Auto recap, May 19: Hyundai Creta hybrid on card, Tata Harrier EV launch, India-UK FTA impact on Defender price

The automotive industry is progressing rapidly, posing difficulties in staying informed about all the latest updates. At HT Auto, we are dedicated to delivering the most relevant and timely information as it becomes available. Below is a concise overview of the key highlights from Monday, May 19.

Hyundai Creta may go hybrid soon as the carmaker ramps up hybrid and EV plans for India

Hyundai Creta, one of the most popular compact SUVs in the Indian market, is expected to get a hybrid powertrain. The Hyundai Creta is currently being sold in India as a petrol, turbo petrol, diesel, and electric powertrain option. Hyundai Motor India recently confirmed that it is working on hybrid powertrains for its vehicles, and the brand plans to launch 26 products that include 20 internal combustion-powered engine cars (including refreshes) and six electric vehicles. The new vehicles will be launched by FY2030. Earlier in the month, Kia, which is the sister brand to Hyundai, confirmed during its Investor’s Day 2025 that the next-gen Kia Seltos will get a hybrid powertrain. The Creta and the Seltos have always shared their underpinnings along with the mechanical bits. If the next-gen Kia Seltos is confirmed to get the hybrid powertrain, it is likely that the Creta too will feature the same hybrid powertrain.

Tata Harrier EV to be the brand's flagship electric car, India launch on…

The Tata Harrier EV is all set to be officially launched in India on June 3. Upon arrival, this will be the flagship electric car from Tata Motors, replacing the current flagship EV of the OEM, the Tata Curvv EV. Tata Motors has already showcased the Harrier EV in multiple iterations, the latest being the production-ready model at the Bharat Mobility Expo 2025 earlier this year. Tata Motors has not revealed anything about the hardware part of the upcoming electric SUV, but hinted the Harrier EV will arrive, promising a range of about 500 kilometres on a single charge. Also, most importantly, this will be the first new generation vehicle from Tata Motors to get a 4WD drivetrain, owing to a dual motor setup, with each powering one axle.

Defender prices to drop by 50%? How India-UK FTA will affect prices

The recently concluded India-UK Free-Trade Agreement (FTA) will have a major impact on the economies of both nations, but prices for the Range Rover and Defender models won’t see a major drop as the Internet will have you believe. The India-UK FTA is expected to bring the taxation down from over 100 per cent to just 10 per cent. However, JLR’s global best seller is already made in India, and that means there is likely going to be little change in prices. JLR commenced local assembly of the Range Rover LWB and Range Rover Sport last year, while it has been assembling the Discovery, Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque and Velar in India for a while now. With the models already being assembled here, there will be no change in prices for the range.

Hyundai i20 lineup gets updated with new variant and updated features

The Hyundai i20 lineup has been updated with the addition of a new variant in the lineup - Magna Executive. The new variant has been priced at ₹7.51 lakh, ex-showroom. In addition to this, the iVT transmission and Smart Electric Sunroof are now being offered in the Magna variant. Meanwhile, the Sportz (O) variant of the premium hatchback now comes equipped with several premium features, including Smart Key with push button start, Smart Electric Sunroof, Bose Premium 7 speaker system, among others. The Magna Executive MT is priced at ₹7,50,900, while the Magna MT costs ₹7,78,800. The Magna iVT is available at ₹8,88,800. Moving up the range, the Sportz (O) MT is priced at ₹9,05,000, and its Dual Tone version comes in at ₹9,20,000. The top-end Sportz (O) iVT variant is priced at ₹9,99,990. All the prices are ex-showroom. Tarun Garg, WholeTime Director and Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor India Limited, stated that Hyundai i20 has always set new benchmarks in the premium hatchback segment with its design, innovation, and feature-rich offering.

Honda Rebel 500 launched in India with a price tag of ₹5.12 lakh

Honda Rebel 500, the premium cruiser motorcycle from the Japanese two-wheeler maker, has been launched in India with a starting price of ₹5.12 lakh, ex-showroom. To be retailed through the company’s BigWing Topline dealerships, the bike will be available exclusively in Gurugram, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, with deliveries commencing from June 2025 onwards.

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