world which is priced in India at Rs. 79.50 lakh (ex-showroom). The offering sits at the top of the A-Class family and is the 12th AMG model in Mercedes-Benz India's portfolio. The model packs a whopping 415 bhp and 500 Nm of peak torque from its 2.0-litre four-cylinder, turbocharged engine. It can do a 0-100 kmph sprint in 3.9 seconds before clocking a top speed of 270 kmph.

Audi e-tron

The Audi e-tron 55 was finally launched in India after much delay in the second half of 2021

The Audi e-tron range is the German carmaker's first-ever electric offering in the country. The new Audi e-tron is being offered in two body styles SUV and Sportback and three variants - e-tron 50, e-tron 55 and e-tron Sportback 55. Prices for the Audi e-tron range start at Rs. 99.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India).

Mahindra XUV700

The Mahindra XUV700 was launched in September this year

The Mahindra XUV700 has turned out to be a blockbuster for the Indian utility vehicle maker which went on sale on October 2, 2021. Prices for the flagship start from Rs. 12.49 lakh, going up to Rs. 22.89 lakh for the top-spec variants (all prices ex-showroom). The SUV comes with a choice of petrol and diesel engines to choose from - the 2.0-litre mStallion turbo petrol and 2.2-litre mHawk diesel. Both mills are paired with manual and automatic transmission options.