BHPians share their automotive predictions for 2023

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

BHPian naru80 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

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.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

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.

Here's what BHPian SoumnD had to say on the matter:

• 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!!!

Here's what BHPian pannags had to say on the matter:

• 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.

Here's what BHPian ghodlur had to say on the matter:

Let me try mine:

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

Here's what BHPian Chrome6Boy had to say on the matter:

• Every major non-Japanese car maker will offer an EV.
• Maruti will sell "Sports" versions of their cars but only with "new exciting" stickers.
• EV charging stations will double in India.
• 2 wheeler EVs will double in market share.
• Honda will announce their exit from India.
• Maruti's market share will fall 5% YOY.
• None of Mahindra's EVs will be released in 2023, not even the XUV400.
• VAG EPC issues will still not get solved.

Here's what BHPian sandeepmdas had to say on the matter:

• The GST council will re-re-re-redefine the definition of SUV so that the Leyland Dost+ will be treated as SUV and Mahindra ScorpioN a sedan, as per MVD rules.
• Mahindra will have to alter their TV commercials catchline to: "Sport Utility Vehicles, Believe us" because their cars are no more SUVs.
• Kerala MVD will ban ADAS, power windows, auto-folding ORVMs and all kinds of audio, video and navigation while the car is in motion.
• Baiju (of Baiju's) will be the new Twitter CEO.
• Gadkari will make speedbreaker-sensing bumpers mandatory. New BNCAP program will come to effect. Adani will win a contract to supply crash-test dummies for MSIL.
• The steering of MSIL cars will auto-return.
• Honda may leave India.
• BSNL will launch 5G.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.