Maruti Suzuki Zen is an iconic car. The Zen started an all-new premium hatchback segment in India and became a cult car. Even though towards the end of the lifecycle of the Zen brand, the not-so-successful Zen Estilo was launched in the market, there are many enthusiasts all through India who own the original Zen and keep it drool-worthy condition. Here is one such Maruti Suzuki Zen that looks extremely interesting and gets some tasteful modifications.

The Zen became even more popular when the enthusiasts got to know how fun-to-drive the hatchback is. There are many of these Zen hatchbacks in mint condition with the enthusiasts while many others have tastefully modified it. This Maruti Suzuki Zen here is a modified example that truly looks classy and has the right amount of bling in it to turn the heads on the roads. The video has been uploaded on Githin Ninan VLOG.

The vehicle seen here gets a number of modifications. To start with the car gets a front bumper splitter. The headlamps are stock but they get an aftermarket bulb that can change colours. It sure reduces the visibility of the roads though. The stock foglamps have been replaced with an all-LED set-up. The most eye-catchy thing about this Zen is the paint job. It gets an elegant green shade that adds pure class to the car. The roof, however, gets a black wrapping that adds the dual-tone shade to the vehicle. There is also a roof carrier with a top box that adds a menacing look to the car while increases its luggage capacity.

The window frames on both the sides have been blacked out that adds a sporty look to the car. Also, there is no chrome on the car. At the rear, there are no changes. Instead, a cycle carrying rack has been added to the tailgate, which adds a very loud look. The alloy wheels of the Zen have also been upgraded now it gets wide profile tyres and the width of the tyres is more than the width of the body. There are underbody lamps installed on the Zen and the night shots of the vehicle show just how beautiful it looks while moving on the roads after the dark.

It is not the exteriors of the car but the interiors have also received quite a few changes. The short peep of the interiors shows that there is now ambient lights on the inside. It seems like a few minor changes have been done to the dashboard and the seats of the car too. It is not clear if any changes have been done to the engine of the car.

Also Read: This barely used Tata Harrier is up for sale: Odometer at Just 2,000 km!

The Tata Harrier is currently the best selling SUV in its segment. Quite obviously then, the waiting periods of this popular SUV are sky-high, even crossing three-month mark in several cities. Launched on the 23rd of January this year, the Harrier was one of those cars about which everyone knew that it was going to be a hit. The prices for the Tata Harrier start at Rs. 12.99 lakh for the base XE variant and go all the way up to Rs. 16.55 lakh for the top-end XZ variant both (ex-showroom, Delhi). What we are here to discuss today, though, is about a used Harrier that is available for cheap in the used car market.

That’s right, a barely used Tata Harrier SUV which is being sold by its current owner for Rs. 17.25. The advertisement posted by its seller on popular selling platform Olx says that this is the top end XM variant of the Harrier which means that it comes with all the kit and features available with this SUV. The ex-showroom price of the Harrier XM, as stated above, stands at Rs. 16.55 lakh but the on-road price of this vehicle is Rs. 19,99,820 in Delhi. Since this vehicle carries temporary plates bearing Haryana’s registration number, it can be said the vehicle is quite new. The on-road price of Harrier XM in Hisar, Haryana (HR 20) is slightly lower at Rs. 19,20,276. You can check out the advertisement posted by the seller here.

Therefore, this Harrier is being sold with a considerable price drop for a vehicle that has not even received its registration number yet. Finished in Ariel Silver shade, it looks pretty good and comes with 17-inch stylish alloy wheels. It is powered by a Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre KRYOTEC diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. This engine churns out 138 Bhp of power along with 350 Nm of torque. The claimed fuel efficiency of the Tata Harrier is 16.79 km/l which is decent if not great for a vehicle of its size.

The most significant part of this deal is whether one should go for it in the first place or not. Frankly speaking, you can consider this deal if you had already set you mind on buying the Harrier. However, there are a few factors that need to be considered. Firstly, if you want to get your hands on a Harrier immediately then this is the deal for you. But if you want that new car smell and fantasy of getting your keys from a dealership, then you can stay away. Staying away also means waiting for a couple of months before you get the keys as waiting periods of this SUV are quite high. Note that this Harrier is also almost new and hence you’ll get to have a significant amount of saving on this one. Moreover, the SUV is available for delivery immediately. So decide wisely and check the vehicle thoroughly before buying if you are in for this deal.

Also Read: This barely used Tata Harrier is up for sale: Odometer at Just 2,000 km!

The Kapoor family is one of the biggest and oldest names in the Indian film industry. Several generations of the family have been working in the industry now. The first person in the family to enter the film industry was Prithviraj Kapoor who has been an icon for the whole Indian film fraternity. Now with all the fame and money this family possesses, they make sure that they get noticed everywhere they go. Helping them in this endeavour is an exemplary fleet of vehicles. Let’s now take a look at the cars that the Kapoor family owns.

Rishi Kapoor

Mercedes-Maybach S500

Starting the list is Rish Kapoor who is a well-known actor and among the oldest of the current lot of Kapoor family members. The veteran actor often uses a Mercedes-Maybach S500 for moving around the city. The luxurious sedan is powered by a massive 4.7-litre V8 bi-turbo engine that churns out a maximum of 455 Bhp power and 700 Nm torque.

Nissan X-Trail

The Nissan X-Trail was once the flagship SUV of the Japanese brand in India but was discontinued later on. Rishi Kapoor owns a blue coloured X-Trail which he uses on several occasions. The X-Trail was powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine that pumps out 148 Bhp and 320 Nm of peak torque. It had a pretty good ride and handling characteristics along with comfortable interiors.

Mercedes-Benz GLS

The Mercedes-Benz GLS is fast becoming a common sight in Bollywood, as was the case with its predecessor GL Class SUV. The GLS is the current flagship luxury SUV of the German manufacturer in India. The behemoth is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged engine that produces a maximum power of 255 Bhp and 620 Nm of peak torque.

BMW 5-Series

BMW 5-Series is one of the most popular BMW cars in India and is used by many business executives because of its sharp looks, powerful engine and the features it comes with. Rishi Kapoor owns a previous-generation 5-Series, which he was seen with quite a few times until he moved towards other luxurious cars.

Ranbir Kapoor

Mercedes G63 AMG

Ranbir belongs to the latest generation of the family in the movie industry. The dashing actor loves his wheels and has an exotic garage. He owns a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG, which is known as the ultimate off-road vehicle by enthusiasts. It is an unconventional choice of wheels by a Bollywood actor and he has been spotted quite a few times driving the vehicle himself.

The SUV is powered by a 5.5-litre V8 bi-turbo petrol engine that generates a maximum power of 544 Bhp and a peak torque of 760 Nm. The car can do 0-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds while the top speed is limited to 210 Km/h.

Audi R8

This is one of the two supercars in the Kapoor family and it is a quite practical one. The Audi R8 is known for its value for money and is quite popular among enthusiasts. Ranbir owns the first generation of the vehicle. It is powered by a 4.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that generates a maximum power of 430 bhp and peak torque of 430 Nm. The car can do 0-100 km/h in just 4.3 seconds.

Audi A8 L

The super luxurious Audi A8 L is the top-of-the-line Audi sedan in India. The car is mostly used by chauffeur-driven owners but the massive 6.3-litre W12 naturally aspirated engine makes it an enthusiast’s choice too. The engine generates a maximum power of 500 Bhp and 625 Nm.

Land Rover Range Rover Vogue

The Range Rover has its own status in Bollywood. The uber-luxurious SUV is the choice of many and Ranbir has upgraded to the Range Rover Vogue from the previous generation Range Rover Sport. The luxurious SUV is priced at around Rs. 1.6 crores and is powered by a 6-cylinder engine arranged in a V form. The engine develops a maximum power of 240 Bhp and peak torque of 600 Nm. It gets an 8-speed automatic transmission and a full-time AWD system.

Kareena Kapoor

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Kareena Kapoor, the quirky silver screen actress, loves to move around in style. She bought the flagship Mercedes-Benz sedan recently. Kareena uses the “humble” S 350 diesel instead of the more powerful S400 or the S500 petrol variants.

The S350 used by Kareena is not a humble car in an actual sense. The beast is powered by 3.0-litre V6 that churns out a maximum power of 255 Bhp and peak torque of 620 Nm. It is also the only diesel option available with the S-Class.

Lexus LX 470

Lexus has recently entered the Indian market officially. Long before that, the brand was very popular among celebrities. Kareena also owns an older generation Lexus SUV. The huge SUV is from the previous generation of the model. It comes with a 5.6-litre V8 engine that develops a maximum of 383 Bhp – 546 Nm. Kareena is not seen much in the luxury SUV currently, but she used the car very often a couple of years ago.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Apart from the flagship S-Class, Kareena also owns the best selling luxury car in the country, the E-Class. The actress owns an older version of the vehicle, which is not available in the market now. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is one of the top choices of industrialists as it is quite practical and is good value for money.

BMW 7-Series

BMW 7-Series is the competitor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in the market. The flagship sedan owned by her is a 750Ld diesel version. The 5-Series is one of Kareena’s favourite vehicles and she is often seen in it. The car is powered by a 6-cylinder diesel engine that churns out a maximum power of around 400 Bhp and peak torque of 560 Nm. It can do 0-100 km in 4.6 seconds.

Audi Q7

Kareena also owns an Audi Q7 but is mostly seen in the S-Class and the 7-Series. The Q7 is the flagship Audi SUV in India. The version owned by Kareena is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine that generates a maximum power of 245 Bhp and peak torque of 600 Nm.

Randhir Kapoor

Mercedes-Benz E350

Randhir Kapoor, the father of Karishma and Kareena Kapoor, owns a Mercedes-Benz E-Class 350 diesel. The older generation sedan is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged engine that produces a maximum power of 265 Bhp and 620 Nm of peak torque.

Karishma Kapoor

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Karishma has become quite inactive in the industry but she maintains her luxury rides. She uses a previous generation S-Class S350 to move around. The car is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 that produces a maximum power of 255 Bhp and peak torque of 620 Nm.

Land Rover Freelander 2

Karishma also uses an old generation Land Rover Freelander 2. The white coloured SUV is quite capable and get the iconic Land Rover design. The car was powered by a 2.2-litre engine that was available in two different states of tunes – 148 Bhp-420 Nm and 188 Bhp-420 Nm.

Saif Ali Khan

Ford Mustang

Saif is the husband of Kareena Kapoor and has a sweet set of wheels in his garage. Saif had imported the Mustang before it was officially available in the Indian market. Saif owns a GT500, which is also red in colour but sports white racing stripes. It is not known which engine exactly powers Saif’s Mustang but there are two engines available with the car – a 5.4-litre engine that generates 540 Bhp and a 5.8-litre V8 that generates 670 Bhp.

Range Rover Vogue

This is an older generation of Vogue but it still gets many luxury features. Range Rovers are quite common in celebrity garages and Saif has one too. The is not seen much but the couple still uses it to move around. The older Range Rover Vogue was available with six engine options, 3 petrol and 3 diesel. It is not known which particular variant is used by Saif.

Audi R8 Spyder

The actor also owns an R8 Spyder, which is the convertible version of the supercar. Saif has been spotted quite often in the red-coloured R8 Spyder and in recent times, Kareena has been spotted in the same car too. The Audi R8 Spyder is powered by a massive 5.2-litre V10 engine that generates a maximum power of 525 Bhp and 530 Nm of torque. It can do 0-100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds and can go up to 313 km/h.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT

This is Saif’s latest addition to the garage. The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is the most powerful Jeep that you can buy in India. It is not owned by Saif but has been given to the actor by Jeep India. The Grand Cherokee SRT is powered by a 6.4-litre V8 supercharged petrol engine that generates around 470 Bhp and 640 Nm. It can do 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds and can reach 257 km/h.

Source – 1, 2

Also Read: All-new Hyundai Grand i10 to be launched on 20th of August, 2019

Mahindra has given the Bolero the much needed ABS update, and the MUV equipped with ABS has been launched in India. The Mahindra Bolero Power+ ABS is priced at Rs. 7.68 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi for the SLE base variant. The SLX trim is priced at Rs. 8.33 lakhs while the top-end ZLX trim costs Rs. 8.68 lakhs. All variants of the Bolero that get ABS are based on the Power+ variant, which means that it uses the 1.5 liter-3 cylinder twin scroll turbocharger equipped diesel engine that makes 70 Bhp of peak power and 195 Nm of peak torque. This engine was introduced by Mahindra last year, and is a modern unit developed in-house.

Mahindra has not added ABS to the non-sub 4 meter version of the Bolero, which is equipped with the larger 2.5 liter M2DICR turbo diesel engine. This variant will not be carried over to 2020, when the Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission norms kick in. Going forward, only the sub-4 meter Bolero with the 1.5 liter diesel engine will be sold. Mahindra will make the 1.5 liter diesel BS6 compliant, and the sub-4 meter Bolero will also comply with the Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP) norms.

The Bolero, for more than a decade now, has been Mahindra’s best seller. A cash cow for the brand, the Bolero is particularly strong in semi-urban and rural markets, where the MUV’s sheer reliability, low running costs and rugged build is highly regarded. The Bolero was first launched in 2001, and was based on the Armada platform. Right from the outset, the MUV started selling very well, and Mahindra came up with a slew of variants including a high-roof 9 seater, a pick up truck and even a flat bed based on this vehicle.

Soon, the Bolero began outselling the Tata Sumo, which was the segment leader until the new Mahindra MUV was launched. Ever since, the Bolero has been outselling the Tata Sumo in a big way. Mahindra has been selling a steady 6,000-7,000 units of the Bolero each month even as Tata Motors could manage less than 2,000 units. This is perhaps a reason why Tata Motors didn’t find it worthwhile upgrading the Sumo to BS6 and BNVSAP norms. The Tata Sumo has now been discontinued even as the Bolero continues to motor on and dominate the MUV space. With the Sumo no longer available, it’s advantage Bolero given the fact that demand for a rugged MUV like the Bolero continues to exist in India.

Also Read: All-new Hyundai Grand i10 to be launched on 20th of August, 2019

Have you been hunting for a used compact SUV for a while but can’t find the right deal? Do you have mileage wishes to meet? Are your demands specific to Delhi-NCR? If your answer is yes, then worry no more, for we have you covered with a comprehensive list for your requirements. You might think your demands are too specific, but even with your specific needs you will be bombarded with innumerable options on leading car websites. Moreover, they will have listings of cars that have not been neatly sorted, and hence are not in a position to give you the best deal. How do you avoid the confusion and make the right decision then? Used car websites can be notoriously tricky to navigate. The onus of sorting the information remains on you, and who wants to be overwhelmed with data? Fortunately, we have got just the right solution for all your headaches through the Cartoq TRUE PRICE.

By deploying the Cartoq TRUE PRICE, we help you identify the best deals. The Cartoq Data Science team has built a Machine Learning model that estimates the TRUE PRICE of a used car, after accounting for all sorts of variables – brand, model, age, mileage, and car type. With all factors accounted for, the model predicts the TRUE PRICE, which then becomes the basis of comparison across cars. The best deals are those where listed price is lower than the TRUE PRICE. So, we scan through the car listings across major used car sites, compute their TRUE PRICE, and present the best deals for you.

The shortlist for this article was based on the analysis we ran on July 4, 2019; so, by the time you read this article, there is a good chance that the specific car may no longer be available.

However, this list still provides plenty of useful pointers even if certain specific cars have already been sold out.
All the cars on the list belong to the same manufacturer, which means:
• Ford cannot be caught when it comes to economy and efficiency in this segment.
• In a battle of the Ford EcoSport, it is the EcoSport Titanium that makes a big impact alongside the EcoSport trend.

Without further ado, let’s check out our top recommendations.

Recommendation #1: Ford EcoSport Trend 1.5L TDCI

Year: 2015 / Mileage: 33,000 / List Price: Rs. 514,500 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 916,774

Why buy: This first owner vehicle runs on diesel and finds a place atop this list because of its excellent array of features. Yet to cross over to the wrong side of 35,000 kilometers on the odometer, this car comes in a dazzling grey colour, and assures power-packed performance. With proven efficiency, it merits its price as well as its rank on this list.

Buy it here

Recommendation #2: Ford EcoSport TITANIUM 1.5 TDCI

Year: 2014 / Mileage: 43,139/ List Price: Rs. 583,100 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 960,000

Why buy: Similar to the vehicle above this, this, too, is currently placed with its first owner, available in an appealing shade of grey and runs on diesel. Its heftier mileage and substantially higher price push it down to number two, but with the other features more or less the same as the first car, this is also a worthy contender for your attention.

Buy it here

Recommendation #3: Ford EcoSport TITANIUM 1.0 ECOBOOST

Year: 2014 / Mileage: 44,000 / List Price: Rs. 568,400 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 914,000

Why buy: Residing with its first owner and fueled by petrol, this white SUV is a feasible option for a family car, given its good condition and dependable performance. This can also be an ideal solution for buyers caught in a dilemma between cars one and two on this list.

Buy it here

Recommendation #4: Ford EcoSport 1.5 Ti VCT MT Trend

Year: 2014 / Mileage: 44,000 / List Price: Rs. 535,000 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 857,274

Why buy: Available with comprehensive insurance and sporting a panther black colour, this first owner petrol SUV gives you a good balance between price and utility. It may not be as efficient as some of the cars that precede it, but it should still provide a number of good years on the road and proper value for money.

Buy it here

Recommendation #5: Ford EcoSport 1.5 DV5 MT Ambiente

Year: 2014 / Mileage: 49,000 / List Price: Rs. 509,600 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 837,000

Why buy: Armed with insurance, this is also a first owner car that runs on diesel and boasts of a consistent brake and suspension performance, among other impressive features. This may be the most driven car on this list, but you might be willing to overlook that considering that this is also the cheapest one in this collection.

Buy it here

In Summary

All the cars on this list have had sufficient road time, which means that there might be some wear and tear. However, each of these five options is equipped with the latest technology, provides ample space, comfort and strength. If you are not overly conservative with your budget, your pick should be from among the top three cars, but should you be looking to save some more money, numbers three and four can also be viable alternatives.

Also Read: All-new Hyundai Grand i10 to be launched on 20th of August, 2019

Kia will launch its debut vehicle in India on the 22nd of August. Called the Seltos, the compact SUV is an all-new vehicle by Kia and will be sold internationally too. The platform and engine options on the Seltos will be shared with the next-generation  Hyundai Creta. As it is Kia’s first vehicle in India, the company has made sure that the Seltos comes loaded to the brim with features and has segment-best specifications. In the Indian market, its main rivals will be the Hyundai Creta and the Tata Harrier. Let’s now check out 15 features that the Kia Seltos has but the other two SUVs don’t.

Air purifier

The Kia Seltos will not be the first affordable car to come with an air filter in India as that accolade has already been earned by the Hyundai Venue. However, it will be the first vehicle in its segment to come with this feature. An air filter, as its name suggests, purifies the air inside the cabin. This feature is especially helpful is highly polluted metro cities where clean air inside the cabin would be much appreciated.

10.25-inch infotainment

The Harrier came with an 8.8-inch touch infotainment system which was certainly a big step up for the segment. Kia, however, has gone one step further and has equipped the Seltos with a massive 10.25-inch infotainment screen, which is definitely a big number. Neither the Creta nor the Harrier sports an infotainment system this big. In this segment, the MG Hector is the only vehicle that has a bigger infotainment system than the Seltos, with a size count of 10.4 inches.

Smart Car features (UVA)

The last few car launches in India have all had a ton of tech gimmickry embedded inside them, The MG Hector and the Hyundai Venue are a prime example of this, both of which come with smart connectivity features along with all-time internet support and tons of other functions like voice recognition among others. The Kia Seltos also joins this list and comes with an M2M chip which allows it to remain connected to the Internet all the time. Its infotainment system comes equipped with UVO connect, an advanced connected car technology that offers an array of convenience and safety features. The UVO connect boasts of 37 smart features under five distinct categories i.e. Navigation, Safety and Security, Vehicle Management, Remote Control, and Convenience.

LED headlights and foglamps

Now we have been seeing LED DRLs, tail lamps, and fog lamps in cars of late but a full LED headlight is something for which the Seltos will claim the first in segment crown. It comes with stylish sleek LED headlamps along with LED DRLs on either side of the tiger-nose grille. The vertical foglamps and the taillights are also full-LED units.

Smart HUD

Heads-Up Display is not a new technology and high-end cars have been coming with this feature for a long time now. However, the Kia Seltos gets to be the first car in its segment and even a few notches above its segment to feature HUD. Kia has named it Smart 8.0 system but that does not probably indicate the size of the HUD as there has been no word on this. Talking about HUD, this feature displays vital information about the car including its speed on the windscreen at front. This means that the driver does not need to take his eyes off the road and still can know all the running stats about the car.

Disc brakes on all wheels

The Hyundai Creta and the Tata Harrier both come with disc brakes on the front wheels, even on their respective top-end variants. The Kia Seltos, however, comes with disc brakes on all four wheels to help with braking and maintain better control. Moreover, all four discs on the Seltos are ventilated, which ensures maximum braking power.

Rear reclining seats

Another unique feature, the Kia Seltos gives the option to tilt the rear seat to a certain extent in order to provide you with the perfect seating comfort. The Seltos will come with two-step rear reclining seats and passengers can adjust it according to their need. Neither the Hyundai Creta nor the Tata Harrier comes with this feature.

Ambient mood lighting

Like we earlier said, Kia has filled the Seltos to its gills with features and there is no end to it. The compact SUV comes with ambient mood lighting which can be changed to different colours. It will be present in pre-designated areas like around the speakers on the front door and above the glove box among other spots. Ambient lighting instantly gives a feeling of premium-ness to the cabin and till now, only the recently launched MG HEctor comes with this feature in this segment.

Turbo Petrol engine

The Kia Seltos will come with three engine options to choose from, which includes two petrol engines and one diesel engine. Among them, the most powerful option will be the 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine. This engine will have an output of 140 Bhp power and 244 Nm of torque. It will come mated to a 7-speed DCT along with the standard 6-speed manual transmission.

360-degree camera

While both the Hyundai Creta and the Tata Harrier come with rear parking sensors along with rear parking camera, none of them has a 360-degree camera feature. This feature lets you have a birds-eye view of the car and is quite helpful when parking or manoeuvring in tight spaces. Coupled with the larger 10.25-inch infotainment screen on the Seltos, this feature will surely be appreciated by the buyers.

TPMS

TPMS or Tire Pressure Monitoring System is a feature that lets you know about the air pressure in each tire via the MID screen on the instrument console. It is not an exclusive feature as even the Mahindra XUV500 comes with it but neither the Tata Harrier nor the Hyundai Creta is equipped with it.

UV Cut glass

UV cut glass, as its name suggests, are special kind of window glasses that are basically factory-fitted tinted glasses that comply with the Indian motor vehicle laws. It has been seen on a few cars in the budget segment like the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the previous generation Creta. The Kia Seltos will currently be the only car in its segment to feature such glasses.

Blindspot monitoring

Kia has paid full attention towards making the Seltos a safe car and for the same has equipped the car with a blind spot monitoring system. This system reduces the chance of accidents during lane changing and sudden turns. It does so by the help of dedicated sensors that sense any vehicle in the driver’s blind spot and warns the driver about the same through a warning light or a beep sound or both in some cases.

Front parking sensors

While rear parking sensors have been made mandatory by the government under the new safety rules, front parking sensors is something that is not found on most of the cars. Kia has equipped the Seltos with them though and this is something that the other two SUVs don’t come with.

3 types of AT

The Kia Seltos will come with a total of 4 transmission options. There will be a 6-speed manual option and the other three will be automatics. There will be a 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) automatic, an Intelligent Variable Transmission and a torque-converter transmission. It can be expected that Kia will offer a wide range of variants with a combination of 3 engines and 4 transmissions. Also, it will be the first car in India to get three different types of automatic transmissions.

Also Read: All-new Hyundai Grand i10 to be launched on 20th of August, 2019

Just days ago, Mahindra launched the diesel AMT version of its latest SUV – the XUV300. The Mahindra XUV300 Diesel AMT is available in two trims: W8 and W8 (Option). It’s pricier than the manual gearbox equipped diesel variants by Rs. 70,000. The XUV300 AMT’s W8 trim is priced at Rs. 11.50 lakhs while the W8 (Option) is priced at Rs. 12.70 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi. Meanwhile, Mahindra has just released a new TVC for the SUV starring popular TV host Rannvijay Singha. The TVC explores the key features of the AMT unit. Check it out.

As the ad indicates, the three key features of the XUV300’s Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) unit are: Hill Hold Assist, Kickdown Mode and Creep Function. Obviously, these features are apart from the clutchless gear shifting that is the main function of the AMT unit. Hill hold assist ensures that the SUV does not roll back while starting off from a steep slope. This is quite useful in parking lots with steep ramps as well. The kickdown mode helps when the driver wants instant acceleration while overtaking.

When the accelerator pedal is pressed hard, the transmission senses it and downshifts multiple gears to keep the SUV in the power band and make acceleration stronger. The creep function is useful during traffic crawls. The AMT unit allows the vehicle to creep forward without any acceleration input. The driver simply has to remove her/his foot from the brake pedal for the creep mode to get automatically activated. All three features come together to make the XUV300 AMT a seamless SUV for driving on both city roads and highways.

The XUV300 AMT is powered by a 1.5 liter-4 cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that puts out 115 Bhp of peak power and 300 Nm of peak torque. These are segment leading power and torque outputs. The engine is paired to a 6 speed AMT, with the sixth gear acting as an overdrive gear for highway cruising. The XUV300 is also available with a turbocharged 1.2 liter-3 cylinder petrol engine but this motor gets only a 6 speed manual gearbox and Mahindra is yet to indicate when this engine will get an AMT option. Like the diesel, the petrol motor makes a class leading torque output of 200 Nm while peak power is rated at 110 Bhp. The Mahindra XUV300 is easily the best equipped SUV in the sub-4 meter segment, and counts the likes of the Maruti Brezza, Tata Nexon and Hyundai Venue as its key rivals. 7 airbags including a driver’s knee airbag, ABS, EBD, hill hold, anti-rollover protection, traction control, ESP, electric sunroof, front proximity sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system, cruise control, automatic headlamps and wipers, push button start, keyless entry and dual zone climate control are the various features offered on this SUV.

Also Read: All-new Hyundai Grand i10 to be launched on 20th of August, 2019

The first half of this year has already passed and the sales records of the automotive industry are on a new low. SUVs are among the few segments that are still showing promising growth in the industry. Probably for this reason only, we have had around 5 all-new SUV launches in these 6 months along with several facelift launches too. If you are planning to buy an SUV this month, here are 12 SUVs which are being given away with the biggest discounts this month.

Tata Nexon

Max. offer value: Rs. 35,000

The stylish Tata Nexon has been bringing in good numbers for the company constantly. It is currently being offered with discounts worth up to Rs. 35,000 this month. This includes an exchange bonus of Rs. 15,000 for petrol variants. The diesel variants, on the other hand, get a cash discount worth Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 20,000 in the form of exchange bonus.

Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza

Max. offer value: Rs. 45,000

The Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza is the best-selling sub-4 meter SUV even after the competition has stepped up the game. As of now, it is being offered with discounts worth up to Rs. 45,000. The discount scheme on the Brezza includes a cash discount worth Rs. 25,000 along with an additional Rs. 15,000 being given as exchange bonus. Apart from this, the Vitara Brezza also gets a corporate bonus worth Rs. 5,000 on it right now.

Mahindra TUV300

Max. offer value: Rs. 82,500

The recently upgraded Mahindra TUV300 is quite a rugged sub-4 meter SUV as it uses a ladder on frame chassis. It is getting a total of Rs. 78,000 worth of discounts which includes a Rs 58,000 worth cash discount along with an additional exchange bonus of Rs 15,000. However, only the pre-facelifted models are available with the discount scheme. Mahindra is further offering Rs. 5,000 worth of genuine accessories along with a corporate bonus of Rs. 4,500 on the SUV this month.

Mahindra TUV300 Plus

Max. offer value: Rs. 69,500

Next up is the 7-seater, extended wheelbase version of the TUV300. Called the TUV300 Plus, it is available with discount schemes worth up to Rs. 69,500 this July. The discount offer on the TUV300 Plus includes a direct cash discount of Rs 35,000 on the P4 variant along with an exchange bonus of Rs 25,000. Then there are genuine accessories worth Rs. 5,000 worth on offer along with a corporate bonus of Rs. 4,500 on the SUV this month.

Renault Duster

Max. offer value: Rs. 1 lakh

Renault will launch the facelifted version of the Duster on the 8th of this month which makes it a few days away from now. In a bid to clear up the old inventory, Renault is offering discounts of up to Rs. 1 lakh on this compact SUV. The diesel variants are getting a cashback worth Rs. 50,000 along with an exchange bonus of Rs. 50,000. The petrol variants, on the other hand, are only getting Rs. 30,000 cash discount this month, though some dealerships are offering up to Rs. 50,000 discounts on the Duster petrol.

Honda BR-V

Max. offer value: Rs. 1.10 lakh

The Hyundai Creta rival from Honda is being offered with discounts worth up to a massive Rs. 1.10 lakh. The stylish crossover is a decent vehicle but has not been successful in the market. Coming to the discount schemes offered on the BR-V, for the customers who will exchange their cars, Honda is offering an exchange bonus worth Rs. 50,000 and accessories worth Rs. 26,500 along with a cash discount worth Rs. 33,500. For non-exchange customers, the company is offering accessories worth Rs. 36,500 along with a cash discount worth Rs. 33,500.

Renault Captur

Max. offer value: Rs. 50,000

The Renault Captur is one slow-selling vehicle and has been regularly offered with big discount schemes. This month, Renault is offering a discount worth up to Rs. 50,000 on the Captur. The discount being offered is in the form of an exchange bonus worth Rs. 50,000. In its segment, the Renault Captur rivals the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Nissan Kicks and Honda BR-V among others.

Mahindra Scorpio

Max. offer value: Rs. 60,000

The Mahindra Scorpio was launched way back in 2002 and has been a strong seller ever since. The SUV is known for its rugged build and powerful engine options. This July, Mahindra is offering different discounts on different variants. The S5 and S11 variants of the SUV are getting a direct cash discount worth Rs. 15,000 along with an exchange bonus worth Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 10,000 worth of accessories. The S7 and S9 variants of the SUV are getting a direct cash discount worth Rs. 20,000 along with an exchange bonus worth Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 10,000 worth of accessories. Then there is a corporate discount of Rs. 5,000 on all variants, taking the discount total to Rs. 60,000.

Mahindra XUV500

Max. offer value: Rs. 71,000

The Mahindra XUV500 is a common sight on the roads as it has been a big seller for the company. It is being offered with a discount offer worth up to Rs. 71,000 right now. The discount offer includes Rs 26,000 being given as a cash discount and Rs 25,000 as exchange bonus. Also, Mahindra is offering accessories worth Rs. 10,000 for free with the SUV this month along with offering a corporate bonus worth Rs. 9,000. These offers, however, are not applicable on the W3 variant of the SUV.

Tata Hexa

Max. offer value: Rs. 50,000

The Tata Hexa is the current flagship model of the company in India, though the launch of the Cassini will change that. It is also being said that the Hexa will be discontinued once the Cassini is launched next year. Talking about discount schemes available in the Hexa, it is being given away with a total discount of up to Rs. 50,000. This includes an exchange bonus worth Rs. 25,000 along with a direct cash discount worth Rs. 25,000.

Hyundai Tucson

Max. offer value: Rs. 1 lakh

The launch of the new facelifted Tucson is just around the corner now. This is probably why the company is offering massive discounts up to Rs. 1 lakh on its flagship vehicle in the Indian lineup. The discount offer includes a direct cashback of Rs. 25,000 along with an exchange bonus worth Rs. 75,000. The Tucson chiefly rivals the Jeep Compass in its price range but the current model is no longer a tough rival in the segment. The next-gen model is set to change this and re-establish it as a good option in the segment.

Honda CR-V

Max. offer value: Rs. 2.5 lakh

The Honda CR-V is the most expensive vehicle on this list and is also getting the highest discounts of all. The stylish soft-roader is being offered with a huge discount worth Rs. 2.5 lakh, which is more than twice what any other SUV on this list is being offered with. The discount on the CR-V is available in the form of a cash discount worth Rs. 2.5 lakh, which brings down the cost of the vehicle substantially.

Discount Source

Also Read: All-new Hyundai Grand i10 to be launched on 20th of August, 2019

A report on TimesDrive states that Maruti Suzuki is gearing up to launch the petrol variant of the Brezza sub-4 meter compact SUV in August. According to the report, the Brezza Petrol will be launched on the 20th of August. Notably, Maruti Suzuki is facing the heat from new car launches, and the best selling Brezza compact SUV has lost quite a bit of sales in May 2019 thanks to the Hyundai Venue. In fact, the Brezza was outsold by the Hyundai Creta for the first time since launch during May 2019, and much of it had to do with the fact that Hyundai launched the Venue at a very competitive price tag. With the Venue grabbing a chunk of Brezza buyers, the Creta moved ahead to become India’s best selling SUV for May 2019. So, a petrol version for the Brezza at this juncture would do a world of good for sales as the SUV is currently offered only with a diesel engine.

The petrol engine in question is the 1.5 liter-4 cylinder K-Series unit with 104 Bhp-138 Nm on tap. This engine is already offered on Maruti Suzuki cars such as the Ciaz and Ertiga, along with mild hybrid powertrains. The Brezza Petrol is also likely to get the mild hybrid option. On the Ciaz and Ertiga, this engine gets 5 speed manual and 4 speed torque converter automatic gearbox options. The same gearbox options are likely to be carried over to the Brezza as well. By April 2020, the petrol mild hybrid powertrain with manual and automatic gearbox options is likely to become the mainstay of the Maruti Brezza, which will lose its diesel engine to BS6 emissions in April 2020. Maruti has not indicated whether it would offer the newly developed 1.5 liter diesel engine on the Brezza post April 2020. Currently, this engine is offered on the Ciaz and Ertiga.

Maruti Suzuki’s chairman RC Bhargava has noted that the automaker would completely steer away from diesel engines from April 2020, and that diesel engines may be brought back only if high demand persists. For now, a petrol engine for the Maruti Brezza is imperative as every other sub-4 meter compact SUV sold in India barring the Mahindra TUV300 offers petrol engined options to buyers. In fact, the likes of the Ford EcoSport and the Hyundai Venue offer not one but two petrol engines each. The Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV300 offer powerful turbo petrol engines. Amid all this, the Maruti Brezza stands out as the only SUV with taking a diesel-only approach currently, and this has begun to hurt in terms of sales. Apart from the new petrol mild hybrid powertrain, we also expect the Brezza to get a mid life facelift in August 2019.

Also Read: All-new Hyundai Grand i10 to be launched on 20th of August, 2019

Microcars are not something that you would easily come across in our country. We had a few microcars in recent times including the Rewa electric car which was then succeeded by the Mahindra e20. Bajaj also launched its Qute Quadricycle recently which adds to the list of microcars in India. To let you know, there have been plans to launch several microcars on our roads over different periods of time, though none of them could make it big in the market while some of them were not even launched. Today, we take a look into our nation’s automotive past to find if there were any other quirky and tiny cars that you may have never heard of.

Bajaj PTV

Though the Qute may the only microcar on sale in India right now, it is hardly Bajaj’s first foray into the world of micro ‘cars’. What you see above is the PTV (private transport vehicle) that was built in the 1980s, at a time when Bajaj was trying to make a car out of an autorickshaw. This was due to the limitations imposed on the number of auto-rickshaws a manufacturer could make at that time.

As mentioned earlier, the PTV was based on an autorickshaw frame which was cut down to size and featured a rack and pinion steering wheel setup which replaced the regular auto handlebars. It was powered by a 145cc auto-rickshaw engine and had a metallic body. A total of 10 prototypes were made, but the model never entered production.

Sipani Badal

For those who might have watched the Rowan Atkinson starred Mr. Bean TV series, they would be familiar with a three-wheeled vehicle that was often shown during the show. Its name was Reliant Robin but back in India, we had a distant cousin of the Reliant Robin which was known as the  Sipani Badal. However, as most of you might have guessed, it failed badly in our market.

The Sipani Badal was powered by a 198cc, two-stroke engine that powered the rear wheels. It had a fibreglass body but the three-wheeler concept for private usage wasn’t something that wowed any Indian buyers in the late 1970s.

Scootacar

The Sipani Badal was not the only three-legged car we had in our country. Back in the day, there was a vehicle called the Scootacar that was India’s answer to the well-known German Fuldamobil. Unlike the Sipani Badal though, the single wheel was at the rear on this car. Unlike its German counterpart which was powered by a Sachs engine, the Scootacar used a 500cc Villiers unit.

Gogomobil

The Gogomobil was once a German microcar and it was being planned to be manufactured and sold in India when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was still the Prime Minister of India. The Gogomobil was marketed as a small car for the large families. It was powered by a 250cc single-cylinder engine that could take the car to a top speed of about 100 km/h (62mph). Sadly though, never took off and ended up in the old archive of plans.

Meera Mini Car

An honest indigenous at making a microcar, the Meera Mini car hailed from the Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. Unlike the other cars featured here, multiple generations of the Meera Mini car were made. The one you see here is the first-gen car. However, due to the red tape at the time, it never really managed to take off. This car was powered by a 19bhp, air/water-cooled four-stroke engine that enabled the car to reach speeds up to 88.5kph (55mph).

Trishul Diesel Tourer

This Jeep lookalike microcar was called the Trishul Diesel Tourer. It was manufactured by Trishul Crafts Auto Ltd in Patna, Bihar. The car was fitted with four seats, a ragtop roof that could be removed, and a Trishul hood ornament which added more seriousness to the manufacturer’s name. Powering the Trishul Diesel Tourer was a single-cylinder Greaves-Lombardini diesel engine. The front windshield of this car could be flipped down on the bonnet just like the Jeeps of old.

Rajah Creeper

Rajah Motors was owned by the Kerela based Rajah Group that had a big business of manufacturing beedis among other things. The motor division of this company showcased the Rajah Motors Creeper which is a tiny two-seater, four-wheeled car that looks more like a boxy ATV than anything else. Rajah Motors is also credited with creating the Kazwa which is deemed as the first MPV of India, though it was sold in big numbers. Talking about the Creeper, it was revealed to the world at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi and powered by an 800 cc engine along with having a width of only 1.25 metres.

Images courtesy Team-BHP

Also Read: All-new Hyundai Grand i10 to be launched on 20th of August, 2019

Are you conflicted over which kind of used SUV to purchase? Does a compact SUV not meet your needs? Is a full-size SUV beyond your budget? Why don’t you consider mid-size SUVs then? Would you like your mid-size SUV demands to be curated for Ahmedabad? If yes, then this is the one stop destination for your requirements. You might think your demands are too specific, but even with your specific needs you will be left more perplexed than persuaded by leading car websites. Moreover, they will have listings of cars that have not been neatly sorted, and hence are not in a position to give you the best deal. How do you decide on your ideal car then?

Used car websites are usually of little use, even with their multiple filters. The onus of sorting the information remains on you, and who wants to be drowning in data? Fortunately, we have got just the right solution for you through the Cartoq TRUE PRICE. By deploying the Cartoq TRUE PRICE, we help you identify the best deals. The Cartoq Data Science team has built a Machine Learning model that estimates the TRUE PRICE of a used car, after accounting for all sorts of variables – brand, model, age, mileage, and car type. With all factors accounted for, the model predicts the TRUE PRICE, which then becomes the basis of comparison across cars. The best deals are those where listed price is lower than the TRUE PRICE. So, we scan through the car listings across major used car sites, compute their TRUE PRICE, and present the best deals for you.

The shortlist for this article was based on the analysis we ran on July 4, 2019; so, by the time you read this article, there is a good chance that the specific car may no longer be available.

However, this list still provides plenty of useful pointers even if certain specific cars have already been sold out.
This is a Mahindra exhibition, which means:
• Mahindra cars for this segment make the best of their force and finesse.
• Even within the same manufacturer, Mahindra cars provide ample diversity, which is sure to entice potential buyers.

Without further ado, let’s check out our top recommendations.

Recommendation #1: Mahindra XUV 500 W8

Year: 2014 / Mileage: 51,362 / List Price: Rs. 747,000 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 1,563,000

Why buy: Stunning appearance and spectacular performance have shot this vehicle right up to the summit of this list. Currently placed with its first owner, this diesel-powered SUV comes in a soothing white, has remarkable efficiency, and notwithstanding its mileage, is durable enough to be the stand out car in this section.

Buy it here

Recommendation #2: Mahindra Scorpio VLX 4WD AIRBAG AT BS IV

Year: 2014 / Mileage: 32,000 / List Price: Rs. 625,000 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 1,263,310

Why buy: Despite being with its second owner, this vehicle has not been very taxing on the odometer. Equipped with automatic transmission and fueled by diesel, it sports a shimmering light golden colour that is bound to get your attention. Its economic price, considering the segment, means it is a car that you should ponder over, if not eventually purchase.

Buy it here

Recommendation #3: Mahindra XUV 500 W8

Year: 2014 / Mileage: 45,000 / List Price: Rs. 880,000 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 1,563,000

Why buy: Another diesel car that is placed with its first owner, this particular XUV variant comes in a sober tone of silver and stacks up favorably in terms of appearance to the topper of this list. What pushes it down to its middle of the pack position is its steep price and considerable mileage.

Buy it here

Recommendation #4: Mahindra XUV 500 W6

Year: 2014 / Mileage: 58,000 / List Price: Rs. 795,000 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 1,389,000

Why buy: Also at the helm of its first owner and running on diesel, this SUV comes in a stylish black but lacks some of the features shared by cars one and three. Its record on the odometer and its high-end price slides it down to the penultimate spot notwithstanding the assured performance that this car provides.

Buy it here

Recommendation #5: Mahindra Scorpio S6 Plus

Year: 2015 / Mileage: 66,400 / List Price: Rs. 850,000 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 1,094,473

Why buy: This is a somewhat paradoxical option given that this vehicle, also a first owner diesel SUV, is the newest as well as the most travelled car in this collection. What makes it a remote choice of purchase though is not so much the mileage but its price, which may not be over the top, but cannot compete with those in the leading positions.

Buy it here

In Summary

The Mahindra XUV and the Mahindra Scorpio go head to head in this showdown, and for the most part, it is the former that triumphs. Having said that, the Scorpio in second place is arguably the most convenient option for a buyer with budget constraints, whereas for less frugal customers, siding with one of the XUV variants seems like the sensible option.

Also Read: All-new Hyundai Grand i10 to be launched on 20th of August, 2019

It’s official. Hyundai’s 2nd generation Grand i10 hatchback will be launched in India on the 20th of August 2019. The car will be the second big launch from the South Korean automaker in India this year following the Swift, and comes right in the middle of the festive season. It will continue to be positioned against the Maruti Swift and the Ford Figo, in India’s B-Segment hatchback category. The 2020 Hyundai Grand i10 is likely to pack in Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission norms compliant petrol and diesel engines. The automaker is likely to equip the car with 5 speed AMT gearbox options on both engines. 5 speed manual gearboxes are expected to remain standard on both engines. As for pricing, the car is expected to start from around Rs. 5 lakhs for the base petrol model.

Renders courtesy AutoExpress

In terms of design, the 2020 Hyundai Grand i10 is expected to get a new cascading grille, which is now a signature design element on most new Hyundai cars. Sharper front headlamps, a fully revised bumper and air dam are likely to be the other changes on the front end. On the side, the car is also expected to grow in size slightly in order to offer more room to passengers. It will continue to retain the sub-4 meter footprint though.

On the inside, similar changes are likely, with a fresh new dashboard. A touchscreen infotainment console is likely to occupy pride of place on the dashboard, and will get Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and a host of other connected car features. Space on the inside is likely to improve and Hyundai is expected to carry over rear AC vents on the updated model as well.

Although the 2nd generation Hyundai Grand i10 will get a brand new design and a host of new features, the automaker cannot afford to price it much more than the outgoing version. This is because there is a big slowdown in car sales in India thanks to a weakening economy. An ultra competitive price tag is the need of the hour if Hyundai has any hopes of making the new Grand i10 as big a success as the outgoing version. The outgoing Grand i10 has been one of the best selling hatchbacks in the segment, consistently doing over 10,000 units each month. Hyundai will be hoping that the new model brings in similar numbers as the Grand i10 is a car that appeals to a wide set of buyers, both in the private and commercial sectors.

Also Read: All-new Hyundai Grand i10 to be launched on 20th of August, 2019

The Tiago and Tigor are among the top-selling vehicles for Tata and both of them enjoy a decent market reputation too. The Tiago has been the best selling Tata model for some time now and has even entered the monthly top 10 sales list a few times. Now though, Tata has cut the production of the Tiago hatchback and the Tigor sub-4 meter sedan by half since May. This move has been made amid the ongoing auto market slowdown which has affected every auto manufacturer in the country.

According to a report by Financial Express, the company had manufactured much more than needed stock of both these cars. Since car sales have been hit hard for the past few months, demand for both the models was low but the production ran as usual. The usual production of the Tiago and the Tigor was substantially high than what was being bought by the customers and this resulted in stockpiling of both these models. The dealers reported about the full inventories and Tata’s own stockyards had little space left. This resulted in Tata Motors reducing the production of the Tiago and the Tigor by nearly 50% since May and the same will continue till July-August period. Moreover, the company is also temporarily shutting down at least two production lines of commercial vehicles.

To let you know, Tata manufactures the Tiago and Tigor at its Sanand facility in Gujarat, which contributes 60% to the company’s overall passenger vehicle production. On the other hand, a part of commercial vehicles are produced out of the Pune plant. Tata sold 3,535 units of the Tiago hatchback in May this year which is 50% less than the car’s sales in the same month last year. Even the month of April saw 5,309 units of the Tiago being sold, which is about 33% more than what Tata managed in May. The Tigor’s numbers are even saddening with just 306 units of the car being sold in May 2019. This is in stark contrast to the sale in May 2018 when 3,071 units of the car were sold. Therefore, a production cut was necessary for the company to avoid huge stocks of unsold cars lying around at storage yards and dealerships.

Tata is not alone to have introduced production restrictions in the current scenario. Recently, major manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra and Honda Cars India also imposed manufacturing restrictions to curb the issue of filling inventories. Mahindra even decided to shut production of several of its popular models across its manufacturing plants for up to 13 days. As of now, the manufacturers are trying to battle this hurdle by offering huge discounts and other schemes on their model lineup. So this could be a blessing in disguise if you have been planning to buy a car anytime soon.

Also Read: Maruti Brezza is India's best selling SUV: Hyundai Venue is a close second!

This has been well out in the public since some time now that Tata is working on a Hyundai Creta rivaling SUV, codenamed Blackbird. It will sit below the Tata Harrier but above the Nexon in the automaker’s model lineup. It was being strongly speculated until recently that the car will use either the ALFA platform or the OMEGA platform and will be designed on the lines of the IMPACT 2.0 design philosophy. However, that has been marked as a speculation only by a recent report that suggests that Tata will team up with Chery to source a platform that could be used on the Blackbird (Tiggo 5X’s platform to be precise).

Another important thing to look forward to is how the car will look like since the recent Tata cars have been quite spectacularly designed. For the same, here is a render by Indian Autos Blog that shows how the upcoming Hyundai Creta challenger could turn out to be in terms of aesthetics.

The front fascia is reminiscent of the design that made its debut with the H5X concept at the 2018 Delhi Auto Expo and then was carried forward in production form by the Tata Hector. Those sleek LED DRLs look quite cool and the extended chrome strip running all the way from one DRL to the other and underlining the grille in between is something that we wish to see on the production model as well. The headlamps are regular projector units with foglamps towards the inside corner, though the placement is far from conventional.

The bumper up front looks butch and gives the SUV an imposing stance, thanks to its squared-off design and the addition of a silver skid plate. On the sides, those stylish multi-spoke rims catch all the attention and are shod on with low profile rubbers, something we should not expect to make an appearance on the production car. The overall profile of the compact SUV looks quite proportional in this render with silver roof rails on top adding to the whole appeal.

As of now, there is no information out regarding the engine and gearbox specifications of the Blackbird. However, Tata could use the Nexon’s 1.5-litre diesel engine, though it will be tuned for more power here. Moreover, Tata is reportedly developing a new 1.6-litre petrol engine for its present and future vehicle. If that turns out to be true, this new engine could also be found under the hood of the Blackbird. Transmission duties could be done by the new DCT unit which will be introduced on the Altroz apart from a regular manual gearbox. Expect this Creta challenging SUV to be launched in India by 2021.

Also Read: Maruti Brezza is India's best selling SUV: Hyundai Venue is a close second!

Honda launched the all-new Civic earlier this year. The car made a comeback after an absence of a few years and it has already claimed the top spot on the sales charts in the segment. Last month, the Toyota Corolla became the best-selling car in the segment with a lead of a few hundred units but Honda sold more than 2,000 units of the car to be at the second spot on the charts. The launch of the tenth generation Honda Civic also marks the launch of the diesel engine powered Civic in the Indian market for the first time. However, the sales data shows most customers are choosing the Honda Civic petrol over the diesel version.

The all-new Honda Civic is powered by both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol variants of the car are powered by a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine that generates a maximum power of 138 Bhp and 174 Nm of peak torque. The diesel variants of the Civic get the 1.6-litre engine option that also powers the all-new Honda CR-V. In the Civic, the 1.6-litre i-DTEC four-cylinder engine produces a maximum power of 118 Bhp and peak torque of 300 Nm. Notably, Honda does not offer an automatic transmission option with the diesel engine option. It only gets a 6-speed manual transmission. On the contrary, all the petrol variants of the Honda Civic get the 7-speed CVT automatic gearbox as standard. There is no manual transmission available with the petrol-powered Honda Civic.

Honda sold a total of 2,291 units of the Civic in the month of June 2019. Out of the total units sold, there are 2,006 units of petrol sold while only 285 customers chose the diesel option of the car. Notably, all the other vehicles in the segment saw a similar pattern where the petrol version is more popular than the diesel option. Honda Civic saw the widest difference between petrol and diesel model sale percentage followed by Toyota Corolla. A massive 84% of customers choose the petrol Corolla while the rest of them went for the diesel version of the car.

The all-new tenth generation Civic comes loaded with features. At the front, it gets L-shaped DRL with full-LED headlamps. The rear gets the C-Shaped tail lamps that look extremely good at night. The top-versions of the Civic also offer features like sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, remote-controlled windows and engine start and more such features. On the inside, the all-new Civic also offers automatic climate control system, 8-way power adjustable seats, rain sensing wipers, engine start/stop button, 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and more.

Honda was recently spotted testing the Civic Si performance coupe. It gets powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that generates a maximum power 205 Bhp and peak torque of 260 Nm.

Also Read: Maruti Brezza is India's best selling SUV: Hyundai Venue is a close second!

Even though there’s a slowdown in the Indian market right now, major manufacturers in India are lining-up major upgrades of the current product in the market. Due to the arrival of the Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assesment Program (BNVSAP) and BS6 emission norms, a lot of current models will get an all-new version in the coming times. Here are ten such cars that will be launched in the Indian market and will replace the current models.

Hyundai Grand i10

The ageing Grand i10 will soon get replaced with an all-new model in the Indian market. The Swift-rival in India will be launched in an all-new avatar later this year. The all-new Gand i10 will offer extremely sharp looks and will get the all-new design philosophy of the brand. At the front, the all-new Grand i10 is expected to get a hexagonal grille like the Venue. Hyundai is expected to power the all-new car with the current 1.2-litre petrol engine, which gets upgraded to the BS6 norms. Hyundai may discontinue to diesel engine option though.

Hyundai Xcent

Hyundai will also launch the all-new Xcent in the Indian market which is currently based on the Grand i10. The car has already been spotted testing on the Indian roads and the launch is expected to happen after the official launch of the all-new Grand i10 in the Indian market. The Xcent is likely to be an all-new car, which will be designed from scratch. It will not get any hatchback DNA in it.

Hyundai Creta

The all-new Hyundai Creta will be launched in early 2020 and it will be based on the all-new platform that also underpins the Kia Seltos. The all-new Hyundai Creta will look very aggressive and will get the same 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engine options that will be available with the Seltos too. At a later date, Hyundai will also release an all-new 7-seater version of the Creta in the Indian market.

Hyundai Elite i20

Hyundai will launch the all-new Elite i20 in the Indian market to take on the upcoming Tata Altroz and the current market leader Maruti Suzuki Baleno. The upcoming Elite i20 has already been spotted testing on the Indian roads and it is expected to get a very aggressive design. The third-generation Elite i20 is expected to get powered by an all-new 1.0-litre turbocharged engine that also powers the Hyundai Venue. It will also get the BS6 compliant 1.4-litre diesel engine.

Maruti Suzuki Alto

Maruti Suzuki’s best-selling hatchback, the Alto will soon get its third-generation in the Indian market. The all-new Alto will be much safer than the current version and will also get a fresh face. Maruti Suzuki is likely to give a crossover-inspired look to the Alto to make it look bold.

Mahindra Thar

The all-new Thar will be launched soon and the car has been spotted testing in various forms on the Indian roads. The all-new Thar will be based on an all-new platform, which will be derived from the Gen3 platform that underpins TUV300 and the Mahindra Scorpio. The all-new Thar will be much more comfortable and will get all the modern-day features like touchscreen infotainment system. It will also become much more comfortable and will be powered by an all-new 2.0-litre diesel engine.

Mahindra Scorpio

The all-new Mahindra will become much bigger than the current version of the car. Scorpio’s bigger dimensions will put it against the likes of Tata Harrier in the Indian market. The all-new Scorpio is expected to get an all-new shape and will look very different from the current version. However, the Scorpio will retain the ladder-frame set-up and will get a more powerful 2.0-litre diesel engine.

Mahindra XUV500

Mahindra is also working to launch the second-generation Scorpio in the Indian market. The all-new car will be launched in the Indian market next year and will be rebadged with Ford’s logo too. The all-new Mahindra Scorpio is also expected to grow in size and look much more intimidating than its current form. The all-new XUV500 will also get an all-new diesel engine.

Honda City

Honda City, one of the most popular sedans in the Indian market will soon arrive in an all-new avatar with major changes. The current generation of the Honda City marked the introduction of the diesel engine option while the next-generation City will mark the introduction of a hybrid engine option. It will get a Honda Civic-inspired front-end and coupe-inspired rear design. Apart from the petrol hybrid engine, the all-new City will continue to offer the diesel engine option in the Indian market.

Honda Jazz

Honda Jazz, the first premium hatchback in the Indian market will soon get a major upgrade. The all-new Jazz will be unveiled globally at the Tokyo Motor Show, which is scheduled to take place later this year. The Jazz will become the first car to offer the Honda’s dual-motor Hybrid unit, which is likely to be available with the all-new City too. It is expected to be launched by mid-2020 in the Indian market.

Also Read: Maruti Brezza is India's best selling SUV: Hyundai Venue is a close second!

Parking illegally in Mumbai has just gotten super expensive. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) – the civic body that runs the city – and the Mumbai Traffic Police, have come up with new fines for wrong/illegal parking, and the maximum fine for a mere parking offence is now Rs. 23,000 in case of heavy vehicles, Rs. 15,100 for light motor vehicles, Rs. 12,200 for three wheelers and Rs. 8,300 for two wheelers.

According to a report on ETAuto, these parking fines will now be applicable to all vehicles parked within 500 metre radius of the 26 authorized public parking lots and 20 designated BESTS depots in the city. The whole idea behind the steep parking fines is to ensure that people don’t break the law, and park illegally in unauthorized spots. And the BMC has even tied up with ex-servicemen and professional security guards to implement these fines as they expect major resistance from violators, at least initially.

Initially, these traffic fines will be limited to high congestion areas of the city, and will eventually be implemented across the city in a phased manner. In other words, the entire city of Mumbai – where space is at a premium for almost everyone – will get really massive parking fines that could deter even the really rich from parking illegally.

On whether these steep fines will encourage corruption among the officials in charge of collecting these fines and overseeing the implementation of the new rules remains to be seen. Usually, a very high fine in India has three repurcussions: 1. Violators get in line and begin adhering to rules. 2. Blatant corruption occurs, where violators are let off with much lower fines, with officials pocketing the smaller fines as bribes. 3. Big protests from violators leading to authorities withdrawing such large fines.

Meanwhile, an official from the BMC had this to say about the new parking fines,

“This will curb instances of people simply parking anywhere, disappearing for brief to prolonged periods to complete some work before returning, but by that time, traffic is already in chaos, especially on main road.”

Traffic fines in India, as a whole, are set to increase in the coming months as the parliament has just approved the Motor Vehicle Amendment bill. The steep increase in fines are meant to deter people from violating traffic rules in the first place. However, we’ll know how such fines are likely to pan out once BMC begins implementing the steeply increased fines for illegal/wrong parking.

Also Read: Maruti Brezza is India's best selling SUV: Hyundai Venue is a close second!

DC Design is a name that is known across the country, though not everyone has the same opinion about the design house. Founded by Dilip Chhabria in 1993, the company has come a long way since then and is credited with the creation of the first Indian sportscar, the Avanti. DC Design specialises in creating body kits for cars in the Indian market along with doing some incredible interior modification jobs. Talking about the interior mods, DC Design converts the interiors of any car into a jetliner like space with all luxury amenities one could imagine and then some. Below are 5 such cars whose interiors have been reworked by DC.

Toyota Fortuner

Starting off the list is the Toyota Fortuner with a blue and white theme DC Design lounge. The Toyota Fortuner is the best selling SUV in its segment and comes with quite comfortable interiors along with dollops of space. However, DC Design takes things to a whole different level here as can be seen in the video above. It also gets an exterior body kit, though we are not sure if that would suit everyone’s taste. The interiors, however, with its reclining seats, ambient lighting and other creature comforts create a luxury ambience inside for sure.

Mahindra Marazzo

The Mahindra Marazzo was launched in September last year and the MPV has gained good sales since then. At the time the Marazzo was launched, DC Design showcased the modified version of the Marazzo at the same time. It gets a subtle body kit on the outside which enhances its appearance while the interiors are ultra luxurious. The interiors are swatched in luxury and get features like automatic sliding and adjusting seats, white leather upholstery, wooden treatment on the dashboard and other panels along with LCD monitors for entertainment and full-size reclining chairs. It is among the most recent cars modified by DC and hence comes with the most modern features compared to other DC lounge equipped cars.

Toyota Innova Crysta

The Toyota Innova Crysta is among the oldest and best-selling MPVs of India. It is known for its spacious and comfortable interiors apart from its reliability and refined engine options. No doubt then it is used by several celebrities and politicians as well. The first generation Innova was also the first vehicle for which DC Design made a full-fledged lounge. The Innova Crysta in the video above also gets the same treatment from DC Design complete with swanky interior lightning, chiller, fully reclining seats and privacy partition among a lot more luxuries.

Mahindra XUV500

The Mahindra XUV500 here is the older generation model of the SUV. DC Design has worked its magic over the XUV 500 too as can be seen in the video above. The Mahindra XUV500 is a very popular vehicle in its segment and sells in big numbers. The full DC Lounge treatment for the XUV500 will set you back by a couple of lakhs but if you want superior luxury without paying too much, it is a good option for you. The one in the video above gets a brown interior theme with usual bits like reclining seats, ambient lighting, custom door pads and LCD screens among others.

Renault Duster

The Renault Duster was among the more affordable models which get the luxury DC Lounge treatment. The exteriors of the car have also been modified tastefully. The front end gets the swapped LED DRLs and headlights design as seen on cars like the Tata Harrier and Hyundai Venue, though DC did that several years back. Coming to the interiors, they get full leather luxury treatment but since the Duster is not as spacious as the other big MPVs and SUVs here, the same on the inside is a bit less than the others. Nonetheless, compared to a regular Duster, this one is as good a it gets.

Also Read: Maruti Brezza is India's best selling SUV: Hyundai Venue is a close second!

Hyundai will launch the all-new Kona EV in the Indian market on 9th July. Before the launch, Hyundai has started dispatching the units of the upcoming car to the dealers. As per the sales data, Hyundai has dispatched as many as 25 units of the Kona Electric SUV last month.

It should be noted that all-new Kona EV has also been spotted testing on the Indian roads uncamouflaged. The Kona EV will become the first affordable electric SUV in the Indian market. However, it will be a fully imported Completely Built Unit (CBU), which will ensure a heavy import tax. The Kona EV is expected to get a market price of around Rs 22-25 lakh, which will be quite expensive. However, Hyundai is not targetting to sell the Kona as a mass-market product. Instead, the Kona will be sold as a halo product, which will showcase Hyundai’s prowess in the technological field.

Hyundai India has also listed the upcoming electric SUV on the official website. The Hyundai Kona EV is already available in the international markets and is available in two different variants. However, there will be only one variant that will be launched in the Indian market. Hyundai has not confirmed which variant of the car will be launched in the Indian market in the coming days. Most likely, it will be the base variant of the Kona that will be launched in the market to ensure that the cost of the car remains approachable by the customers.

The Hyundai Kona’s base variant is powered by a 39.2 kWh battery pack that offers about 300 km of range. The car can be fully charged in about 6-hour zero using a standard charger. While Hyundai also offers a fast charging system that brings down the charging time substantially. The base variant gets a motor that can produce a maximum of 100 kW or 134 PS with 335 Nm of peak torque. Even the base variant of the Hyundai Kona is quick and can do 0-100 km/h run in just 9.3 seconds. The more powerful variant gets 64 kW battery pack that powers a 204 PS or 150 kW electric motor. This version takes about 9 hours to charge completely using a standard charger while the battery level can reach up to 80% using the fast charger.

Hyundai has also started releasing new videos on the upcoming Kona EV to educate the market about electric vehicles. The first video was a message about the charging time of the vehicle.  Now Hyundai has released six different videos talking about the safety, power, low running costs and other features of the Kona EV.

Also Read: Maruti Brezza is India's best selling SUV: Hyundai Venue is a close second!

Restoration modification is a term used to refer to the restoration of old/vintage vehicles and then modifying them, either aesthetically or mechanically or both. The key to making a perfect looking resto-mod car is to modify it enough so that it looks upmarket while keeping that old world charm intact. There are several cars around the country that have been brought back from the dead and then modified into achingly beautiful machines. Here then are 5 retro cars in India that have been given a modern makeover.

Premier 118 NE

Starting off the list is this gorgeous Premier 118 NE. For the uninitiated, this car was based on the Fiat 124 and was an upgrade from the Premier Padmini. This black one here sure is one of the best examples of modified 118 NE we’ve seen. It carries a cool gangstar look and it seems that the design inspiration was taken from the car that featured in the movie ‘The Green hornet’. The front end has been given a totally new look and it gets a new bumper, new grille, and badass looking eyes. The car rides on a cool set of alloys and giving a final touch to this whole resto-mod job is the black paint job that adds to the overall lool.

Maruti Suzuki Zen

While the en may still look pretty modern, it was launched here way back in 1993. This is the reason we have included this first-gen model of the car that has been modified tastefully. The Zen was a pretty popular car among enthusiasts due to its high power to weight ratio and classic body design. This one here gets a body kit which adds lip spoilers on the front and skirtings on the side. The car now runs on wide tires shod on stylish alloy wheels. The bright orange paint job makes it stand apart in the crowd of cars populating our roads.

Maruti Suzuki 800 (SS80)

The Maruti Suzuki 800 is to India what the Ford Model T and later the Volkswagen Beetle is to the world. If you didn’t catch the reference, all three of these cars are responsible for mobilizing millions of people and were the most popular cars of their era. The SS80 was the first car for Maruti Suzuki in India and was launched in 1983. This one here gets a cool set of aftermarket rims along with a bright green paint shade. Apparently, the owner of this car modelled the car’s look after Mr. Bean iconic green Mini.

HM Contessa

India never had any muscle car brought to its soil for sale by a company until Ford decided to play the gamble and brought the Mustang here a few years back. However, what we had is the HM Contessa that is considered by many to be the first muscle car type designed car of the country. Talking about this one here, its owner had modified the stylish sedan into a butch looking muscle car. Painted in black, the car looks special even from a distance. Another highlight of the car are those gorgeous alloys it is fitted with. Interestingly, the owner has also placed the iconic Shelby badge on the front grille which adds a bit of American touch to the car.

Premier Padmini

If there was a car people bought except Ambassador at that time, it was the Premier Padmini. The Fiat-based car has attained an iconic status in India today and is kept as a prized possession by many collectors. The one seen above has been beautifully resto-modded and got a blue paint job along with a silver roof and silver stripes running down its bonnet. It has been fitted with great looking multi-spoke alloys and the front headlights are now blacked-out LED units. The interiors have also been updated while the upholstery is all white.

Image Source – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Also Read: Maruti Brezza is India's best selling SUV: Hyundai Venue is a close second!