"The cars we drive say a lot about us", said Alexandra Paul. Surely the car we drive defines us in more ways than one. A car is a symbol. Symbol of comfort, ownership and even prosperity. People are as passionate about their cars as they are about their most beloved belongings and possessions.

The 2018 Auto Expo will begin on February 9 and end on February 14. Every new year, the automotive industry introduces new models, unique design patterns, and different car classes. The car market in the recent years, has become extremely competitive and dynamic and in order to keep competition at bay, companies have to introduce products that can meet the needs of modern consumers.

I've always been asked, 'What is my favorite car?' and I've always said 'The next one' said Carroll Shelby. You may just find your next one in this list. If indications are anything to go by, then 2018 is going to be a fascinating year for car lovers. Apart from the SUVs and hybrid cars, electric cars are going to be a big pull for the audiences. Here are the five most anticipated cars of 2018

1)  New Maruti Suzuki Swift 

The first generation Swift was unveiled in the year 2005 and won the inaugural Indian Car of the Year award in 2006. The second generation Swift was introduced in the year 2010 and it went on to win the 2012 Indian Car of The Year Award in 2012, so the car has had major success in the Indian market. The new Maruti Suzuki Swift is based on its traditional lightweight platform, which also corroborate cars like the Baleno and the Ignis. Though the petrol and diesel powertrain options remain the same, automated manual transmission has been introduced on both the models.

The expected price range of the car is between Rs. 5.23 - 8.39 lakh.

Test Drive of New Suzuki Swift(Photo Credit: Autocar India)

2) Maruti Future S Concept

India’s biggest carmaker Maruti will be showcasing the Future S concept at the Auto Expo 2018. It will also have the honor of being the first car to be unveiled at the event. The car will be based on lightweight HEARTECT platform and will reflect a very SUV-ish shape. Maruti says that the Future S shows the changing preference of the customers in the market. The car is expected to be powered by a 1.2-litre K-Series petrol engine and a new turbo diesel engine that is currently being developed by the company. The car is expected to be launched by late 2018 or early 2019 reports Cartoq.

The expected price of the Future- S is going to range in between Rs. 5.02 - 6.02  Lakh.

File Photo of Maruti Suzuki Concept Future Design Outline. (Photo Credit: Maruti Suzuki)

3)    Hyundai i20 Facelift

Buzz is that the new 2018 Hyundai i20 facelift is to get many exterior and interior styling changes. A few new features are also expected to be introduced. After Hyundai Elantra and 2018 Verna and Hyundai Grand i10 facelifts, Hyundai i20 also looks set to follow in the footsteps of Hyundai’s latest design philosophy. The face of new Hyundai i10 gets a new front grille that bears strong resemblance to that in current Hyundai Xcent but in honeycomb pattern. It is also expected to feature a new headlamp cluster integrated with LED DRLs. The price of the new Hyndai i20 Facelift is estimated to be between Rs. 6 lakh to 9 lakh depending on the model specificity.

The New Hyundai i20 Facelift (Photo Credit: CarandBike- NDTV)

4) All New 2018 Hyundai Santro 

Hyundai pulled back its budget car Santro from the market back in 2015 and has not really been doing well in this segment since. Hyundai will unveil the all new Santro in the Auto Expo 2018 to revive its fortune again. Santro was still clocking reasonable sales number the year it was pulled back. But now Hyundai has decided to bring it back in its new avatar.

This new Santro is expected to be better equipped to face and challenge the competition. It will not only be bigger in dimensions, but will also offer more space on the inside as well as features reports RUSHLANE. Hyundai claims that extensive research has gone into the making of the new Hyundai Santro by the company’s R&D center in South Korea. Expectations are already high with the new Santro.

The Auto Expo, now in its 14th edition is the largest automobile event in the country. The Auto Expo 2018 will be witness to 24 launches and more than 100 unveils for the period of six days between February 9-14. The Auto Expo 2018 is going to be an exciting week for all the wheel lovers and we will keep you updated with every important detail. So keep following this space to catch up with all the action happening in Greater Noida, Auto Expo 2018.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 06, 2018 01:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).