The festive season is also India’s biggest car shopping season. People consider it auspicious to buy cars during Diwali and Dasara. Based on this pattern, carmakers often schedule their most important launches for this season. Things are no different this time either. A slew of new products, particularly towards the affordable side of the market, are ready for festive season launch. Here is a closer look.
Honda Elevate Facelift
One of the most immediate launches will be the Honda Elevate facelift. It is set to go on sale on October 6, 2026. The update will give the SUV a handful of important changes. The design will evolve significantly. The overall silhouette will remain the same. Details will change. Honda hasn’t revealed the final design yet. However, we know from official teasers that it will get new LED headlamps with connected DRLs and new wheels.
Inside, the new Elevate is expected to get new leatherette upholstery and more features. One of them is the integrated ambient lighting strips. These used to be official accessories on the pre-facelift model. Further details of the feature-changes are expected to surface at launch. The new Elevate will retain the previous model’s powertrain- 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. Both manual and CVT automatic transmission options will be available as well.
Skoda Slavia Facelift
Skoda has already revealed the facelifted Slavia in India, and bookings are already open. The price announcement is expected on October 6. The update brings several styling changes- revised LED DRLs, a sharper front bumper, textured air dam, LED fog lamps, LED tail lamps with sequential indicators, and new 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels.Skoda is also offering a sportier Monte Carlo version from launch. The colour palette of the new sedan has also been revised.
The bigger changes are inside the cabin. The facelift gets a new 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with an AI assistant, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a massage function for the rear seats. Other features include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 360-degree camera, front parking sensors, a single-pane sunroof, wireless charging, automatic climate control and cruise control.
The engine lineup remains familiar. The 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engines continue with their existing power and torque figures. However, the smaller engine now gets an eight-speed automatic gearbox instead of the earlier six-speed unit.
Renault Duster Hybrid
Renault will launch the Duster hybrid on October 17. This will add a third powertrain to the SUV which now comes with 1.0-litre and 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engines. The hybrid version will use Renault’s E-Tech strong-hybrid system that combines a naturally aspirated 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors and a 1.4kWh battery pack. This setup will likely have a combined output of 160bhp and 172Nm. Renault’s hybrid system is different from the strong hybrid powertrains used by models like the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Maruti Suzuki Victoris and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. Paired with it will be a multi-mode DHT automatic gearbox. According to the manufacturer, the hybrid Duster can do up to 80 percent of city driving in EV mode.
Mahindra’s Mystery Product Coming On 15th
Mahindra is expected to introduce a new SUV on October 15. The carmaker hasn’t, however, confirmed the exact model yet. One possibility is the XUV 3XO CNG, which has been reported to be under development. If launched, it would become Mahindra’s first factory-fitted CNG passenger SUV. It is expected to use the existing 1.2-litre three-cylinder MPFI turbo-petrol engine as the base. A six-speed manual gearbox is likely. If launched, it will compete with models like the Tata Nexon CNG and Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG.
The second possibility is of the production-spec Vision S. However, its debut this month appears less likely.
Hyundai Bayon
To pull off a two-pronged attack in the 4.2-4.5-metre SUV segment, Hyundai will soon launch the new Bayon in India. It is expected to make its debut on October 12. The carmaker is already accepting pre-bookings.
The Bayon will be a 4.2-metre long SUV and will sit between the Creta and the Venue. It will have a fresh design, parts of which have already been shown in official teasers. Details like bridge-type roof rails, connected LED tail lamps, and H-Edge LED DRLs have already been confirmed. It will have a tall stance and SUV-like design- a clear departure from the first generation global Bayon’s design.
Hyundai has confirmed that this SUV will be offered with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, likely shared with the Creta. It is then likely to be offered with a six-speed manual and iVT automatic transmissions. A factory-fitted CNG version is also expected. It could use an underbody CNG tank and is expected to be available with a manual gearbox.
The Bayon will have a tech-heavy cabin- expect a dual-screen setup, ventilated seats, panoramic sunroof, wireless charging, connected-car technology, generative AI voice assistant, a 360-degree camera and more.
Toyota Glanza Facelift
Toyota is also expected to launch the updated Glanza this festive season. The facelift follows the launch of the updated Maruti Fronx, which the Glanza is a badge-engineered version of. Like the new Baleno, the facelifted Glanza will get notable design changes, more features and Maruti’s new 1.2-litre naturally aspirated Z-Series petrol engine. The design changes are expected to be kept subtle- a revised front end and new wheels are likely. The new Glanza could get level 2 ADAS, ventilated front seats, and more.