Most durable cars for Indian Roads

Launched at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo, the face-lifted 2012 Toyota Fortuner is one of the most prominent SUVs in the Indian market. The vehicle is priced at around Rs 20.99 lakh for the 4x4 drive variant with the price for the 4x2 version of the vehicle starting at Rs 19.99 lakh. The expectations of the consumers are nicely met in the new model which comes with a host of customer-friendly features as well as a revamped exterior and interior which makes this vehicle such a preferred model for the Indian SUV buyer.

The Mahindra Scorpio is a quaint four wheel drive offering from one of India’s most famous and prominent car manufacturers. The 4x4 Mahindra Scorpio LX foregoes safety features like ABS and airbags which means that it is safely priced under the Rs. 10 Lakh marker and starts at Rs 9.17 lakh only. Under the hood, the Mahindra Scorpio LX comes with a 120 BHP 2179 cc 2.2-L mHawk CRDe turbo diesel engine which comes mated to a five speed manual gearbox.

The Nissan X-Trail was at one point in time repelling customers due to its stupendously high price and relatively less set of features. The company quickly revised that error and relaunched the vehicle at a price of Rs 22.78 lakh and fitted with a lot of extra goodies like floor mats, side molding, cargo drawer, rear bumper protector, rear scuff plate, rear spoiler and a touch-screen navigation system which have made the vehicle more appealing to luxury SUV buyers even though the vehicle has remained essentially the same under the hood.

In the Indian market, the Tata Safari is undoubtedly the most popular SUV model. In comparison to other SUVs, the vehicle comes with a relatively lower price tag, lots of advanced interior and exterior features as well as a stylish yet sporty look. With a 140hp 2.2L 16V VVT DICOR diesel engine, luxurious model provides just the right balance of comfort and power to the driver with reverse guide system, Electronic Brake-Force Distribution, Antilock Brake System, airbags, power windows and perforated tan and dark graphite leather seats providing plenty of creature comforts inside the vehicle.

After having held back its diesel engines for the Indian markets saying the diesel quality available in india was not suitable for their models, Honda have finally decided to launch the 2012 Honda CR-V with a diesel option. The model is already offered with 2.4 liter 4WD and 2.0 2WD petrol engines and the 2.2 i-DTEC diesel engine should help it expand its hold on the segment even more. The new model comes with a more imposing grille, a deeper sculpting and more aerodynamically aggressive styling though it is certain to cost Rs 1.5 lakh-Rs 2 lakh more than petrol variants.

The premium SUV segment in India had welcomed the 4x4 Santa Fe with open arms almost a year ago and the company has lunched a special edition automatic version of the vehicle to mark the first anniversary of the vehicle’s launch. Fitted with a 2.2L CRDI engine and the Hyundai Santa Fe AT AKA Hyundai’s proprietary six-speed automatic transmission, the new Hyundai Santa Fe is priced competitively at 24.36 lakh.

The Maruti Grand Vitara is imported into India instead of being manufactured locally which immediately adds to the price tag of the vehicle. Offered with an automatic/manual gearbox and a 2.4L engine, the vehicle has still remained competitive against locally manufactured premium SUVs from international brands.

The Mitsubishi Pajero has been around in the Indian markets for nearly a decade now and to celebrate the 9th year of the vehicle in the market, Mitsubishi has launched the Pajero Sport. Priced at Rs 23.53 lakh, the ultimately sporty SUV come with Mitsubishi’s Select Four wheel drive with a five speed manual gearbox and a 2.5 liter turbo diesel engine that offers 400 Nm torque at 2000-2500 rpm and 175 bhp power at 4000 rpm.

A facelifted version of the BMW X1 is all set to hit the streets in 2013 and BMW India is sprucing up their most economic crossover to meet the growing competition head on. Offering low emissions and increased fuel efficiency, the BMW 2013 X1 comes with redesigned headlamps, modified front and rear bumper and a range of other improvements to make it more appealing to buyers in the segment.

Chevrolet is a relatively new player in the Indian SUV market though they are coming with all their guns blazing in the guise of the new Chevrolet Captiva. The facelifted version is priced between Rs.20 Lakh to Rs. 22 Lakh and was unveiled at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo. The new Chevrolet Captiva comes with refreshed interiors, a more masculine split front grille, a sportier exterior and a six speed automatic gearbox that is mated to a 2.2 Liter diesel engine.