[naru80]

At every year end, so-called experts take out their crystal balls and make lofty prophecies about the year ahead. This time, i thought why not see what us non-experts can predict and how far we get it right. Here are my guesses. They are as good as yours. Feel free to add:

Carmakers will raise prices even faster than they did in 2022 (BS-VI-II + demand to stay >> supply)

Waiting periods for popular models will get LONGER (Supply disruptions on China covid surge)

Fuel prices will be on fire (last chance for govt to fill coffers before the 2024 election.)

Suzuki Jimny will be Team-bhp car of the year

Creta facelift Indian edition will still score 3 star NCAAP rating

6 airbag rule will be deferred once again

Tata will overtake Hyundai to become the #2 carmaker

Elon Musk will be out of Tesla/Tesla will be sold to someone else

[Black_Star]

Toyota Innova Diesel gets price hike when it makes a comeback next year

[SoumenD]

Honda will finally wake up and get a Brezza/Creta rival which people have been waiting for since half a decade

Hero Motorcorp will finally bring in the bigger Xpulse? I hoped this for 2022 as well but sigh!!!

[Eddy]

Team-BHP will continue to grow and improve

[pannags]

Naysayers will continue to brickbat Maruti, but the sales charts will continue to dominate

The Korean twins will offer unheard of features in their products and stay ahead of the competition (auto swing open and close for doors)

The Germans/Czechs will offer anniversary models of the Slavia and Virtus with stickers and accessories

Mahindra XUV400 will have waiting periods running well into the second half of 2024

Tata will offer exclusive service outlets for their upper segment products

Bonus: MG will expand on their connected car features to offer preventive self-maintenance, while keeping the OVRMs manual

[GTO]

2023 has the potential to turn into a really interesting year with the Hycross launch (damn keen to see how they price it), Jimny, 5-door Thar, Ioniq 5 (cheaper than EV6) etc.

What's really getting me excited are the mainstream EVs like Citroen C3, Altroz EV, XUV400. EVs are still a tiny percentage of the market, but the small base will continue to grow with those who have the facility of home charging.

My main prediction is the continued death of diesel with stage 2 of BS6 (RDE norms) coming in. Diesel cars have already become way too complex & expensive. Stage 2 is going to further kill the demand of turbo-diesels.

I also think that the gap between supply & demand will narrow down. E.g. some variants of the Sonet are already down to 3-months waiting.

[ghodlur]

Let me try mine.

1. EVs will see a drastic fall in sales due to tax concession removed.
2. Sedans will be reduced to single digit sales (%)
3. Maruti will finally have one 5 star NCAP rated car in their portfolio
4. Mumbai Goa highway will become a reality
5. Car insurance will become even more dearer
6. Majority of Indian states implement BH registrations.
7. Honda will exit India due to unviable sales
8. Car subscriptions will take priority than car ownership.

[srini1785]

1. Mushrooms would pop up everywhere in the 2 wheeler EV segment while MSIL would even deny the very existence of EV Segment.

2. Public / Goods transport segment would get into EV mode first.

3. RE will tease new electric variant complete with the "Thud Thud" experience.

4. Hydrogen powered ICE's would gain traction.

5. Musk will be Musk.

6. World will get more polar and scarier with few things to cheer.

Other than the above, it would be a Covid Scare filled fun year.

[Motorhead23]

1) Maruti will continue to dominate the charts but further lose on Market Share.
2) Hyundai & Tata will be in a close fight for the No. 2 spot on sales chart with both increasing their production capacities.
3) Honda finally waking up and bringing in their 4.3M SUV and possibly cheaper hybrid variants for City & Upcoming SUV.
4) Safety Features Standardization [6 Airbags ] from B+ Segments.

[SanjayW]

1) The Tata Curvv road test will be seen.

2) Many cars will be offered at discounts, especially smaller Maruti cars.

3) Honda will finally launch an SUV.

4) Sales of the Grand Vitara and urban cruiser hyryder will be mediocre.

[mukeshannamalai]

1. EV vs Hybrid battle creating confusion for consumers.
2. States will formulate higher electricity unit prices for EV charging @home
3. Vehicles with ADAS will become the most preferred model for consumers
4. More YouTubers reviewing Automobiles with limited knowledge.
5. Major shift towards AT, expect >50% shift to AT

[Chrome6Boy]

1. Every major non-Japanese car maker will offer an EV.
2. Maruti will sell "Sports" versions of their cars but only with "new exciting" stickers.
3. EV charging stations will double in India.
4. 2 wheeler EVs will double in market share.
5. Honda will announce their exit from India.
6. Maruti's market share will fall 5% YOY.
7. None of Mahindra's EVs will be released in 2023, not even the XUV 400.
8. VAG EPC issues will still not get solved

[Maky]

Nice idea for a thread! : ).. My predictions:

-We see the same courtesy offered in taxation to Strong Hybrids as we have to EVs.

-The bubble bursts and we see a noticeable slump in purchasing, it once again becomes a buyers market for most vehicles.

-Skoda and VW 2.0 cars either succeed or fail in peoples mind as the 'updated' DQ200 now enters important long-term reliability test years of its life.

[FrozeninTime]

My Automotive predictions for 2023:

1. A slump in car sales from Q4 2023 onwards as high prices will slowly damp sales.
2. Honda Cars India will exit.
3. Discoms will make mandatory for EV to be charged by a separate connection and will introduce a separate tariffs structure.

[echo77]

Indian roads will finally be pothole, speed breaker and idiot free.

Well, one can hope...