Hybrid vehicles have become as one of the leading segments in the Indian automotive market. They are the ones that combine internal combustion and other power sources. Today, every other auto maker is manufacturing hybrid cars for the general public, thereby showing that improved fuel efficiency can be achieved at an affordable price. Even people are willing to pay more for better mileage. Although a hybrid vehicle has a higher price than an ICE-powered vehicle, it ends up providing a better value for money. The hybrid cars not only address range anxiety in the conventional vehicles, but also reduce environmental pollution. Leading automakers such as Maruti Suzuki, Toyota, Honda, and others nowadays offer energy-efficient hybrid cars that aid in bringing down the running costs in the long run. Let's have a look at some of them.
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is a compact SUV with strong hybrid technology and all-wheel drive system. Launched in September last year, the SUV comes with two engine options. A 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder Atkinson Cycle TNGA petrol engine is mated to an electric motor for powering the front wheels. The only transmission available is an e-CVT (borrowed from Toyota). Another engine on offer is a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder smart hybrid petrol engine that comes with a 5-speed manual transmission and a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Inside, the SUV has a layered dual-tone dashboard with a padded upper section. It offers a 360-degree camera, a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display, wireless charging, six airbags, connected car tech, and more. The prices of the Grand Vitara start at Rs 10.45 lakh (ex-showroom) and go up to Rs 19.65 lakh (ex-showroom). It competes with the likes of the Hyundai Creta, the Kia Seltos, the Volkswagen Taigun, and the Skoda Kushaq. Now, the SUV's lineup also includes the Grand Vitara S-CNG, which was launched in January this year.
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Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder
Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder is the strong-hybrid SUV in India. The Hyryder has a newly-designed grille with double-layer DRLs (daytime running lights). The car also features new sporty bumpers with a tall air dam, 17-inch rims, and inflated wheel arches. On the inside, it comes with a dual-tone interior with padded leather on the dashboard. Other notable elements include a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, AC controls, AC vents, and chrome finish on the door pads.
The SUV is available with two engine options - a mild-hybrid petrol engine and a strong-hybrid petrol engine. Powered by a 4-cylinder, 1.5-litre engine, the mild-hybrid unit generates 102bhp of power and is paired with a 6-speed automatic and a 5-speed manual transmission. The strong-hybrid variant uses a 1.5-litre, three-pot engine that has a power output of 114bhp and is mated to an e-CVT and a battery pack.
Maruti Suzuki's global platform serves as the foundation for the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. The Toyota Hyryder's steering wheel, centre console, and other control surfaces come from the Maruti Suzuki's stable. The strong-hybrid Hyryder is priced between Rs 15.61 lakh and Rs 19.49 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom.
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Maruti Suzuki Ciaz
The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, offered with dual-tone colour options in India, is based on the top-spec Alpha variant. The sedan gets new ESP (Electronic Stability Program) with Hill Hold Assist as standard. Additionally, it comes equipped with a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
As for the engine, the new sedan is powered by a 1.5-litre petro engine that comes with mild-hybrid technology. The engine is paired with a 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic transmissions
With two transmission options on offer, the prices start at Rs.11.14 lakh (ex-showroom) for the Manual variant and Rs 12.34 lakh (ex-showroom) for the Automatic variant. The brand's flagship sedan Ciaz rivals the likes of the Honda City, the Hyundai Verna, the Volkswagen Virtus, and the Skoda Slavia.
Honda City eHEV
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The Honda City eHEV was launched in a single, top-spec ZX trim in May last year. The eHEV is available with a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder engine (based on Atkinson Cycle) and is mated to two electric motors. The City eHEV offers a power output of 124bhp and a peak torque of 253Nm.
In terms of safety, the hybrid sedan features all four-wheel disc brakes and comes with Honda Sensing Technology. Additionally, assistive functions such as lane keep assist, forward collision warning, and adaptive cruise control are also on offer. The Honda City eHEV is priced at Rs 19.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The City Hybrid competes against the Volkswagen Virtus, the Skoda Slavia, the Hyundai Verna, and the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz.
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Toyota Innova Hycross
Launched in December last year, the Toyota Innova Hycross is based on the TNGA platform (Toyota New Global Architecture). The Hycross comes with a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder TNGA petrol engine that is enough to generate 172bhp of power and 187Nm of peak torque. The only transmission on offer is CVT. The Hycross's hybrid motor with the same petrol engine produces 111bhp of maximum power and 206Nm of peak torque and is mated to an e-CVT device.
The prices of the Toyota Innova Hycross start at Rs 18.30 lakh and go up to Rs 28.97 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom. It takes on the likes of the Innova Crysta, the MG Hector Plus, the Hyundai Alcazar, and the Mahindra XUV700.
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