Upcoming Cars In May 2022: Honda City Hybrid, Tata Nexon EV Long Range, New Mercedes C-Class And More

It seems like a good month for those looking to buy a new luxury sedan or some form of EV

The Indian automotive industry may well be affected by various supply disruptions, carmakers are not looking to slow down with the launch of new models anytime soon. A pleasant variety of cars are expected to arrive in May, in terms of size and type of fuel. Here are the models we expect to see reaching showrooms this month:

Honda City e:HEV

Expected price: Rs 20 lakh

Rivals: None

The electrified version of the Honda City sedan was officially unveiled in April and we’ve driven it too, but the prices will be announced on May 4. It features the brand’s self-charging hybrid tech which results in a significantly higher fuel economy and lower emissions as well. The City e:HEV will also debut Honda Sensing, the brand’s ADAS tech suite which includes adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking and lane keep assist. Pre-bookings alone have given the hybrid sedan a 6-month waiting period even though it is expected to attract a hefty premium over the top-spec of the regular City.

New Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Expected price: Rs 55 lakh onwards

Rivals: BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Volvo S60

The next-generation Mercedes C-Class packs a whole new interior with a mild evolution to the exterior design. It will be offered with petrol and diesel engines, both with 48V mild-hybrid tech. The production of the new C-Class is already underway with the order books open. It is slated to be launched on May 10.

BMW i4

Expected price: Rs 1.2 crore

Rivals: None (At launch)

BMW will be expanding its EV lineup in India with the i4 sedan. It has made its local debut with the price announcement due towards the end of May. The i4 has a longer claimed range than the iX electric SUV at 590km from the larger 83.9kWh battery pack. We expect it to be offered in a single fully-loaded variant, likely the i4 eDrive40.

Tata Nexon EV Long Range

Expected price: Rs 18 lakh onwards

Rivals: MG ZS EV

The wait for an extended range version of the Nexon EV could be finally over on May 11. That’s when Tata will launch the longer range version of its top-selling EV. It has been spied testing numerous times with minor changes to the exterior design. The long-range Nexon EV is also expected to get an uprated electric motor with improved performance. It will likely offer a claimed range of around 400km, up from the 312km certified range of the current Nexon EV.

Facelifted Hyundai Venue

Expected prices: Rs 7 lakh onwards

Rivals: Kia Sonet, Mahindra XUV300, Maruti Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Nissan Magnite, Toyota Urban Cruiser 

The Hyundai sub-4m SUV is ready for its first mid-life refresh. It has been spied testing multiple times while under heavy camouflage. The new Venue is expected to sport various cosmetic differences but there has been no news or sighting of its cabin. It is likely to get new features as part of the update but retain the same powertrain options as the current Venue. Additionally, the new Venue is also expected to introduce a new, sportier N-Line variant.

Facelifted Audi A8L

Expected prices: Rs 1.6 crore onwards

Rivals: Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series

The latest version of the flagship Audi sedan is due to arrive in India soon, based on the official teaser that dropped in the second half of April. Already offered in global markets, the facelifted A8 is known to feature mild cosmetic updates to the exterior and interior. It could be offered in the sportier S8 variant as well.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6

Expected prices: Rs 60 lakh onwards

Rivals: Volvo XC40 Recharge

Both Hyundai and Kia have announced that they will be bringing their latest EVs to India in limited numbers sometime this summer. The bookings for the Ioniq 5 and EV6 will begin in May and deliveries of the CBU units are likely to begin in June. Both are based on the same dedicated EV architecture and share their powertrains too which will likely offer a claimed range of 500km as per ARAI testing. Despite their mechanical similarities, the two EVs are vastly different inside and out. While the Ioniq 5 looks like a large hatchback with decent ground clearance, the EV6 is more of a sporty SUV coupe.