We drove the Alturas G4 around a small off-road track on the outskirts of Jaipur and given its weight, were mighty impressed with the capabilities. Although it does not get an automatic differential lock, the clever traction control ensures that power / torque only goes to those wheels that have ample traction.

This allows the Alturas G4 to tackle tricky situations, the ones you see in the video below. Further, wheel articulation is massive and this big Mahindra loved lifting its front and rear wheels for our cameras: Take a look!

Mahindra’s latest and most expensive product offering, the Alturas G4 is a true blue SUV, one that can take you places. We say this because not only does it come with a proper 4×4 set-up that offers 2H, 4H and 4L (low ratio), this Toyota Fortuner / Ford Endeavour rival also packs in impressive ground clearance of 244 mm and a host of safety and driver aids that come in handy during adventurous outings.

The Mahindra Alturas G4 is essentially a rebadged for India Ssangyong Rexton. Mahindra owns a majority stake in Ssangyong and though the earlier Rexton wasn’t a hit in India, the company is betting hard on the Alturas. It is slightly more affordable than its direct rivals and also packs in segment leading features. This includes a 360 degree view camera, one that also comes in a lot handy during off-road excursions as you can see all obstacles around the vehicle. In terms of engine, this one gets a 2.2-litre turbo charged diesel motor that is good for 178 bhp of power and 420 Nm of torque. Mated to a 7 speed Mercedes-Benz sourced automatic gearbox, the Alturas is seriously quick for a Mahindra.

The Alturas is sold in two versions of 4×2 and 4×4. While the former is priced at Rs 26.95 lakh, the latter comes with a sticker price of Rs 29.95 lakhs. As we said earlier, the equipment level is certainly its USP and the cabin does feel luxurious given ample use of leather and high quality materials. That said, the 3rd row of seats offers the least space among rivals and visibility too is poor given the massive metal body around the D pillar.

Key rivals of the Mahindra Alturas – the Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Endeavour – also offer a four wheel drive layout. Among all SUVs, the Ford Endeavour has the most advanced four wheel drive system with a terrain response feature.

Also Read: Renault Kwid-based MPV caught testing: Spy Shots reveal new details

With the year coming to an end, two of the largest carmakers in the world, Ford and Toyota are offering massive discounts of up to Rs 1.1 lakh for customers who purchase their new cars now. In this post, we’ll take a look at these discount offers from the two carmakers.

Toyota

Japanese carmaker Toyota has Year-End Carnival discount schemes going on as it looks to end the year on a high and is offering benefits worth up to Rs 1.1 lakh on some of its cars.

Toyota Etios
Max Discount – Accessories Package

The Toyota Etios is the Japanese carmaker’s offering in the compact sedan segment. As part of its year-end carnival, Toyota is offering accessories packages for the Etios to new customers.

Toyota Yaris
Max Discount – Rs 1.1 Lakh

Toyota Introduced the Yaris to India at Auto Expo 2018 and launched the Maruti Ciaz rivalling sedan a few months later into the market. Depending on the model chosen Toyota is offering the Yaris with up to Rs 42,000 worth of Toyota Genuine Accessories along with Rs 30000 as Exchange / Loyalty benefit. Customers can avail an additional Rs 18,000 benefit on Insurance at discounted rates while those working in the Corporate sector get an extra Rs 10,000 off. Toyota is also offering a 3 Month Holiday Free EMI period scheme on financing from Toyota Finance.

Toyota Corolla Altis
Max Discount – Rs 1 lakh

The Toyota Corolla Altis is the carmaker’s offering in the D-segment sedan sector of India and is the most popular offering in its class. Toyota is offering benefits of up to Rs 1 lakh on the Corolla. This includes Rs 40000 worth of Toyota Genuine Accessories along with the same amount as a corporate discount and Rs 20,000 as an exchange bonus.

Toyota Innova Crysta
Max Discount – Competitive rates of financing from Toyota Finance

The Toyota Innova Crysta is India’s most popular MPV. As part of its year-end discount carnival, Toyota is offering the Innova Crysta with competitive rates of financing directly from Toyota Finance.

Toyota Fortuner
Max Discount – Competitive rates of financing from Toyota Finance

The Toyota Fortuner is India’s most popular premium SUV. As part of its year-end discount carnival, Toyota Finance is offering competitive rates of financing on the Fortuner.

Ford

The American carmaker is offering discounts of up to Rs 30,000 with select models also getting offers on insurance premiums on the dealer end.

Ford Freestyle
Max Discount: Rs 15,000 + Dealer Offers On insurance

The Ford Freestyle is the American carmaker’s most affordable offering currently on sale in India. Ford is offering a Rs 15,000 cash discount on the crossover hatchback with some of its dealers offering Insurance benefits with Own Damage (OD) premium at a 60 percent discount.

Ford Aspire
Max Discount: 5 year Warranty + Dealer Offers On Insurance

Ford recently launched the facelifted Aspire in India and the American carmaker is offering the compact sedan with 5 years warranty as part of its year-end offer. Some dealers will also offer their new customers Insurance policies at a competitive premium as well.

Ford Ecosport
Max Discount – Rs 25,000 + Dealer Offers On Insurance

The EcoSport is Ford’s offering in the highly competitive compact SUV segment. Ford is offering cash discounts varying from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 on select variants of the EcoSport as part of its year-end offers. Some dealers will also offer the compact SUV with Insurance benefits including Own Damage (OD) premium at a 60 percent discount.

Ford Endeavour
Max Discount – Rs 30,000

The Ford Endeavour is the American carmaker’s largest offering currently on sale in India. Ford is offering the Endeavour premium SUV with cash benefits of Rs 30,000 as part of the year-end offers on its cars this year.

Also Read: Renault Kwid-based MPV caught testing: Spy Shots reveal new details

The Renault Duster is one of the best know SUVs currently on sale in India. Launched in India in 2012, the Duster looks tough but offers one of the smoothest rides in an SUV. However, while it is quite good off-road, a tank proving ground is no place for it. Thankfully, Motor.ru got Renault Russia’s Duster which features tank tracks to take on the proving ground and a T-80 tank.

The video starts off as a normal review, though one at a tank proving ground where different armies from across the world including India just had a competition in. The reviewer starts off by talking about the Duster and how the Russian-spec version of the compact SUV differs from the regular one sold in Europe. One of the changes he mentions is the fact that the Russian-spec Duster has extra ground clearance at 200 mm.

He then decides to show off the off-roading prowess of the Duster by taking it through the tank proving grounds. He pushes the Duster through its paces pushing it through small pools of water as he talks about the tough old Renault suspension setup that can handle the real tough terrain. He then states that the Duster is very good off-road ‘so you have to work hard to get stuck in’. Funnily enough, moments later he gets stuck.

Thankfully, he then switches to the Russian developed tracked Duster, which uses the Regula SUV’s suspension setup along with 4 tank tracks. The reviewer states that the tracked Duster will be used by the Romanian army(the Duster is the work of Renault’s subsidiary Dacia, which is based in Romania) in the near future, albeit with armour, roll-bar protection and a machine gun on the roof. The tracked based Duster is at ease on the tank proving grounds, so the Motor.ru reviewer decides to put it to the ultimate test – pitting it against a real tank.

The tank that he chooses is no slouch either. The T-80 main battle tank has been in production since 1976 and weighs in at 46 tonnes and is powered by either a diesel engine or a gas turbine both of which produce 1,250 Hp.

Thankfully, he decides to challenge the T-80 in a race rather than trying to escape the tank, which has a 125mm gun as its main weapon. The race commences and at first, the tracked Duster seems to be set for a win as it manages to stay ahead of the tank. However, as the slush gets thicker, the Duster starts struggling due to the thick slush which also blocks out the windscreen. The T-80 which can do 70 km/h on the road and 46 km/h on rough terrain though surges ahead and ends up winning the race despite all of its extra weight.

Not that all this is going to help the Duster in India. The car is selling steady alright, but is quite a bit long in the tooth. And Captur has already not exactly shaken up the markets either. We, and most Renault fans, are hoping for the company to come up with something really exciting. Is the Nissan Kicks gonna be it?

Also Read: Renault Kwid-based MPV caught testing: Spy Shots reveal new details

Ever since its inception in 2005, the Swift has been bringing laurels to Maruti Suzuki. The mid level hatchback has gone through many generation changes and is currently in its third generation. Recently, the Swift gave Maruti another reason to smile when it successfully crossed the 2 million unit sales mark.

Even for a car that has been selling for more than 13 years, that is quite a huge number. The Swift has seen a lot of competitors from different companies over the years but always tuned out to be a winner.

What made it such a success can be attributed to many factors. Firstly, the car has always been priced economically and featured a very attractive design, which made many first time buyers pay attention to it. Secondly, Maruti Suzuki always made sure that the Swift was equipped with a frugal and fuel efficient engine, as mileage is of utmost importance in India. Though the interiors were a bit cramped and some of the competitors have always offered better cabin space, the Swift turned out to be a winner because of good dynamics, excellent ergonomics and decent fit/finish levels. Lastly, Maruti’s cheap and proven after-sales service made ownership hassle free, which again contributed in a big way towards the 2 million milestone the car has touched.

The current generation car comes powered by both petrol and diesel engine. The 1.2 litre petrol engine churns out 82 Bhp of power and 113 Nm of torque. The 1.3 litre diesel, on the other hand, puts out 74 Bhp of power along with 190 Nm of torque. There is a choice of either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed AMT transmission on the car. The petrol and diesel engines return an excellent fuel efficiency figure of 22 kmpl and 28.4 kmpl respectively.

The Swift has always been a top seller in its segment and remained unfazed by the competition. Its sedan version was called as Swift Dzire for two generations but the latest iteration has been named as just Dzire. Also, the Swift enjoys a special place with enthusiasts and modifiers due to its mod potential, a status not many cars in India can be said to enjoy.

The latest car is very light, which means that it’s the quickest Swift that Maruti has released in India. Performance enhancements will make this car even faster. Diesel variants of the Maruti Swift can be hooked to tuning boxes or remapped. Petrol variants of the car have free flow exhausts, intakes, and remaps on offer. The car also has a bunch of customization options sold by Maruti dealers. Opting for Maruti’s customization packages will allow owners to keep warranty intact.

Featured image courtesy EvoIndia

Also Read: Renault Kwid-based MPV caught testing: Spy Shots reveal new details

Tata has been releasing multiple teasers of its upcoming Harrier SUV lately. The big 5 seater SUV will be Tata’s new flagship vehicle and hence will be loaded to brim with goodies. While we had already brought you a teaser of its dashboard design and other design elements, now we bring you another one.

This one is among the biggest drops by Tata yet on the Harrier, as it clearly showcases its terrain response system, or drive select unit in simple language. Take a look at the teaser below before we get into the details.

As seen in the video, the Harrier gets a multiple drive select unit. Also present are the options to toggle the traction control and hill descent control on or off. The rotary dial looks quite the same like that present in Land Rover SUVs, on whose platform the Harrier is loosely based on.

In the video, we see the dial comes with three terrain options. From what we make out of it, starting from the left, the first option is a normal drive mode, the second one is slippery/wet surface mode while the last one is an uneven/rut surface mode.

What these modes do is to adjust the cars suspension, engine response and other dynamics to have the best possible control over the selected surface. While the normal drive mode would have the car going easy and normally, the other two would let the on board computer take care of the conditions to some extent.

This will go a long way in boosting the Harrier’s performance over unfavorable road conditions and during off roading. Land Rover cars are famous for their off road prowess and they also come with a similar drive selector, though it has more features and competence than the one used here.

The upcoming Tata Harrier is made on company’s new OMEGA platform, which has been derived from JLR’s D8 platform. The big SUV will be powered by four cylinder Multijet diesel engine which is dubbed as ‘Kryotec’ and has been sourced from Fiat. To let you know, the same engine also powers the Jeep Compass in India.

The engine output and other specifications are not yet known official but we expect the power to be around 140 Bhp in the Harrier. The engine will reportedly be mated to a 6-speed manual and a Hyundai-sourced 6-speed automatic gearbox. Tata Motors is expected to introduce a turbocharged petrol engine on the Harrier sometime in 2020.

In 2020, the Tata Harrier will get a 7 seat, longer sibling. Code-named the H7X, the new 7 seat SUV will share its mechanicals with the Harrier, but with higher power and torque outputs. Also, it will be pricier, and positioned as a new flagship vehicle for Tata Motors.

Also Read: Renault Kwid-based MPV caught testing: Spy Shots reveal new details

American carmaker Ford was started 115 years ago in 1903 by Henry Ford. Ford first came to India in 1926 but left the country in 1954. The company re-entered the Indian market in 1995 in a joint venture with Mahindra as Mahindra Ford India Limited. Less than three years later Ford became the majority owner of the venture and renamed the company Ford India Private Limited. In the 23 years since its return to India in October 1995, Ford has launched quite a few vehicles in the Indian market. While some have done well, others have now been forgotten. In this post, we take a look at 5 forgotten cars from Ford India.

Ford Escort

The Escort was the first car that Ford bought to the Indian car market when it returned in 1995. The large Escort sedan was in production from 1996 to 2001 and was offered with a 1.6-litre petrol engine and a 1.6-litre diesel motor. The Escort was offered with a number of features included power steering, powered front windows and ORVMs, air conditioning and a music system. The Ford Escort offered ample room in the rear along with a large boot.

Ford Fusion

The Ford Fusion was the first-ever crossover launched in the car market. Launched in 2004, the Fusion remained in production till 2010. Ford offered the Fusion with three engine options – 1.4-litre petrol and diesel and a larger 1.6-litre petrol. The Fusion was regarded as extremely practical and was a good fit with large Indian families. However, its hatchback styling meant that only enthusiasts went for the crossover and those interested in SUVs and that sort of styling stayed away. The Fusion is quite a rare sight on Indian roads today.

Ford Fiesta S

The Ford Fiesta S was a special variant of the Fiesta sedan that the American carmaker launched in India. The Fiesta S took the regular sedan’s good handling characteristics and took them to a whole new level. The Fiesta S featured a body kit, a new colour and a better suspension setup. The 1.6-litre from the regular car remained unchanged though but that was fine for most drivers as it produced 100 Bhp and 145 Nm of torque. The Fiesta S sold in limited numbers and seeing one on the roads today is quite rare.

Ford Fiesta facelift

In 2014, Ford updated the looks of the Fiesta sedan to match its new corporate design. The facelifted sedan featured an Aston Martin-inspired front grille, sleek angular headlights and a redesigned tail more in line with the Fiesta sold abroad. The Fiesta was powered by a 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine with 89 Bhp and 209 Nm of torque and offered brilliant handling characteristics that made enthusiasts grin from ear to ear. However, with the Honda City reigning supreme in the segment, the facelifted Fiesta didn’t gain the traction it should have in the sales department.

Ford Mondeo

The Ford Mondeo was the American carmaker’s answer to the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and the Audi A4. Launched in India in 2004, the Mondeo marks the only that Ford decided to enter our nation’s luxury car market. The Mondeo was powered by two engines -a petrol and a diesel – both of which displaced 2.0-litres. The petrol engine produced 142 Bhp while the diesel had 128 Bhp available for the driver’s right foot. However, a rather big price tag meant that many buyers kept away from the Mondeo. The Ford Mondeo was discontinued in 2006.

Also Read: Renault Kwid-based MPV caught testing: Spy Shots reveal new details

Renault’s new MPV based on the Kwid has been going round the rumor mill for some time now. Now, however, the upcoming mini MPV has been caught testing in Pune. The spyshots show a heavily camouflaged test mule going through drive test rounds. The spyshots have been captured in Pune and give a glimpse of how the actual car would come out like.

The new mini MPV will go heads on with the Datsun Go+, which had received a facelift previous month. The Kwid MPV will be based on the CMF-A platform, which is the one that underpins the Kwid also. As seen in the spyshots, the Kwid MPV seems to be a relatively compact offering. Though it looks tall, that could mainly be because of the apparent roof rails the car features. A part of the front grille is visible in the spyshot which resembles the unit found on the Kwid hatchback. The MPV will probably be in the same size league as its arch rival, the Datsun G0+.

Talking about the interiors, the spyshots don’t give much of peek into them but some of the things are apparent. The seats on the Kwid MPV will come with integrated headrests, and there is no automatic day/night mirror on the car. These things reflect that Renault has developed the car with economical pricing in mind. There is no lowdown on the features yet but a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity could be expected.

Other things that the car will be equipped with are reverse camera, manual air-conditioning and all four power windows among others. It will be offered as a 5+2 seater like the Datsun Go+ rather than a proper 7 seater, due to budget and space limitations. However, it could prove to be an excellent alternative to A-segment hatchbacks if Renault packages it properly and gives it an affordable start price. It could also ride on the success Kwid name as it is quite popular entry level hatchback in India.

As for the powertrain, there is no official data yet but expect it to be powered by the same 1.0-litre engine that is found on the Kwid. On the Kwid, the 1.0 litre engine produces 67 Bhp of power and 91 Nm of torque. Renault would probably tweak the engine a bit before launching the final model. As for the pricing, there is no official data out yet but expect Renault to place the Kwid MPV around the Rs 4 lakh mark and top out at Rs 6.5 lakh. Launching will happen next year as the vehicle is still in its testing phase.

Source

Also Read: Renault Kwid-based MPV caught testing: Spy Shots reveal new details

Indian automaker Mahindra is all set to reveal the name for its upcoming sub-4-metre SUV codenamed S201 on the 1st of December. The Mahindra S201 (XUV300) will be the automaker’s newest SUV contender and with its sub-4-metre length will take on the likes of the Maruti Vitara Brezza, Ford Ecosport and Tata Nexon when it is launched in India early next year.

While there are reports that the S201 could bear the XUV300 name, there is also a chance that the company may ditch its old-school naming scheme once again just like it did in the case of its last two vehicles – the Marrazo MPV and Alturas G4 SUV.

However, if Mahindra decides to go ahead with the XUV300 name it will give the new SUV instant brand recognition thanks to the success and popularity of the XUV500 in India. Another reason to keep the name is the fact that both SUVs sport a monocoque chassis.

Mahindra is currently hard at work putting the S201 (XUV300) through its paces as it looks to get the compact SUV ready for Indian customers by the time it launches in early 2019. The latest spy images of the S201 show off a camouflaged version of the SUV which is based on the Ssangyong Tivoli sold abroad.

The front end looks quite similar to the Tivoli and Mahindra is only expected to add its own badge and grille to distinguish it from the regular Tivoli. However, this test mule of the S201 features three raised structures on the bonnet, though these could just be a few sensors bolted to the test mule.

At the sides, the only major distinguishing features seen are the snazzy 10-spoke alloy wheels and the straight roofline. The rear end of the Mahindra S201 features a sharply raked rear windscreen and LED taillamps that are connected by the distinctive character line on the boot, though that could just be some chrome bulging out from under the camo.

The new S201 (XUV300) from Mahindra is expected to come packed to the gills with features and will get a dual-zone climate control system, cruise control, sunroof and a larger than average touchscreen unit for the infotainment system along with projector headlamps with LED daytime running lights and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The S201 will also see Mahindra debut its new 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine under its hood. The diesel option for the Mahindra S201 will be the 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine from the Marazzo which rated at 121 Bhp. This will make the S201 the most powerful SUV in its segment. The engines are expected to be paired with 5-speed manual and AMT gearboxes.

Also Read: 6 times the Toyota Fortuner proved that it's UNSTOPPABLE [Video]

The Indian car market witnesses over a dozen odd car launches, both new and variant additions, every year. However, these are spread across various price segments. But if you are in the market looking for a relatively new, or a fresh car that can be purchased for less than Rs 5 lakh, what are the best options? We at Cartoq narrowed down to five different car models that either got a major revamp, or an addition of a new variant this year in 2018. Two among these, the Datsun Go / Go Plus and the Santro are all-new or major product revamps.

Do note that we have set an upper limit of Rs 5 lakh in terms of on-road price and not ex-showroom price because that is what a customer like you needs to pay to drive the car out of a showroom. Note that we have sorted the list as per launch date.

1) New Cars in India Below 5 lakhs: 2018 Renault KWID

Launch Date: 1st August 2018
Price: Rs 3.02 onwards (on-road, before discounts)
Current Offers: 50% Off on 1st Year Insurance + Rs 15000 Exchange Bonus + 4 Year Warranty on Select Model (November)

Our favourite entry level hatchback got a revamp for 2018 (but in August!) in the form of added features and minor design tweaks. Talking of which, the 2018 edition gets dual-tone bumpers, chrome addition for the grille and even C-shaped lighting signature for the headlights. Renault is also offering body coloured bumpers, full wheel covers and front fog lamps for the mid and top-end variants. The Kwid Climber version is now being offered with body cladding with Climber logos, orange ORVMs, rugged fog lamp housings, orange highlights on the front bumper and roof rails.

The 2018 Renault KWID gets goodies like a rear arm rest (wow for a small car), a reverse parking camera and a 12V power socket for rear passengers as well. All versions also get rear seat belts with Emergency Locking Retractors (ELR) and this is a good safety addition. The automatic or the AMT versions of the KWID finally get the crawl or the creep function as well as a hill assist aid. Do note that the popular RXL model gets front power windows and remote central locking. Other features include power steering, air-conditioning and Bluetooth.

There are no changes to the engines which means you can pick from the smaller 799 cc that puts out 54 BHP / 72 Nm or the larger 999 cc motor with 67 BHP / 91 Nm. While a 5-speed manual transmission is offered with both units, a 5-speed AMT is optional on the latter. With a 4 year / 1 lakh km warranty in place, the KWID remains the best small hatchback around.

Pros:

• Multiple engine and transmission options
• Baby SUV looks go down well with buyers
• Segment leading ride quality
• Segment first features (rear arm-rest, touch-screen etc)

Cons:

• Small tank: only 28 litres
• Huge turning radius of 5m!
• No visual difference between base and top-end
• Lowering market demand = poor re-sale

Sales:
August: 5541
September: 5529
October: 6035

Milestone: 10719 units in August 2016

Latest Update: 2018 edition with added features

2) New Cars in India Below 5 lakhs : Datsun redi-GO limited edition

Launch Date: 4th September 2018
Price: Rs 3.97 lakh onwards (on-road, before discounts)
Discounts: 1st Year Insurance + 2 Gram Gold Coin + Rs 12K Exchange Benefits + 3 Year Road Side Assistance (November)

Datsun’s largest selling car in India got a Limited Edition earlier this year. It does manage to stand out in terms of appearance – the roof wrap, body graphics with front and rear bumper under-covers, a black grille with red inserts and even tail gate graphics. Things don’t stop here as the Limited Edition gets red and black leather upholstery inside the cabin along with red trim around the air-conditioning vents, chrome gear bezel, chrome interior door handles and carpet mats. In terms of features, this edition also comes equipped with rear parking sensors for safety. Not many know that the redi-GO is also the most affordable automatic hatchback in India but sadly, the limited edition is only being offered with the manual 800cc / manual 1000cc set-ups.

The redi-GO looks pretty nice for a small car and with generous dimensions, manages to stand out in the crowd of hatchbacks on the road. It even gets slim DRLs or day time running lights up front! While the manual version comes with both 800cc and 1000cc engines, the AMT gets the latter. Its good for 68 PS of power and 91 Nm of torque and has a rated fuel economy of 22.5 kmpl. We like the way this AMT set-up works and this combined with a light steering and high seating makes this a very sorted urban car. It gets a creep function which allows the car to move ahead by releasing the brake – very useful for slow moving traffic. As expected, you can also take over the automated shifts by shifting the lever to the left while in D mode.

On the inside, the redi-GO gets an all black color theme that is broken well by silver inserts at places. Practical points include open space above the glove box, under the air-con and multiple cup holders. That said, all four doors do not offer any storage space at all. However Datsun claims the redi-GO has the roomiest interiors for the segment. Overall, if you want a funky looking small car at the lowest price, it has to be the redi-GO!

Pros:

• Most affordable automatic
• Modern interiors
• Easy urban car (tall seating, good visibility, light steering)
• Peppy and fuel efficient

Cons:

• High speed manners
• Interior fit and finish
• Limited network, poor resale value
• Cost cutting evident (single front wiper, non retractable belts)

Sales:
Aug: 1674
Sep: 1658
Oct: 1151

Latest update: Limited edition model launched in Sep 2018

3) New Cars in India Below 5 lakhs : WagonR limited edition

Launch Date: 5th October 2018
Price: Rs 4.8 lakh onwards (on-road before discounts)
Discounts: Upto Rs 40,000 cash and upto Rs 35,000 exchange bonus (November)

One of the oldest brand names on sale in the segment is still enjoying massive popularity. The tall boy WagonR is the second largest selling car under Rs 5 lakh in India and though the all-new model is due for a launch next year, the current one continues to sell well, thanks to massive discounts and variants like this one, the limited edition. Customers can pick this on both the L or the V variants and the combined value of features being offered is lower than what the customer would have to pay for otherwise. Exterior additions include body graphics and a rear spoiler. On the inside, the limited edition WagonR gets a styling kit with faux wooden inserts, rear parking sensor display, seat covers with branded cushions, a Bluetooth enabled audio system (already there in V), WagonR branded floor mats and a new steering cover.
In terms of pricing, the kits can be bought for Rs 15,490 – Rs 25,490 depending on the variant you pick in the first place. Mechanically and design wise, no changes at all. Talking of which, the design has aged well and frankly, this is not a good looking hatchback. The top end model (earlier known as StingRay) does look far better with a bolder stance, projector lamps, gunmetal grey alloy wheels and a little body kit.

The car surely is practical and this is evident the moment you step inside the car. Not only is Ingress and egress good, you get a feeling of space. Dashboard design is not beginning to feel a bit old but the new limited edition brings in a fresh air. Comfort is good if not excellent though the car lacks features like a digital display for speedometer console, touchscreen interface or rear air-con vents. The WagonR gets a 1.0-litre petrol unit with both MT and AMT options along with a factory fitted CNG kit – this makes it very popular in the commercial segment. The engine itself is peppy, efficient and reliable.

Pros:

• 
Value for money
• Factory fitted CNG, AMT option
• Fuss free and easy to drive
• Proven product, reliable in the long run

Cons:

• All-new model is due early next year
• Lacks features that rivals offer
• Design is certainly not attractive anymore
• Interiors now feel dated for the price

Sales:
July: 14339
August: 13658
September: 13252

Latest update: Limited edition launched in October 2018

4) New Cars in India Below 5 lakh: Datsun Go / Go Plus

Launch date: 10th October
Price: Rs 3.68 lakh onwards (on-road, without discounts)
Current Offers: None

Datsun recently rolled out a heavily revised version of the Go hatchback with improvements done across all parameters. The car indeed has improved massively and retails for less as compared to the outgoing model. This includes dual airbags, ABS and rear parking sensors being standard across all versions – a segment first. The Datsun Go looks much better on the outside with revisions done to both bumpers, new DRLs and inclusion of alloy wheels. And there are even more changes on the inside – the entire cabin is redesigned and looks nice for a Rs 4 lakh car and the hand brake lever is back to the normal position. Higher trims also get a segment leading touch screen interface that sounds good and works well to inputs. Space up front is nice though at the back, cars like the Santro fare better. The Go Plus also offers a unique 3rd row of seats that can take in kids with ease.
We like the way the Go drives and the reason for this is the 1198cc engine : this is bigger than all other rivals in the price band and similar in capacity to the Tata Tiago. Sadly, no optional AMT is offered and the engine is about 15-20% less efficient than other cars.
The Go comes with a 5 year warranty set-up and 2 years of ’Datsun Care‘ comprehensive all-inclusive car service package that offers peace of mind to customers.

Pros:

• Looks great for a small car
• Feature on offer : dual airbags, ABS standard
• Powerful engine
• Revised cabin looks upmarket

Cons:

• High speed manners
• Engine gets rough / vibey at higher revs
• Limited network, brand appeal
• Not as efficient as rivals, no auto option

Sales:
July 2018: 300
August 2018: 490
September 2018: 597

Latest update: Launch of new Go model in September 2018

5) New Cars In India Below 5 lakh: Hyundai Santro

Price: Rs 4.44 lakh onwards onwards (on-road, before discounts)
Current Offers: None

And finally the all new Santro. This brand name has made a come back after four years and this time around, its an all-new product and has almost no resemblance with the model that was discontinued in 2014. Launched from Rs 3.8 lakh onwards, Hyundai aims to set their foot strongly in the small car market and also enjoy a first mover advantage in front of the upcoming all-new WagonR. The new Santro is longer and wider than before and has a new design language that would appeal to a wider customer base. It isn’t as tall as before though. It gets an entirely new cabin that certainly doesnt belong to a small car. It not only offers segment best quality, but a practical no-nonsense cabin with features like a IGNIS lookalike speedometer console, large touch screen interface, retro-modern side air-con vents, rear vents et al.
Space is a major highlight here and Hyundai clearly wants to keep their target audience’s families happy. The old 1.1-litre petrol motor makes a comeback but has been revised heavily for increased performance and far lower emission levels : the Santro also offers the most affordable four-cylinder engine in India. Available in five versions, Hyundai is also offering their first ever AMT gearbox here on two mid level versions fo Sportz and Magna. There is no doubt that till the new WagonR arrives, this is the car to buy under Rs 5 lakh.

Pros:

• Best in class cabin design and quality
• Superior 4-cylinder is very smooth
• Good mix of ride and handling
• Segment leading features

Cons:

• Not as efficient as rivals
• Conservative styling not to everyone’s liking
• Expensive higher spec models
• Missing features (alloy wheels, DRLs, steering adjust, driver seat height adjust etc)

Sales: 
N/A

Also Read: 6 times the Toyota Fortuner proved that it's UNSTOPPABLE [Video]

Maruti just launched the brand new, 2nd generation Ertiga MPV last week, and the automaker has now revealed an extensive list for the 7 seat people mover. The accessories for the Ertiga are available in two packages – Ambitious and Nautical. Both packages can be opted for while buying the car at any Maruti Arena dealership. These dealer-level fitments can also be opted for after the purchase of the MPV.

Warranty will not be affected by these official accessories. Moreover, buyers can opt for single accessories from this list and it’s not mandatory for the entire package to be purchased. Dealers will handle the fitment. The first package, called the Ambitious, costs about Rs. 30,000. It consists of seat covers, chromed body mouldings, reverse parking sensors, designers mats and windor frame kits apart from other accessories.

The other accessory package on offer is called the Indulge. It’s priced at about Rs. 33,000. Apart from seat covers and body mouldings, this package offers a bumper insert at the rear and an interior styling kit that adds the faux wood trim to the dashboard. The whole idea behind these kits is to allow owners of the lower trims of the new Maruti Ertiga to upgrade their vehicles without having to opt for the higher trims.

Meanwhile, here’s the full split up of the various accessories on offer, and the kits they are a part of,

Ambitious Package

Custom seat covers – Rs 11,432
Body side moulding with chrome insert – Rs 4,213
Hatch lid spoiler – Rs 7,199
Reverse Parking Assist inside inner rear view mirrors – NA
Bumper corner protectors – Rs 867
Customized floor mats – Rs 1,190
Window visors– Rs 3,763
Steering wheel cover – NA
Tissue box – NA

Indulge Package

Customized seat cover – Rs 11,432
Body side moulding garnish finish – Rs 3,603
Rear bumper insert– Rs 1,563
Window visor kit – Rs 3,763
Carpet style floor mats – Rs 1,790
Faux wood insert for dashboard and armrest – Rs 9,169

Other accessories

15-inch alloy wheels – Rs 32,220
Wheel caps – Rs 2,036
Exterior styling kit (Rear spoiler, side skirts, trunk lid spoiler) – Rs 33,660
Door sill guard – Rs 1,626
Door sill guard with illumination – Rs 3,844
Fog lamp garnish – Rs 2,133
Door handle garnish – Rs 1,903
Reverse parking aid with 4 sensors, inner rear view mirror display and camera – Rs 15,680
Security system with sensor – Rs 7,370
Body covers Normal/Premium – Rs 1,890/2,999
Art leather seat covers – Rs 12,732
Number plate garnish – Rs 986
1,000 Watts Sub Woofer – Rs 20,360
Car perfume – Rs 350
Premium car care kit – Rs 1,474
Speed governor – Rs 15,000

The new Ertiga is not the only car that gets a range of accessories from Maruti Suzuki. Almost every new Maruti car gets a full fledged accessories package under the ‘personalization’ option the brand now offers its buyers.

Source

Also Read: 6 times the Toyota Fortuner proved that it's UNSTOPPABLE [Video]

With moving times, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives and the same holds true for our cars. Admit it, we all want to have the longest list of features at the lowest possible price but one gadget that stands out these days is a proper touch screen infotainment system. Its functional, looks cool and also adds bragging rights in front of friends. But does it mean you have to look at expensive cars? Not really as even the entry level small hatchback cars now come with such set-ups in certain variants.

Without further ado, lets have a look at the cheapest small hatchback cars that offer a touchscreen infotainment system. Note that we have sorted the cars based on ex-showroom price for the particular variants.

Renault KWID

Price: Rs 3.82 lakh
Variants: RXT(O) & Climber
Screen size: 7 inch
Features: Reverse camera, navigation

Our favourite small car is also the most affordable car to offer a touchscreen audio system. The RXT(O) and Climber versions offer this feature and are attractively priced. Essentially, the RXT(O) variant can be had with both 800cc and 1000cc engine options along with an AMT too with the larger motor.

The KWID was the first car in the segment to offer a touch interface and this one has a size of 7 inch. It is also the only car at this price to offer a reverse camera display. Other functions include navigation with turn by turn guidance, Bluetooth audio streaming and hands free telephony. We must add that this touch interface gels along well with the full LCD speedometer console

Hyundai Eon

Price: Rs 4.01 lakh
Variants: ERA SE
Screen size: 6.2 inch
Features: Phone link

Hyundai’s most affordable car also gets a touch screen interface and surprisingly, this is offered in one of the lower variants, the ERA+ SE. The suffix stands for “Sports Edition”. At 6.2 inches, this is smaller than the one seen on the KWID and also does not offer a reverse camera display. However, it gets phone link connectivity and Bluetooth telephony. Given the massive discounts on offer, the Eon ERA SE ends up being more affordable than the KWID and this could work for most buyers. Do note than the ERA SE is only offered with the smaller 800cc motor.

Datsun GO

Price: Rs 4.49 lakh
Variants: T & T(O)
Screen size: 7 inch
Features: Android Auto / Apple CarPlay

Datsun launched a heavily revised versions of the Go and Go Plus models earlier this year. The big change, apart from a revised fascia, comes in the form of the new 7 inch touchscreen interface that is available on the T and T(O) variants. Do note that the longer 7 seater Go Plus retails at Rs 5.3 lakh, about Rs 81,000 over the normal GO.

The Datsun GO is the most affordable car in India to get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality and this indeed is a huge plus point for young guns these days. Apart from this, the interface offers Bluetooth telephony and Google Map navigation but not a rear camera display. Like the infotainment system on the KWID and the Eon, the Datsun Go’s audio system also comes with only the front 2 speakers.

Hyundai Santro

Price: Rs 4.99 lakh
Variants:
Screen size: 7 inch
Features: Steering controls, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Mirror Link

The all-new Santro is offered with a large 7 inch touchscreen interface in the top two variants of Sportz and Asta. Like the GO, this one too gets connectivity for smartphones via Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and even Mirror Link. Further, this gets navigation as well as voice command support. The Santro is also the most affordable car in India to get a touchscreen with four speakers as well as steering controls.

The touch screen set up is available on both manual (Sportz and Asta) and AMT model (Sportz).

Tata Tiago NRG

Price: Rs 5.49 lakh
Variants: petrol / diesel
Screen size: 5 inch
Features: Harman powered, 8 speakers!

The NRG is a cross version of the regular Tiago and comes with the smallest sized touchscreen interface here. However, this one is powered by HARMAN which means audio quality is the best of the lot. The infotainment system is the only one here to offer 8 speakers and also gets 3-D navigation. However, like most other cars, reverse camera display is missing on this one too.

The NRG is the most expensive here but offers a lot of features for the price – cooled glovebox, steering controls, blacked roof with rails and as much as 180mm of ground clearance. Also, the touch interface is available on both the petrol and diesel NRG models. The latter makes it the most affordable diesel car to come with a touchscreen system in India.

Also Read: 6 times the Toyota Fortuner proved that it's UNSTOPPABLE [Video]

India and Jeeps have a very old connection, courtesy Mahindra. Now, however, the iconic SUV manufacturer is planning to expand its portfolio in India.

The company got a better than expected response from the Compass and the SUV brought the much needed success for the brand in India. Jeep is now preparing for its next innings and will most probably tap into the popular SUV segments in the country. Let’s now take look at some of the upcoming SUVs from the US based manufacturer.

Sub-4 meter Jeep

The subcompact SUV segment is among the hottest segment in India, with sales leaving behind all other segments. It is therefore natural for Jeep to consider a baby Compass type SUV to take on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Tata Nexon among others. We had already reported some time back that Jeep has confirmed its sub-4 meter SUV. It will be launched some time in 2020 and will carry a price tag starting at around Rs. 7-8 lakhs. If Jeep pours it magic sauce over the compact SUV too like it did on the compass, it can become another success story for the company as people are looking at more premium options in the segment.

Compass Trailhawk

The Jeep Compass Trailhawk variant has been in news for quite sometime now. It is already manufactured in India and exported worldwide.  Jeep has not made any changes to the engine on the Trailhawk variant and it will feature the same 2 litre diesel engine which is used on the current models. However, the engine will come mated to a nine-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. As it will be a top of the line model, it will come with all the creature comforts and features to take on the competition. Expect the pricing to be somewhat around Rs. 24 lakh price mark.

7 seat SUV

The Compass is an excellent SUV by Jeep and though it is priced a bit higher, it compensates that with its excellent built quality and feature. However, it only offers seating for five which has refrained many potential buyers from it, who want a full fledged seven seater vehicle. Seems like Jeep has paid heed to the customer demands and a bigger, seven seater SUV based on the Compass. It will most probably start around Rs. 26 lakhs price mark and could also come in with a hybrid drivetrain.

New Wrangler

The new Jeep Wrangler has been launched worldwide and is awaiting its India launch. It gets refreshed styling like LED DRLs, a new bumper design and other subtle tweaks round the body. The interiors are a major step over than the current generation model sold in India. While the traditional interior look has been maintained, it now comes with many more creature comforts like auto climate control and gets a refreshed colour scheme among others. It also comes with new four cylinder engine options taking the total available options to four. however, which of them will make to India is still not confirmed.

Also Read: 6 times the Toyota Fortuner proved that it's UNSTOPPABLE [Video]

Mahindra has just won the case that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) filed in the United States. FCA had alleged that the Mahindra Thar-based Roxor was too similar to the Jeep Wrangler the former sells in the United States, and that this was a clear copyright violation. FCA also requested the US Trade Commission to stop Mahindra from importing and selling the Thar-based Roxor in the United States.

In response, Mahindra said that the an agreement it had reached with FCA in the past allowed it to market vehicles in the United States with a different grille design than what was offered on Jeeps. The US courts have now ruled in favour of Mahindra. This means that the Indian automaker can now import the Mahindra Thar-based Roxor to the United States and sell it as a side-by-side off road vehicle.

The Commission Investigative Staff believes that Mahindra & Mahindra and Mahindra Automotive North America, Inc. met their burden of establishing that FCA US LLC is contractually barred from enforcing its intellectual property rights against Mahindra’s importation of the accused vehicle. FCA is contractually barred from pursuing this investigation if Mahindra’s vehicles contain or use the approved grille design. The evidence shows that Mahindra’s Roxor uses the approved grille design. Thus, the record supports a finding that Mahindra met its burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that FCA is contractually barred from pursuing this Investigation.

The Roxor is based on the Mahindra Thar DI but comes with a range of changes to suit the US market. It’s finished much better than the Thar DI, and also comes with a range of accessories – from steel wheels to off-road tyres to different seat options and dashboard finishes. However, the engine of the Roxor is the same as the one offered on the Mahindra Thar DI, and the same is the case with the gearbox.

The Mahindra Roxor is powered by a 2.5 liter M2DICR turbocharged diesel engine with 63 Bhp-180 Nm on tap. A 5 speed manual gearbox is standard, along with a Borg-Warner 4 wheel drive transfer case with low and high ratios. The Mahindra Roxor gets a power steering, and leaf spring suspension on all four wheels. It’s a bare basic off roader that is speed limited to 72 Kmph.

While the Roxor is meant to compete with ATVs in the United States, Mahindra sells a much more powerful, road-going version in India but with the Thar CRDe badge. The Mahindra Thar CRDe is powered by a 2.5 liter turbocharged diesel motor with 105 Bhp-247 Nm on tap. The Thar CRDe gets independent front suspension and leaf spring suspension at the rear. It gets a four wheel drive layout and a mechanical locking differential on the rear axle.

Via MoneyControl

Also Read: 6 times the Toyota Fortuner proved that it's UNSTOPPABLE [Video]

While hockey may be our national sport, cricket is nearly a religion for the faithful followers of India’s Men in Blue. The men in charge of the Indian national cricket team has always been under the biggest media spotlight, as the paps try and get all the details about the leader of the team ‘for the cricket-crazy people’. In this post, we take a look at a few of the men who’ve led India and their rather brilliant rides.

Sunil Gavaskar

Gavaskar’s car of choice for his daily commute is an E 30 BMW 5 series, which was one of the BMWs designed under the eye of designer Chris Bangle.

Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev’s ride of choice is Porsche’s only four-door sedan currently on sale – the Panamera. Kapil owns a first-gen Porsche Panamera. Prices for the current Panamera start at Rs 1.16 crore.

Mohammed Azharuddin

Mohammed Azharuddin was one of India’s most popular and successful players who ended was also among the best when it came to leading the national side. His elegant strokes and upturned collar captured the imagination of a nation. However, the adoration turned into disbelief and anger when he implicated in the infamous match-fixing scandal of 2000 and banned for life from Cricket. It was only at age 49, with his playing days long behind him was Azhar able to get his ban overturned by the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The former Indian captain was also a member of Parliament from 2009 to 2014.

Azhar has been seen in three different cars over the year. These include the BMW 5-Series sedan and 650i coupe along with a Honda CR-V.

Sachin Tendulkar

If cricket is a religion, then Sachin Tendulkar was its god. For 24 years, he carried the expectations of over a billion people whenever he entered the playing field. Sachin, considered by many to be the best player after Bradman became the first batsman to score 100 centuries overall in a career that spanned 200 tests and 463 One Day Internationals. Sachin is also the record holder for the most number of runs in a career for both ODIs and Tests. He was also the first batsman to score a double hundred in ODIs. In 2011, Sachin, who once captained India himself, achieved his lifelong dream, winning a World Cup for India, when Dhoni smashed a six into the Wankhede Stadium.

The God of cricket is now a member of Parliament and has quite a fleet of cars (mostly BMWs thanks to him being a brand ambassador for the German marque). His collection includes a Nissan GT-R, multiple BMWs including an i8 supercar and the M5, along with a Mercedes C63 AMG and a Porsche Boxster sports car among others.

Saurav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly, Dada, the king of the off-side, was the man in charge when India actually started believing again that they could win matches both at home and abroad. Best known for antagonizing and beating Steve Waugh’s Aussies in an amazing 2-1 series victory in 2001, Ganguly also lead India to finals of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa,

Sourav Ganguly grew up in a massive home in Kolkata alongside his extended family. The palatial home has a fleet of around 32 cars in the garages, though Dada himself is mostly seen in four rides – Mercedes CLK, C-Class Convertible, Ford Endeavour and a Honda City ZX.

Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid captained India after Greg Chappell had a falling out with Ganguly. Known for his nigh-on unbreakable defence, the man known as the Wall by commentators and sometimes ‘Jammy’ by fans of his ads was a prized scalp for those who bowled at him. His daily rides, the BMW 5 series and Audi Q5 are both vehicles known for the amount of space they offer inside.

Anil Kumble

The only Indian and the second man in the world to take all 10 wickets in a game of Test cricket, Anil Kumble is still one of the most respected figures in Indian cricket today. Jumbo, as he was popularly known captain the side and after retiring returned to coach the team. Jumbo’s fleet of cars includes an older-gen Ford Endeavour SUV and a Mercedes E-Class.

Virender Sehwag

The devastating Nawab of Najafgarh terrorized bowlers across the world in the 2000s and early 2010s. Sehwag was part of India’s 2011 World Cup winning squad and is the only batsman other than Chris Gayle to score a triple century in Tests and a double century in ODIs. Now retired, Sehwag is now best known for his rather trollish twitter feed, which he uses to playfully mock teammates and rivals.

Sehwag has a good collection of cars, though the one he is most often spotted in is a Bentley Continental Fly Spur, the four-door version of the Continental GT.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

MS Dhoni is the man who captained India to its second-ever World Cup victory in 2011. Leading from the front after a lacklustre tournament, Dhoni promoted himself up the order in the final and tore apart the Sri Lankan bowling attack before finishing off the match with a massive six launched into the stands at the Wankhede Stadium. Dhoni is a massive petrolhead and while his collection of bikes is what he is better known for, Captain Cool is also the proud owner of an H2 Hummer, a fully custom Mahindra Scorpio, GMC Sierra, Land Rover Freelander 2, Audi Q7 and the Mitsubishi Pajero SFX. Dhoni also has a 599 GTO supercar. His collection also includes humbler vehicles like the Toyota Corolla and the Maruti SX4.

Virat Kohli

The current man in charge of the Men in Blue is Virat Kolhi. Considered by most to be the best player to be currently playing the game, King Kolhi as he is known puts bowlers to the sword almost everytime he goes out to bat. Kolhi car of choice is an Audi R8 V10, is a special LMX edition car and is powered by a screaming mad V10 engine from Lamborghini. Kohli’s garage also includes the Audi A6, Q7 and the Toyota Fortuner.

Also Read: 6 times the Toyota Fortuner proved that it's UNSTOPPABLE [Video]

Tata’s newest flagship SUV, the harrier has been all over the news lately for all the right reasons. The stylish butch SUV will be larger than most of its competitors like the Mahindra XUV500, Hyundai Creta and the Jeep Compass. Tata has also been releasing back to back teasers of the Harrier’s interiors which give a glimpse of the feature laden cabin.

One of the more interesting design bits on the Harrier is its headlight and LED DRL/turn indicator positioning, which, unlike in conventional cars, have switched places in the Harrier. Many people were wondering how this arrangement would work in real life situation and so we today bring you a video that, to some extent, tries solving this mystery.

While it is not yet confirmed officially, the arrangement shown in the video is the closest to what the production spec Harrier could come with. It looks quite good too and different from anything in its segment. The LED DRL plus indicator arrangement shown here is reminiscent of what comes in many high end cars like Audi, albeit in a more conventional position. Going by how much work Tata is doing to make this SUV a success, this arrangement couldn’t be denied too.

The possible pattern for the indicator function may be either one of two type. One can be a sweeping indicator function, which would see the indicator lights starting at one end and growing all the way to the other end and disappearing, only for the process to repeat again. The other could be the more conventional approach of normal simultaneous blinking. The ORVMs also sport turn indicators so whether the arrangement shown in the video will come to reality is not yet sure. However, it looks quite cool and wee want Tata to embed such indicators in the sleek DRL housing upfront.

The headlights have been placed on the lower end of the bumper, where conventionally fog lamps are placed. However, whether that will prove to be better in terms of light throw etc is not the chief concern. Rather, we guess what would happen to them in case of a slight front end accident or damage. Being so low, they would be among the first body element to get affected in a frontal collision which would render them useless, even in a relatively small accident.

The Harrier has been made with a lot of inputs from the JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) division of Tata. It shares its platform, dubbed as OMEGA, with the D8 platform that underpins the likes of Land Rover Discovery Sport. This also translates into the Harrier being quite a large SUV in size. Recent teasers released by the company have shown that it will come with some best in class features and utilities like JBL audio system and a three way drive select dial.

Also Read: 6 times the Toyota Fortuner proved that it's UNSTOPPABLE [Video]

The all-new Maruti Ertiga MPV was just launched last week, and bookings for the people mover are said to be brisk. A new report states that the Ertiga will soon get a top-of-the-line variant that will not only be sporty but will also  be sold through NEXA line-up of dealerships. Currently, the new Maruti Ertiga is sold through the Arena dealerships.

Render courtesy Fauzi870

Reportedly, the sporty version of the new Maruti Ertiga will ditch the traditional 7 seat layout for 6 captain seats  spread across three rows. This is just one of the many changes that the sportier model is expected to get. A body  kit, revised headlamps and tail lamps, hatchlid spoiler and new alloy wheels are other changes likely.

Mechanically though, the sporty Ertiga is expected to be unchanged. The same petrol and diesel engines, along with  mild hybrid systems are expected to be on offer. As for gearboxes, 5 speed manual and 4 speed torque converter  automatic for the petrol and a 5 speed manual for the diesel will be carried over.

Maruti Suzuki offers a range of accessories through its vehicle personalization program. These accessories are also  on offer for the new Ertiga. Maruti dealers will handle fitment, and the Ertiga using these accessories will also  retain stock factory warranty.

It remains to be seen if the sporty version of the new Maruti Ertiga is merely an accessorized model along with a 6  seat layout. We would not be surprised if that happens as the Indian market has traditionally been indifferent to  sporty cars in the MPV segment. The low selling Honda Mobilio RS is a recent example that comes to mind. The sportier version of the Ertiga could gain a few features as well.

The all-new Ertiga is based on the HEARTECT platform that it shares with the Maruti Swift, Baleno, Ignis and Dzire.  This platform uses high tensile steel that’s much lighter, and allows the overall vehicle weight to dip. The new Ertiga is lighter than the older version despite getting larger in size.

While the new Ertiga is currently available only with petrol and diesel engines, a CNG-Petrol dual fuel option is in  the works. Maruti is expected to launch the CNG powered Ertiga in the Indian market within the next 6 months. The new Maruti Ertiga is also expected to gain a new diesel engine, developed in-house. The new diesel engine will make its appearance before April 2020, and will replace the present, 1.3 liter Fiat Multijet motor.

Also Read: 6 times the Toyota Fortuner proved that it's UNSTOPPABLE [Video]

The Toyota Fortuner is one of the best selling full size SUV in India. The brutish SUV is a true blue off roader as well. Even in stock form, the Fortuner is never shy of taking the fight to any kind of terrain. It has some worthy challengers in its segment like the Ford Endeavour and the recently launched Mahindra Alturas G4, but the Fortuner has maintained its own charm over these years. Talking about its off-road prowess, it comes with high-low range gearbox, 4WD and powerful engines among others. Let’s now take a look at some examples which prove it is a butch off roader.

Wading through 700 mm of water easily

SUVs are meant to be fun and sporty in terrain conditions where most other vehicles would develop cold feet. In this video, we see the Fortuner go through a water wading test of 700 mm. As seen in the video, the Fortuner achieves this easily and makes it look like a child’s play. The official water wading capacity of Fortuner is also rated at 700 mm, but with some more kit, it can easily do much more than that.

Swimming

Now water wading is one thing, but swimming is quite different for any SUV. However, that’s what we see in this video, where a Toyota Fortuner plunges into the water and gets out in sometime, after having some fun. This goes on to show the off road prowess this SUV has and the tank like built quality it possesses.

Going down steep inclines

While climbing a steep incline is quite a tough task, coming down a steep slope is equally challenging if not more. Like we see in this video, the Fortuner comes down an extremely steep incline which is almost at a right angle in the starting. However, the Fortuner manages to climb down,slowly and steadily. The red band you see tied to the back of the SUV is tied to another vehicle on top of the slope and is used as a precaution. It is not helping the SUV in any way but is employed to pull the Fortuner back into position if it loses balance.

Jumping like monster trucks

Now monster trucks come with special tires and highly raised, heavy duty suspensions which allow them to do all sorts of trickery and stunts they do. In this video, however, we see the Fortuner taking a leap of faith (pun intended) and land quite smoothly. It made it possible by the brute force of its engine and a high ground clearance of 220 mm.

Making beach sands look easy

Driving around beaches is not really recommended. Even we have advised against in our past posts unless the beach is marked as driving friendly. But it seems like the Fortuner got no chills. In the video we see how effortlessly it moves over the lose sand, making it look like a child’s play. Notice the deep tire path the SUV leaves in the end of the video.

No place unreachable for it

SUV owners (with proper SUVs) often can be found saying that their fun begins where the roads end. Normally, people leave there vehicles in a parking or by roadside when they have to go to an unpaved and rocky area, which is a potential threat to the vehicles. The Fortuner however does not take no as an answer. As we see in the video, it manages to go through such a treacherous rocky path that many would not even attempted to reach, leave alone taking there cars.

Also Read: 6 times the Toyota Fortuner proved that it's UNSTOPPABLE [Video]

Bajaj has just launched the new 2019 Pulsar 150 Neon collection. The new Pulsar neon is the same bike as the Pulsar Classic 150, albeit with attractive neon treatment. The neon range is targeted at a more young buyer segment who prefer a peppy yet sporty appeal in their bikes.  The new Pulsar 150 Neon is made available at an exciting introductory price of ₹ 64,998/- ex showroom, Delhi, which is the same as the current outgoing model.

The new Pulsar 150 Neon comes with an all new color and graphic scheme splattered across the bike. There are three colour schemes on offer, which are- Neon Red, Neon Yellow (with Matt Black Paint) and Neon Silver color accents. The various body areas where the neon theme is apparent are headlamp eyebrows, Pulsar logo, side-panel mesh, alloy grab rails, 3D logo on the rear cowl and the colored alloy wheel decal. The seats also have a matching colour stitching which looks quite good. With this, Bajaj has introduced a matte paint finish for the first time on the Pulsar 150.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Eric Vas, President (Motorcycles), Bajaj Auto Ltd said, “Pulsar has been the #1 sports bike in India for the past 17 years. The Pulsar 150 Neon, with its fresh new looks, outstanding road presence and proven performance is set to be the first choice for any customer willing to move beyond a 100/110 cc bike.

The new Neon Pulsar 150 remains the same bike underneath with no mechanical changes whatsoever. It still gets powered by the same 149 cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine producing 14 Bhp of power at 8,000 rpm and 13.4 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed gearbox. Other structural bits like the frame and suspension also remain identical. Braking is taken care by a 240 mm disc upfront and a 130 mm drum at the rear. It does not come with ABS functionality as it is a variant of the 150 Classic and not a new product.

As already mentioned, the pricing has been kept identical to the ongoing models with prices starting at Rs. 64,998/- ex-showroom, Delhi. Prices for various cities are as follows (all prices are ex-showroom):

Delhi – Rs. 64,998
Mumbai – Rs. 65,446
Pune – Rs. 65,446
Bangalore – Rs. 66,086
Kolkata – Rs. 66,240
Chennai – Rs. 66,790

With this, Bajaj has again shifted the focus of the 150 Pulsar series towards its original audience, that is, youths. The subtle neon shades look quite good on the bike too and are nicely complemented by the matte black paint shade. With all the companies slowly upgrading their bikes with ABS, the 150 range is soon expected to join the queue. The Pulsar 150 series is best suited for people who want to graduate over 110 cc- 125cc bikes without spending a fortune.

Also Read: 5 modified Toyota Innova MPVs from around India

The Toyota Innova is India’s most popular MPV and used models are known to easily retain most of their value up to 3 years from the year of purchase and many others. Its engine are known to run for ages with just a little bit of maintenance needed which makes the Innova a very good long-term investment for those purchasing the MPV from Toyota.

In a new video, Youtuber it’s me BISHNOI discusses a few hidden features of the Toyota Innova and in this post, we’ll take a look at five of them.

1. Motor that closes the boot lid

Unlike most regular cars, the Toyota Innova Crysta does not require you to slam the boot lid to get it to shut properly. The Innova’s boot lid features a soft close function which allows you to just push it softly towards the Innova. Ensure that you get the boot lid as near as possible to the closed position.

Once it is close enough, motors attached to the boot lid whirr into life and pull it towards the Innova before closing the opening softly, shutting the rear end of the MPV. This ensures that you don’t hurt your hand while slamming the boot lid or damage the Innova either, which can happen in regular vehicles if you slam a door or boot with too much force.

2. USB port can be used to charge the phone

Most cars with a USB port attached to the infotainment system don’t allow for phones to be charged using said port. In most cases, the port only detects pen drives and other media sources, which means you have to use an adapter for the 12V socket to be able to charge your phone. The Innova though allows for its owners to charge their phones through the USB port.

3. The Innova will tell you if you forget your car key inside

Before you start commenting that you have this feature in almost any car with a high-end central locking system, we are not talking about what you think we are. The Innova has another cool hidden feature that works only if you’ve left your keys inside the MPV. This feature means that if the Innova detects that you’ve left your key fob inside it, the MPV will not allow you to close the doors. Instead, warning light starts blinking inside the dials of the instrument cluster which informs owners that the keys have been left inside the car.

4. ‘Unlocking’ the automatic gearbox

If the car battery of an automatic car dies it is quite hard to get it towed away as the car has to be kept in park, which applies the brakes meaning the tyres are unable to move. To counter this, the Innova has a small port next to the top right of the automatic gearbox. Pull out the tab and use the key to push open the gearbox. This allows you to shift the Innova into neutral which in turn makes towing the MPV much easier.

5. Disabling the passenger airbag

The Innova comes with a host of safety features including up to 7 airbags. While this is quite cool, it can lead to quite the bill if you end up crashing the MPV. For those who are chauffeured around in their Innova, Toyota has provided a way to disable the front passenger airbag. Open the front passenger door and take the key inside the key fob and place it in the clearly marked out keyhole on the side of the dashboard. The keyhole has instructions around it telling you which way to turn the key to disable the front passenger airbag. If you turn the key and disable the airbag, a light in the centre console will light up to indicate the same. However, do not turn this feature off if you know someone is going to occupy the front passenger seat.

Also Read: 5 modified Toyota Innova MPVs from around India

Maruti Suzuki, the nation’s largest carmaker arrived in the market in 1983 with the launch of the SS80. In the 45 years since it has quite a few hits and there have been some forgotten blips in the radar as well. In this post, let’s take a look at 10 of those forgotten cars from Maruti Suzuki.

1000

The Maruti 1000 was the first sedan to bear the Maruti Suzuki badge. Launched in 1990, the 1000 was powered by a 970cc engine capable of cranking out 46 Bhp and weighed in at 825 kilogrammes. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi owned one of these sedans, which was dubbed by one media person as “by the elite for the elite,” due to its rather bonkers price tag of Rs 3.81 lakhs in 1990. The price tag was the biggest issue with the 1000 and Maruti replaced it with the Esteem in 1993.

Omni High Roof

Simply known as the van to many a school kid in the 90s and 2000s, the Omni offered quite a lot of space on the inside. So when Maruti offered a high roof version of the van with more room on the inside, customers instead continued with the regular Omni, largely ignoring the high-roof variant.

Zen Classic

Maruti launched the Zen hatchback in India in 1993 and the small car has a zealous cult-like fan base in the country. When Maruti decided to give the hatchback a few retro design changes in the form a three-piece grille, round headlamps and steel bumpers for the Zen Classic, the new variant was largely ignored by the fan base, who preferred the regular car over this now pretend old-school model. It was quickly discontinued and finding one on the roads today is a rather rare sight.

Zen Carbon and Steel

Maruti also released two limited run models of the Zen called the Zen Carbon and Zen Steel. The limited run cars were special three-door models of the Zen and Maruti limited their numbers to 300 each. Finding one on these three-door unicorns on the streets today is nigh on impossible considering their rarity, which makes people scratch their heads and ask if the car has been modified.

Zen Diesel

The Maruti Zen even spawned a diesel variant, which was launched in the year 2000. The Zen diesel drew power from a 1.5-litre Peugeot-sourced engine which cranked out 58 Bhp and 78 Nm of torque. Despite the massive gap between petrol and diesel prices at that time, the Zen Classic wasn’t that popular and there are only a few left on the roads today.

Baleno Altura

Not to be confused with the recently launched Alturas G4 from Mahindra, the Baleno Altura was a station wagon version of the Baleno sedan from the 2000s. Unfortunately, India hasn’t been very kind to estates and the Baleno Altura didn’t do well on the sales charts and quickly became a forgotten memory for many Indians.

Versa

Launched in 2001 as a larger and more premium upgrade from compared to the Omni ‘van’, the launch of the Versa saw Maruti rope in Amitabh Bachchan, then on one of his career-highs thanks to Kaun Banega Crorepati as the brand ambassador for the new MPV. Unfortunately, even Big B wasn’t able to deflect the eyes of enough people away from the large price tag of the Versa which was discontinued 8 years later in 2009. Maruti replaced the Versa with the much more affordable Eeco in 2010.

A-Star

Launched in 2012 as a rival to the Hyundai i10, the Maruti A-Star offered a rather quirky design and ease of driving, which were its biggest selling points. Unfortunately, the A-Star’s price tag put it squarely in the cross-hairs of more popular and recognizable models like the Swift and the Wagon R, both of which had better brand recall in the country. Maruti discontinued the A-Star in India in 2014, though the hatch continued to do well in international markets for quite a while longer.

Grand Vitara

The name Vitara today is associated with the Vitara Brezza, the nation’s most popular SUV. However, the Vitara name tag was first introduced in India in 2009 in the form of Maruti’s large Grand Vitara SUV. The Vitara was only offered with a petrol variant which was powered by a 2.4-litre engine. The lack of a diesel option and a price tag of over Rs 20 lakh due to the fact that the carmaker imported the SUV into India as a CBU, saw the Grand Vitara fade into the background in the sales charts. Maruti discontinued the Grand Vitara in 2014.

Kizashi

Maruti’s answer to the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic came in the form of the Kizashi sedan. The Kizashi was one of the most affordable CBU vehicles on sale in India when it arrived in 2011. Unfortunately, the Kizashi was only offered with a 2.4-litre petrol engine, which was known for its thirsty nature. The lack of a diesel option compounded the Kizashi’s problems and it was discontinued three years after it first arrived on Indian roads.

Also Read: 5 modified Toyota Innova MPVs from around India