Auto Expo 2023 Day 1 Wrap-up: Your Definitive Guide To All The Car Launches & Reveals From This Massive Automotive Carnival

Despite several carmakers deciding to skip it this year, the first day of Auto Expo 2023 was bright and thriving to say the least, with a good number of launches and unveils. Many carmakers decided to showcase their international lineup today, proving their commitment to the Indian automotive market. Thanks to the various unveils, we also know which models to expect over the coming months. Here’s a quick recap of everything from day one of India’s largest automotive event: 

Maruti Suzuki

Maruti Suzuki kickstarted this year’s Auto Expo with a bang by unveiling the eVX, the precursor to an all-electric SUV that will rival Tata’s Nexon EV. It is one of the most crucial concepts from Maruti Suzuki as the production version of eVX will mark the marque’s foray into the all-electric space in 2025. 

Apart from that, we also got to see matte editions of the Vitara Brezza and Grand Vitara. The latter was also showcased in the newly launched black edition, with gloss and matte black options. Other interesting showcases were the flex-fuel-powered Wagon R, Brezza CNG and a special edition Baleno.

MG

MG decided to bring a good chunk of its international lineup to the Expo. The brand showcased  six international models: eRX5, eHS, MG4, MG5, MIFA 9 and Marvel R Electric; of which the MG4 and eHS are actively being considered for India launch. That said, the highlight was the launch of the facelifted Hector which is priced between Rs 14.73 lakh and Rs 20.78 lakh. Meanwhile, the Hector Plus also got the updates and a revised price tag between Rs 17.50 lakh and Rs 22.43 lakh. 

Hyundai

Hyundai launched the Ioniq 5 in India with an impressive price tag of Rs 44.95 lakh, undercutting its cousin, the Kia EV6, by almost Rs 16 lakh! The carmaker also took this opportunity to showcase the striking Ioniq 6 sedan. 

Kia

Major highlights from Kia were the new Carnival and the butch EV9 concept SUV. We are yet to hear from the Korean brand regarding the launch of the Carnival in India despite a global unveil back in 2021. Meanwhile, the EV9 is a boxy all-electric SUV concept which is yet to go into production. Kia also happened to showcase two special Carens purpose-built versions for the police and paramedics. 

Toyota

Toyota showcased a whole host of cars and SUVs including its first-ever all-electric vehicle, the bZ4X, which it, unfortunately, has no plans to launch in India. However, what is coming to India, soon, is the Landcruiser LC300. Toyota also showcased various other models such as the Mirai FCEV, Corolla Cross H2 Concept, and a racy version of the Glanza version. But of them all, we did find ourselves drooling at the rather ludicrous but cool Hilux Extreme Off-road Concept the most.

Lexus

Toyota’s luxury wing put up a good show with a good portfolio of models. The Lexus RX made its India debut ahead of launch and there were two interesting concepts: the LF-30 and LF-Z. The brand also showcased the LM 300h MPV, which is Lexus for Vellfire. The luxury MPV is also expected to be launched in India shortly. 

BYD

BYD debuted the Seal all-electric sedan at the Expo. It is a sleek, long-range premium electric sedan that will hit our markets by the festive season. The numbers game is strong as it features an 82.5 kWh battery pack good for a claimed range of 700km. When launched, it will join the Atto 3 and the E6 in BYD’s India lineup. The former was also showcased in a limited-run special edition featuring a green hue and limited to 1200 units. 

Tata

Tata surprised us with a host of all-electric concepts: Sierra EV, Curvv ICE concept, the Avinya concept and the Harrier EV. The Sierra and Harrier EV looked more production-ready versions than concepts, hinting at an official announcement soon. Apart from this, Tata also showcased the Hyundai i20 N-Line rival Altroz Racer along with Punch CNG, Altroz CNG and a sporty-looking version of the Tiago EV.