The Indian auto market is one of the biggest in the world and almost every major automaker had marked its presence in the country till now. The growth has been exponential in the last ten years and is expected to be the same, albeit currently, it’s facing a bit of a roadblock. However, despite being a huge auto market with incredible growth potential, there are several cars which have not yet made it to India. What’s more, the cars we are talking about are already on sale in Pakistan since long. Today, let’s take a look at some of the cars that our neighbours enjoy but are not here yet.
Toyota Hilux
Pick-up trucks have never been a hit in the Indian market until recently when the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross gained good sales traction and decent popularity among the enthusiasts. However, Pakistan is a good market for pickups and for the same, Toyota offers the Hilux pick-up truck in both single and double cab versions. To let you know, the Toyota Fortuner is actually based on the Hilux, though it is more expensive and gets more dazzle-worthy features. The Pakistan-spec Hilux is powered by a 2755-cc, four-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine that outputs 130 PS and 420 Nm.
Toyota Avanza
The Toyota Avanza can be said to be a smaller version of the Toyota Innova Crysta. As with several other Toyota vehicles, it is available in Pakistan since some time. The MPV is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine that outputs 103 bhp and a popular vehicle in South East Asian markets. Though it is not a very big vehicle, it offers comfortable seating for seven just like the Maruti Suzuki XL6 launched in India recently. Toyota currently has no confirmed plans of bringing the Avanza to India.
Suzuki Jimny
Probably one of the biggest losses to the Indian auto enthusiasts is the decision by Suzuki to not introduce the Jimny on our shores. Pakistan has been enjoying the Jimny since a long time now, though they are yet to get the latest model of the puny little utility vehicle. For the uninitiated, the Jimny sold in Pakistan is a small, compact and rugged SUV that offers a competent 4wd system and the same G13 1.3-litre petrol engine that powers the Gypsy. For the Jimny, this motor outputs 80 Bhp and 110 Nm. The latest-gen model, however, sports a ton of changes and if reports are to be believed, Suzuki will launch the Jimny in India soon, albeit with a bigger body and different drivetrain setup.
BMW M2
While the BMW sedan lineup in India starts with the 3-series, Pakistan gets the more affordable 2-series too. In fact, BMW offers the whole 2-Series lineup in Pakistan which includes the performance-focused M2. To let you know, the M2 is the successor to the 1 Series M Coupe and is an extremely fun-to-drive vehicle. The coupe is powered by a 3.0-litre straight-six engine that outputs 370 Bhp and 465 Nm. As with a few other cars in this list, the BMW 2-series range is most probably to be here by 2020-2021 according to a few reports.
Honda HR-V
The Honda HR-V, or Vezel as it is known in some international markets, is a crossover SUV vehicle that is available in Pakistan. It is positioned in between the Honda BR-V and the CR-V. The car has received quite a decent success globally and is powered by a 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine outputting 118 bhp and 145 Nm and is mated to a CVT transmission. The good news is that Honda has already showcased the cars to Indian dealers and it could be launched here by the end of this year or the start of next year.
Suzuki Vitara
While a lot of updated/facelifted Suzuki cars are not available in Pakistan, the country does get the Vitara which is yet to make it to India. The Vitara Brezza sold in India is basically a smaller version of this SUV. The Vitara is slightly smaller than the Hyundai Creta but is as feature-laden. The Pakistan version gets powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine that outputs 115 bhp. But to let you guys know, Suzuki is likely to launch the Vitara in India too, though not before mid-2020 in all probability.
Toyota Rush
The Toyota Rush is a smart-looking crossover that has been on sale since some time in Pakistan. It is basically the smaller version of Fortuner and gets powered by a 1.5-litre Dual VVT-i four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 105 PS at 6,000 rpm and 136 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm. A 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission is available with the crossover SUV and the power is channelled to the rear wheels. While it is not officially confirmed, Toyota is likely to launch the Rush in India next year. To give you an idea of its size, the Rush is larger in size than the Hyundai Creta but bigger than the XUV500, though it will sit a segment above these SUVs in terms of pricing when it comes to India.
Kia Sportage
While Kia has just made its Indian debut with the Seltos, Pakistan has been enjoying its cars since some time. The South Korean automaker offers one of its globally-acclaimed cars in Pakistan which is the Kia Sportage. In fact, Kia offers almost all of its vehicles in Pakistan. The Sportage gets powered by a 2.4-litre petrol engine that outputs 182 Bhp of power.
Kia Rio
The Kia Rio can be said to be a cousin of the Hyundai Elite i20 that is available in India. After all, Kia’s parent company is Hyundai and platform sharing is a regular practice to keep costs in check. The Rio is a feature-laden model that comes with a choice of 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre petrol engines. While the 1.2-litre motor outputs 83 bhp, the 1.4-litre engine offers 99 bhp.
Toyota Hiace
As evident in the image, the Toyota Hiace is a large van and is among the top sellers in Pakistan’s car market. The MPV is the favourite pick in the commercial vehicle segment and it can carry 13 occupants in full comfort. Powering the vehicle is a 2.5-litre diesel engine or a 2.7-litre petrol engine, depending on what you choose. Speculations were rife a few years back that the Hiace will come to India but now Toyota has swapped those plans with the Vellfire instead, which is a stylish and more sporty version of the Alphard MPV.