Maruti Frontx rocked the subcompact SUV segment as soon as it entered in 2023. Its combination of styling, features and price was liked by many customers. But now Tata and Hyundai are going to challenge this segment with two new SUVs, Tata Scarlet and Hyundai Bayon.
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Tata Scarlet
Tata Motors is preparing to launch its all-new SUV Tata Scarlet in the festive season of 2026. This car will be built on a monocoque chassis and its engine options can include a 120bhp 1.2L turbo petrol from Nexon, a new 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol and a 125bhp 1.2L turbo petrol engine from Tata Curvv.
Talking about the design, some elements of Tata Sierra can be seen in Scarlet, which will give it a modern and premium appeal. The company will introduce it as a lifestyle SUV, which is specially designed keeping in mind the urban buyers.
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As far as the price is concerned, the pricing of Scarlet will target Maruti Fronx, but its range can also overlap with Nexon, Nexon EV and Punch.
Hyundai Bayon
Hyundai is also going to bring a new SUV Bayon (codename: Bc4i) in India in 2026, which will be built on the platform of the new-gen i20. The estimated price of this SUV can be between ₹ 10 lakh to ₹ 15 lakh.
Bayon will get Hyundai’s new 1.2L, 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine, which will be hybrid ready. Apart from this, the option of 1.0L turbo petrol engine is also expected to be available. Transmission options will include both manual and automatic.
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Talking about features, this SUV will be very premium in terms of technology. It will get:
- 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment
- 10.25-inch digital driver display
- Connected car technology
- OTA updates
- Type-C fast charging
- 8-speaker Bose sound system
- Wireless phone charging
- ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System)
Maruti Fronx in trouble
While Fronx has been quite successful in the segment so far, these two upcoming SUVs from Tata and Hyundai will try to woo customers with more options and advanced tech. When Scarlet and Bayon are launched in 2026, Fronx may have to bring new updates to maintain its hold.
Final Verdict
Tata Scarlet and Hyundai Bayon are set to give a direct competition to Maruti Fronx in the 2026 SUV race. Both these vehicles will offer a very strong package in terms of design, engine options and features. Now it remains to be seen how much customers adopt these new options.
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