With the facelifted Renault Kwid out now, the sub-4 metre SUV codenamed Renault HBC is next in the pipeline. On the sidelines of the Renault Triber's export commencement event yesterday, Renault India Operations Country CEO & MD Venkatram Mamillapalle confirmed that the Renault HBC will be launched in H2 2020.
"The launch (of the Renault HBC) will happen in the second half of next year," Mamillapalle said at the aforementioned event. Since Renault India will be busy with updating its portfolio as per the BS-VI regulations in the first quarter of next year, the time afterwards seems fit to focus on the completely new product, which will be the French brand's answer to the likes of Hyundai Venue, Maruti Vitara Brezza and Tata Nexon. Its mechanical cousin from the Datsun brand is scheduled to follow the same year. So, we expect the Renault sub-4 metre SUV to arrive in mid-2020 and the Datsun sub-4 metre SUV to debut in late-2020.
If the pint-sized Renault Kwid has proved anything, Renault knows very well how Indian customers love traditional proportions on their SUVs, and it will ensure that the HBC meets those expectations despite its small size. On the outside, it should be kitted with exterior features such as two-tier headlamps, V-shaped radiator grille, 16-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, black plastic cladding and much more.
The Renault HBC sit on the same CMF-A+ platform as the Renault Triber. It will be restricted to under 4-metres length which will help the company to price it more aggressively against its competition.
In terms of mechanicals, it is said to employ the HR10 1.0L turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine that is offered in the fifth-gen Nissan Micra and the fifth-gen Renault Clio in Europe. So, a 5-speed manual transmission should be the standard fitment in most configurations, and a few upper-end configurations should come with a CVT. As for a diesel engine option, Renault has confirmed it doesn't plan to have a BS-VI diesel engine.
Also Read: BS-VI Renault Kwid spotted testing for the first time ever [Video]
As for the pricing, expect the Renault HBC to be priced from somewhere between INR 6-7 lakh (ex-showroom).
[Source: ETAuto]
