June was a busy month for the automobile industry, bringing us the updated Toyota Innova Crysta, Mercedes-Benz S-Class facelift, Maruti Wagon R flex-fuel, Citroen eC3X and Porsche 911 GT3. With July marking the start of the second half of 2026, several more models are lined up. Here is a look at the cars set to either launch or debut next month.
2026 Renault Kwid
Launch date: July 3
Renault’s answer to the Maruti Alto K10 was first launched in 2015 and received a facelift in 2019. The current model has been on sale for nearly seven years and is pretty long in the tooth. Part of Renault’s “rethink” strategy, the entry-level hatchback is set to receive a variant rejig in July. The Kwid is currently available only with a 69hp, 92.5Nm 1.0-litre petrol engine mated to a manual gearbox or an AMT unit, which could be carried over. While the current model is priced between Rs 4.30 lakh and Rs 5.88 lakh, ex-showroom, the facelift is likely to cost slightly more.
Nissan Tekton
Debut date: July 9
Nissan has been drip-feeding teasers of the Tekton, the Japanese carmaker’s version of the Duster, revealing features such as LED headlights, pull-type door handles at the front and C-pillar-mounted ones at the rear, multi-spoke alloy wheels, a twin-ridge spoiler and C-shaped tail-lights.
The Tekton will be offered with 100hp, 166Nm 1-litre and 163hp, 280Nm 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine options. A 6-speed manual gearbox will be available with both engines, but an automatic gearbox – a 7-speed DCT in this case – will be limited to the more powerful mill.
The Tekton is expected to be priced similarly to the Duster, which starts at Rs 10.49 lakh and goes up to Rs 18.69 lakh for the top-spec turbo-petrol variant. In addition to the Duster, the Tekton will take on the likes of the Tata Sierra, Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq and Maruti Grand Vitara, among others.
Wuling Starlight 560-based JSW-MG SUV
Debut date: July 16
JSW-MG Motor’s new SUV debuting in July is likely to be a rebadged version of the Wuling Starlight 560 SUV, for which a design patent was filed in India in March. The Starlight 560 is a 4,745mm-long seven-seater SUV with LED headlights and tail-lights and rides on 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside, it features a dual-tone cabin, a 12.8-inch touchscreen, an 8.8-inch digital driver’s display, a 6-speaker audio system, a 50W wireless phone charger and a panoramic sunroof.
In international markets, the Starlight 560 is available in plug-in hybrid and EV guises. The PHEV has a 1.5-litre petrol engine and a front-mounted electric motor powered by a 20.5kWh battery. Combined, this hybrid setup produces 195hp and 230Nm and offers a claimed range of over 1,000km. Meanwhile, the all-electric version gets a 69.2kWh battery and a 201hp motor at the front, with a CLTC-claimed range of 530km. It remains to be seen which powertrain is headed to India.
We expect this model to be priced competitively, much like other MGs. The PHEV version could serve as an alternative to the Mahindra XUV 7XO and Tata Safari, while the EV may rival the Mahindra XEV 9S.
Maruti Brezza facelift
Debut date: July 23
The current-generation Maruti Brezza, launched in 2022, is set to get a mid-lifecycle update in the latter half of July. Several test mules of the Brezza facelift have been spied before. Among the expected updates are revised bumpers, new alloy wheels and a larger 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen that replaces the 9-inch unit. The Brezza is currently offered with the 103hp, 137Nm 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, mated to a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox; a CNG option is available, too. The new Brezza could get a Victoris-like underbody CNG tank setup to liberate more space in the boot.
However, the biggest change to the new Brezza could be under the hood, as it is expected to get a turbo-petrol engine for the first time. It will likely be the 1.0-litre three-cylinder Boosterjet unit that powers the Fronx, where it generates 100hp and 148Nm. The engine could be paired with a new 6-speed manual transmission – something seen earlier in one of the interior spy shots.
Having a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine would also mean a lower 18 percent tax on the Brezza facelift, as it will then fall under the category of sub-4m cars with petrol engines up to 1,200cc. The current Brezza has a 1.5-litre mill and attracts 40 percent GST. It is priced between Rs 8.26 lakh and Rs 12.86 lakh, ex-showroom.
Skoda Kodiaq RS
Launch date: Not disclosed yet
Even before the price announcement, the first 50 units of the Skoda Kodiaq RS allocated for India are already sold out. Compared to the standard Kodiaq, the RS stands out with sportier bumpers, 20-inch alloy wheels, a larger roof spoiler, dual exhaust tips and RS badging.
Under the hood, the RS has a retuned version of the standard Kodiaq’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 265hp and 400Nm. That is 61hp and 80Nm more than the standard model. The engine is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and an all-wheel-drive system. Skoda claims a 0-100kph time of 6.3 seconds, making it the “quickest Skoda ever [to be] launched in India”. It also gets Dynamic Chassis Control Plus adaptive suspension.
The fully imported Kodiaq RS is expected to be priced between Rs 60 lakh and Rs 65 lakh (ex-showroom). That would make it around Rs 15 lakh-20 lakh more expensive than the locally assembled Kodiaq L&K.
Honda ZR-V
Launch date: Not disclosed yet
Pre-bookings for the Honda ZR-V hybrid SUV have been underway since May, and upon launch, it will be the brand’s flagship SUV here. It gets features such as LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, wraparound tail-lights, a 9-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, dual-zone climate control, a wireless phone charger and a 12-speaker Bose sound system.
The ZR-V hybrid has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine along with two electric motors; this setup produces combined outputs of 184hp and 315Nm. An e-CVT sends drive to the front wheels. Honda claims a 0-100kph time of 8 seconds and a 22.79kpl mileage for this hybrid SUV. As it will be imported as a completely built unit (CBU), the Honda ZR-V hybrid may be priced around Rs 45 lakh, ex-showroom. If that happens, the ZR-V will find itself in the company of the Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tayron.
2026 Toyota Hilux
Launch date: Not disclosed yet
Toyota debuted the ninth-generation Hilux in 2025, and much like the outgoing model, the new pickup truck is based on the brand’s IMV body-on-frame platform. The upcoming Hilux gets slimmer LED headlights, a honeycomb-patterned grille, vertically oriented tail-lamps and a chunky rear bumper. It is leagues more modern on the inside, featuring twin 12.3-inch displays, a new steering wheel, a wireless charging pad, powered and ventilated front seats and more.
The new Hilux is expected to be offered with Toyota’s 204hp, 500Nm 2.8-litre diesel engine with the same 48V mild-hybrid system as the Fortuner Neo Drive. While the Hilux even gets an EV version overseas, that is unlikely for India. The current Hilux is priced between Rs 28.52 lakh and Rs 36 lakh, ex-showroom.
Dipan Sur
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Glenn Noronha
Dhruv Dhaka
Saptarshi Mondal
