10 Forgotten SUV in India, From Premier Rio to HM Trekker

A segment which makes it possible for a passenger to experience an off-road thrill while enjoying the ride on roads, SUV, has always been in demand, especially in India. From the famous Tata Safari to the latest MG Hector, SUVs have been ruling the market since the dawn. But then there are some SUVs which faded in the shadows of gone times. Let’s take a look at 10 such forgotten SUVs of India.

1. Hindustan Trekker | The Ambassador SUV

   

   Hindustan Motors is known for the legendary Ambassador. The king of Indian roads was so famous that HM used the platform to produce other models too. One such was the Trekker. It was made from what was left of the Ambassador. The SUV was powered by the same 1.5-litre diesel engine that used to give out a 39hp of power and a peak torque of 80Nm. HM even introduced a 2.0-litre diesel engine variant that churned out 51hp of power and 106Nm of peak torque. With time and age, ugly things become classic. But Trekker has been an exception to the saying. It was never able to achieve what its latter did.

2. Chevrolet Captiva | The Robust Freight

   

   The American automaker exited India in the year 2017 and took with it one of the best machines the company introduced in the market. One such was the powerful Captiva SUV. The sports utility came equipped with a 2.2-litre VCDi turbo engine which gave out a good 184hp of power and 424Nm of peak torque. It came with an All-Wheel Drivetrain (AWD) which enhanced the SUV experience. The SUV saw good sales but sadly it can no longer be bought in India.

3. Hyundai Tucson (First Gen) | Where did it go?

   

   The Korean carmaker introduced Tucson back around 2005 in the Indian market. The SUV had a nice 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine which produced 120 hp pf power and a peak torque of 270Nm. It came with a four-wheel-drive transfer case too. For those who want to buy a Tucson, I have good news for you as the carmaker has been spied testing the all-new 2021 Tucson on the Indian roads which means….I don’t need to tell you everything or do I?

4. Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara | One of the few of my favourite Maruti cars

   

   Suzuki launched the premium SUV in India in the year 2015. The car was loaded with features that were better from most of its competitors. For the engine part, it was powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine which produced 164hp of power and a peak torque of 225Nm with 4×4 high and low-ratio options. The SUV was not able to make a mark on the Indian customers because of the high price as no one expected a Maruti to be this costly. Maruti carried on the Vitara name by launching Vitara Brezza which saw success in terms of sales.

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5. Mahindra Legend | Indian Military Classic

   

   This SUV was built by the company to commemorate 60th anniversary of the Indian car manufacturer. The company rolled out 60 units of the Legend for which the owners were chosen on an invitation basis. It was powered by a 2.5-litre direct injection diesel engine. The Legend was not welcomed well due to poor handling and low fuel efficiency.

6. Premier Rio | Right concept wrong time

   

   It was India’s first sub-4-metre SUV or subcompact SUV. Rio came in two engine options: 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel. The petrol engine churned out 75.6hp of power and a peak torque of 104 Nm. The diesel engine gave out 71hp of power and 183 Nm of peak torque. It was later updated with a Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre Multijet Diesel engine. The car was launched in the year 2013, the time when this segment was not at all famous as it is now.

7. Tata Sierra | The Three-door oven

   

   No, it was not just an SUV but also an oven. The ones who have seen the Sierra must be familiar with what I am saying. The three-door SUV had seats at the back but without windows (see why I said oven and not a car). But jokes apart, it had first-in-class central air conditioning, power steering with tilt option, power windows and the list goes on. It was powered by a 2.0-litre indirect injection diesel engine which produced 68hp of power and a peak torque of 110Nm.

8. Tata Safari Petrol | What? Did someone say petrol?

   

   Tata Safari is still seen running on the roads. But all of us know that it came in with a diesel engine. This is the reason Safari petrol was never a hit. The engine was a 2-litre petrol version which churned out 135hp of power, which was 45hp more than the diesel variant. But one thing it lacked at was fuel efficiency which was the cause of the failure.

9. Toyota Qualis | The CID Wagon

   

   Those who know about Sony’s popular show, CID, know the Qualis. The way Abhijeet used to drift the SUV at the crime spot is still in every Indian’s mind. Launched in 1999, Qualis became a hit SUV. It came powered with a 2.5-litre diesel engine which used to churn out 73.8hp of power and a peak torque of 151 Nm which was a good option at that time.

10. Chevrolet Tavera | Favourites Among Taxi Buyers

    

    This high seating capacity of Tavera was responsible for the SUV to be known for being a taxi. The good fuel efficiency and a decent engine with a very decent price made it an affordable pick. But with the exit of the company, Tavera is also long gone.

Fun Read: 10 Forgotten Station Wagons (Estate Cars) Of India

These were the 10 forgotten SUVs of India. The segment which is always at the boom in the industry is expected to have some of these back. Which one of the above SUVs will you want to revive if you had a wand? Do you remember some others? Let us know in the comments.

Another Fun Read: 10 Wannabe Regular Indian Cars that aspire to be More! Part 2