Check out the top 10 car launches in 2021

The year 2021 will not be remembered as one of the best for the national or global automotive industry. Sanitary restrictions, shortages of electronic components, devaluation of the real and several other factors impacted the prices of 0 km cars here and, even so, the factories cannot keep up with the demand.

In addition, the change in the generation of global products and the entry into force next year of the new phase of the program to control pollutant emissions, Proconve, forced some renovations to the cars offered in Brazil.

Check out 10 of the main releases that took place in 2021

Honda City

Launched in November, the new generation Honda City represented a bold move for the Japanese automaker. In addition to the traditional sedan, the car gained an unprecedented hatchback configuration.

With the end of national production of Fit and Civic, the City sedan will have to please the public with cheaper versions of the sedan, which is the only one available for purchase. The City hatch should arrive in early 2022 and will occupy the space left by Fit.

Fiat Strada automática

Since its launch in 1998, Fiat Strada has never offered an automatic transmission. For a few years, there was the troubled Dualogic, which was never very successful. That changed now in December, when the brand introduced the CVT transmission option for the pickup that was the best-selling vehicle in Brazil for some months of the year, even without the equipment.

CVT is an acronym in English that means continuously variable transmission. This means that there are no physical gears on the gearbox. It works by pulleys and belts that can vary the gear ratio infinitely. One of its positive points is that it allows the engine to work at uniform speed, without gaps, making consumption and performance better. The engine is the same 1.3 that Strada has used since the launch of the current generation in 2020.

Fiat Pulse

Sharing an engine and automatic transmission with Strada in its entry-level versions, Fiat Pulse finally placed the automaker in the competitive segment of SUVs. Merging visuals, competitive prices, a rich list of items and the most powerful 1.0 turbo engine in Brazil with up to 130 hp, the car went on sale in October and reached 9,000 reservations in just 21 days.

Fiat Toro 1.3 turbo e Jeep Compass 1.3 turbo

Don’t be surprised that two cars of different brands appear together. Fiat Toro and Jeep Compass are manufactured in the same place, in Goiana (PE), and share mechanics and platform. The duo also debuted one of the most powerful engines produced in Brazil: the 1.3 turbo flex engine that delivers up to 185 hp of power when fueled with ethanol.

Both the pickup and the SUV also received some touches to the external look and significant improvements to their cabins. In the case of the Compass, which launched in April, the renovation reinforced its leadership position among mid-range SUVs, which welcomed the company from heavyweight competitors with the launch of the Toyota Corolla Cross and Volkswagen Taos.

This year was its best sales year in all of history and, in October, the model alone represented 50% of its segment. As for the new Toro, which also arrived in April and has fewer rivals, the change puts it at an advantage for the possible arrival of new competitors, such as Ford Maverick.

Hyundai creta

Third among compact SUVs, the Hyundai Creta has always been close to the Jeep Renegade and Chevrolet Tracker in the category and underwent its first major renovation in August 2021. The look became somewhat controversial, bringing a new global language with split headlamps and taillights .

Despite this, the SUV gained more safety equipment and technology, in addition to offering a new 1.0 turbo engine.

Toyota Corolla Cross

With a segment of medium SUVs practically dominated by the Jeep Compass, Toyota didn’t want to be left out and introduced the Corolla Cross here in March. The car debuted here even before reaching the US and Europe.

It uses the same platform as the traditional Corolla and, just like the sedan, came offering something unique in its category: the hybrid engine option. Entry versions still feature a traditional combustion engine.

Volkswagen Taos

Volkswagen also introduced its mid-range SUV in 2021. The Taos was launched in May and uses the same MQB modular platform that powers most of the brand’s models in Brazil.

VW took a different path from Toyota, however, opting to offer only the well-known 1.4 turbo flex engine with up to 150 hp of power together with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Ford Bronco Sport

The launch of the Ford Bronco Sport in Brazil in May was significant for more than one reason. The brand’s first new vehicle since the closing of factories in Brazil, the SUV is imported from Mexico, always with a 248 hp 2.0 turbo engine and all-wheel drive.

With prices approaching R$300,000, he targets the market that Ford wants to fit into from now on, at a level above other generalist brands, but below the premium ones.

Jeep Commander

Not content with having the best-selling compact and medium SUVs with, respectively, Renegade and Compass, Jeep introduced the Commander in August. The novelty brings as its main differential the capacity to carry up to 7 passengers.

The platform is the same as Compass, but adapted to the new proportions. The engine options are even the same: 1.3 turbo flex or 2.0 turbodiesel, the latter also bringing all-wheel drive.

Volvo XC40 electric

In May, Volvo began marketing the electric version of the XC40 in Brazil. The model is based on the brand’s entry-level conventional SUV around here, but, powered by batteries, it has 408 hp of power and an estimated range of 418 km.

Your role for 2022, however, will be far more important. Starting next year, Volvo announced that the XC40 will be sold in Brazil only as electric, saying goodbye to combustion engine versions.