New Kia Seltos to Renault Duster - 3 Confirmed New SUV Launches

The mid-sized SUV category is the hotly contested segment with prominent players like Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Toyota, all selling popular models. The Hyundai Creta is currently dominating the mid-sized SUV segment, which is constantly doing over 12,000 monthly sales. However, the segment is going to witness 3 new launches next year including the next-gen Kia Seltos. 

New-Gen Kia Seltos

Kia will launch the next-gen Seltos mid-sized SUV in the first quarter of 2026. The SUV has been caught testing numerous times in India and on foreign soil. The next-gen Kia Seltos will come all-new design inspired by the bigger Kia SUVs including the EV9 and Telluride. The cabin will receive maximum changes with newly designed dashboard and bigger screens. 

The new Seltos will retain the existing powertrain options including a 1.5L 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol, a 1.5L 4-cylinder turbo petrol and a 1.5L turbo diesel. The big update is that Kia is also testing the strong hybrid version of the Seltos. It is likely to feature a 1.6L 4-cylinder petrol engine combined with an electric motor, offering a combined power and torque output of 139bhp and 265Nm. The engine is paired to a 6-speed DCT. Adding to it, Kia is also testing the dedicated all-time 4WD (E-AWD) system for the Seltos hybrid.

New Renault Duster

French automaker, Renault is also working on the next-gen Duster SUV that has been caught testing on the Indian roads. In fact, the third-gen Duster India launch has already been confirmed by the company. It is likely to be launched sometime in the first half of 2026. The new model will be based on the CMF-B modular platform, which will also underpin the 7-seater derivative of the SUV. 

The new-gen Renault Duster will be powered by a 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine that produces 151bhp and 250Nm of torque. Power is transmitted to the front wheels via a 7-speed EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) automatic gearbox. In the global markets, the SUV also gets a new 1.2L turbo petrol engine with a 48V mild hybrid tech. This engine produces 129bhp and 230Nm of torque, and is paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox which sends the power to all-4 wheels. 

New Nissan SUV

Japanese automaker, Nissan has confirmed to launch a new mid-sized SUV in India in the financial year, 2026. In fact, the company has released couple of teasers revealing its design. The new SUV will be based on the same CMF-B modular architecture that underpins the new Renault Duster, which will also arrive in our market in Q1, 2026. 

It will be a petrol-only model and will get the 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that produces 155bhp and 250Nm of torque. The engine is paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The Japanese brand could also opt for an entry-level variant with a 1.5L NA petrol engine with a manual gearbox.

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