Even as you’re reading this, the Sonet has already started arriving at dealerships and the car was spotted couple times on road without any camouflage too. Here we have a leaked price list that’s said to have originated from a Kia Motors dealer in India.

According to the leaked list, prices for the all-new Kia Sonet will start from Rs 6.99 lakh, ex-showroom, going all the way up to Rs 12.99 lakh, ex-showroom. The Sonet is available with three engine options – a 1.2 litre-4 cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine that generates 83 PS of peak power and 115 Nm of peak torque. This engine is available with a single gearbox option: a 5-speed manual. The prices for the naturally aspirated 1.2 litre petrol version are expected to start from Rs 6.99 lakh and go up to Rs 8.29 lakh.

Also read: Kia Sonet mid-spec variant compact SUV spied

The next engine option is the 1.5 liter-4 cylinder turbo diesel unit that generates 100 PS of peak power and 240 Nm of peak torque. There will be two gearbox options with this engine: a 6 speed manual and a 6 speed torque converter automatic. Prices for the diesel version are expected to start at Rs 8.39 lakh,  going all the way up to Rs 12.99 lakh.  The last engine option is the 1.0 litre, three cylinder, turbocharged petrol unit, which makes 120 PS of peak power and 172 Nm of peak torque. This engine will be available with a 7-speed twin clutch gearbox and a unique, 6-speed iMT gearbox option. Prices for the turbo petrol version will start from Rs 9.49 lakh, and go up to Rs 11.99 lakh.

Kia Sonet being the latest entrant to this highly competitive, sub-4 meter compact SUV segment is feature loaded. It gets a distinct looking front with heartbeat shaped LED DRLs, all-LED headlamps and tail lamps, sporty looking alloy wheels, dual tone theme and so on. On the inside, the compact SUV will offer features like front ventilated seats, electric sunroof, 10.25 inch touchscreen infotainment screen, air purifier, rear AC vents, multi function steering wheel and so on.

Kia Motors officially unveiled their third product – the Sonet sub-4 meter compact SUV in India last month. All dealers of Kia Motors in India have already begun accepting bookings from customers, ahead of the 18 September launch of the compact SUV. The Kia Sonet will compete with cars such as the Maruti Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300 and Ford EcoSport in the sub-4 meter segment.

Also read: Mahindra XUV300 is now Rs. 1 lakh cheaper

Nissan India has been working on their all-new product – the Magnite sub-4 meter compact suv – for quite some time. The production version of the SUV will compete with cars like Maruti Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, Ford EcoSport and soon to be launched Kia Sonet in the segment. The Nissan Magnite Concept has been unveiled and the production version of the same is expected to be launched in the market early next year. Here we have a video that tells the story behind the design of upcoming Magnite SUV.

The video has been shared on Nissan India’s official youtube channel. The video starts with the exterior and the Design Manager Takumi Yoneyama had already mentioned that the design approach for Magnite was based on the art of sculpting and not just drawing lines on paper. The design along with the tinted red body colour of the concept adds depth to the overall design and makes look the Nissan Magnite concept look solid and vibrant.

Also read: Mahindra XUV300 is now Rs. 1 lakh cheaper

The elements like all LED headlamps, wide grille with red insert, ‘L’ shaped LED DRL, faux skid plate with red accents all give it a rugged SUV look. The side profile of the concept gets black cladding around the wheel arches and side, there is a roof rail and sporty looking alloy wheels which give it an SUV like look.

On the inside, a similar approach was taken. The aim of the design team while making the concept was to enhance the space and give the whole cabin a premium look. In order to make the interiors look more wide and spacious, they placed a horizontal infotainment screen on the dashboard and the AC vents have a distinct design too.

The wider console area gives an impression that it offers more space than a regular car in the segment. Overall, Nissan team has been very careful with the design of the Magnite concept to make sure that it stands out. Magnite’s production version is expected to be available with two petrol engine options: A 1.0 litre, three cylinder, naturally aspirated engine with 72 Ps and 96 Nm, and a 1.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine generating 95 Ps of power. The turbo petrol engine is expected to be paired with a CVT gearbox whereas the regular version will get a manual gearbox.

Also read: Rs. 1 lakh discount on Tata Harrier BS6 Automatic

Indian politics is a twisted subject which needs a deep understanding of every politician to make an informed choice to vote. Many times, politicians are witnessed campaigning with mass segment cars to level with the citizens of the country. It makes them more relatable if the voters can identify with your personality through the products you use while coming out in public. Therefore, a car’s name and the image they can identify with becomes brownie points for the politician. There is also another sector of politicians who are extremely rich and only prefer to move around in their ultra-luxurious cars in public. They are known to own supercars like Lamborghinis but let’s just focus on the ones who own the rare and super luxurious Rolls Royce sedans.

MTB Nagaraj

Rolls Royce Phantom VIII

Mr Nagaraj is a well-known MLA from Hoskote, Karnataka. He’s been making rounds in the news bulletin in the recent past due to his disqualification for some anti-party activity. He is also known for owning the most expensive car on sale in the country, the Rolls Royce Phantom Series VIII. The latest generation of Rolls Royce Phantom Series VIII is loaded with features. For starters, the dashboard is glass-encased which can be customized whenever the owner chooses to. The Rolls Royce Phantom Series VIII is based on the latest generation Spaceframe architecture. It gets a twin-turbocharged petrol engine which is powered with a massive 6.75-litre V12 petrol engine.  It gives a maximum power of 563 Bhp and a peak torque of 900 Nm. The engine is powerful enough to make the massive sedan go from 0-100 km/h in a mere 5.4 seconds. Coming to the pricing, Rolls Royce has priced this car at a whopping 9.5 crores, ex-showroom barring any customizations or options, therefore the base variant of the Rolls Royce Phantom Series VIII can cost anything around 11 crores on road.

Pramod Madhawaraj

Rolls Royce Ghost

Pramod Madhawaraj is a successful businessman and an MLA from Udupi, Karnataka. He owns the latest Rolls Royce Ghost sedan. The Rolls Royce Ghost is an entry-level sedan from the British manufacturers. Even though it is their entry-level car model, it costs about INR 5.8 crores and could spike up if customizations and alterations are done. Mr Pramod’s Ghost has been spotted rather frequently in many events and conferences. He seems to have regularly using it to commute. The car is done in a beautiful shade of blue with a silver paint lining on the bonnet lid. The Rolls Royce Ghost also comes with 6.5-litre V12 twin-turbocharged engine but can generate a maximum power of up to 603 Bhp and 840 Nm.

Cheeranjivi

Rolls Royce Phantom VII EWB

Cheeranjivi is a superstar in Tollywood (South Indian Film Industry) and is also a politician. He owns the Phantom VII EWB, which only a few Indians have been able to procure. It is covered in a complete black paint job and the car is spotted being used all the time. Cheeranjivi’s Rolls Royce Phantom VII EWB comes with an extended wheelbase which makes it an extremely spacious car, therefore, making it perfect for tall people much like Mr Cheeranjivi to stretch their legs and have a comfortable ride even on longer journeys. This car also comes powered with 6.75 litres V12 petrol engine but can generate a maximum power of 460 Bhp and a peak torque of 720 Nm. The fascinating part of Mr Cheeranjivi’s Phantom remains the fact that the actor cum politician uses the signature “111” on his car, which is a quite consistent with the other cars that he owns too.

In recent times, the number of superbikes and supercars have increased by quite a lot in India. In metropolitan cities, different groups of superbike riders are a common sight, especially on the weekend. With the increased number of powerful machines, the cops have also increased their vigilante and often stop such groups to check the documents and sometimes, just harass them. However, there have been a few instances of rash riding on the public roads and here is one such video that shows a group of superbike riders dodging a police barricade to ride past them.

The incident happened in Panipat, Haryana on the bypass flyover. The video shows the three bikers stopping ahead of a barricade on the flyover and discussing how they will go ahead and what they will do if the cops ask them to stop. The rider who is leading the group can be seen going ahead with the predetermined notion that he will not stop if the cops ask them to stop. The video is taken by the GoPro camera of the rider who was in the middle.

The video shows that the cop waves the rider to stop. However, the rider increased his speed to dodge the barricade. Looking at the situation, a cop with a traffic cone tried stopping the rider by hitting him with the cone. Two bikers escaped the barricade by dodging the cops but the rider was sweeping, stopped at the barricade.

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In the video, the rider explains the action of not stopping at the barricade too. He says that after getting on the Panipat Bypass flyover, which is 3.6 km long, they noticed a speed-check van parked on the side. Since the flyover remains mostly empty, the bikers were speeding quite a bit. However, when the rider spotted the van, he downshifted, which caused backfire and loud crackling sounds. The rider got scared and said that if they were stopped by the cops, they will have to go the court and it may become a big hassle with a lot of money involved too. The biker says after dodging the cops, he did not stop for at least 20-25 km and was riding at 250 km/h to escape the police.

The third rider, who stopped at the barricade said that the cops put a revolver on his head and asked him to call back the first two bikers. However, after an hour of negotiations, he paid Rs 2,000 and was released by the cops. The rider further says that the superbikes are not allowed on the Yamuna Expressway as the cops have started to stop them after a recent accident. Sometime back, the cops in Gurugram took action on the group of superbikes for breaking lockdown rules so they do not have good stretches to ride one anymore. He also says that the government should ban the import of superbikes in India if they cannot speed on the roads. Also, he mentions that track costs a lot and they cannot afford it.

Are the superbike riders wrong?

Dodging the cops and escaping them is the definitely illegal and criminal case can be filed against them. Speeding on the public roads is illegal too and it can cause fatal accidents. Many such accidents have happened in the past too. The rider accepts in the video that he was speeding and the exhaust made loud crackles in front of the cops too. So it was definitely the bikers who broke the rules here and should have stopped at the barricade.

The cops were not right either

It is true that cops target superbike riders, especially after speeding incidents and accidents in the past. However, trying to stop any biker by hitting them with a traffic cone or any other object is wrong and should not be done. The rider could have lost his balance and fall down causing serious injuries. The cops should simply note the registration number and send an e-challan to home or they can set-up tighter barricades ahead to ensure that the bikers stop. In the past, the cops have issued challans based on videos on social media platforms and have even seized a bike that was doing 300 km/h on the public roads after the owner put up the video.

Stereotyping superbike riders?

While there are many who openly speed up on the public roads and boast about hitting the top speed on videos, there are many responsible superbike riders too. However, such incidents ensure that the cops and the general public stereotype the superbike riders and make them look bad.

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Maruti Suzuki Brezza has been dominating the compact-SUV segment since it was launched back in 2016. The biggest competition it faced was from the Hyundai Venue which was launched last year. So, Maruti Suzuki upped their game with the launch of 2020 Brezza Facelift which was revealed at the Auto Expo 2020 and the Brezza proved again by leading the sales chart of the compact-SUV segment. Today, we list down 5 reasons why we think the Brezza continues to be the best selling compact-SUV in the segment.

Fuel efficiency

Indian market is obsessed with fuel efficiency. Anyone who goes into a dealership to buy a new car will definitely ask the question “Kitna deti hai?” or “How much mileage does it deliver?” Maruti Suzuki knows this and that is why they ensured that the Brezza delivers one of the best fuel efficiency in the segment. Usually, the automatic transmissions deliver less mileage than the manual ones. However, Maruti Suzuki has worked hard and the Brezza’s automatic transmission delivers best in the class claimed mileage of 18.76kmpl. They have specifically tuned the engine and gearbox for city use. This ensures that the Brezza works efficiently and deliver good mileage figure.

Also read: Kia Motors unveils Sonet sub-4 meter compact SUV in India

SUV styling

When the Brezza was first launched, the biggest selling point of it was the styling. Maruti Suzuki designed it to look like a proper toned down version of an SUV. With its flat-bonnet, boxy design language, huge wheel arches, wide skid plates, muscular bumper and front grille with simple yet sleek headlamps, the Brezza looks like a proper compact-SUV. This attracts a lot of people who want to buy an SUV but do not have a budget for it.

Features

Maruti Suzuki offers a lot of features with the Brezza for the occupants. It comes with a 7-inch SmartPlay touchscreen infotainment system that supports Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Navigation and voice commands. There is an auto-dimming IRVM, steering mounted controls, automatic climate control, automatic headlamps and automatic wipers, electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs, LED projector headlamps with LED Daytime Running Lamps, LED taillamps, push button to start/stop, cruise control and much more. People want their car to be feature loaded as it helps in taking the load off the driver and he can then simply focus on driving only. The Brezza does this very well by offering a lot of features that can come handy for the driver.

GNCAP rating

The Global NCAP rating is becoming a big thing for the buyers. People have now started considering safety rating and safety features that the manufacturers are offering. They want a car that can keep their loved ones safe in case of an unfortunate accident. Vitara Brezza was tested at a speed of 64 km/h for a crash test. The compact-SUV was rated four out of five-star rating by the GNCAP. Maruti Suzuki also offers safety features such as rear parking sensors, dual airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX mounts, security alarm and a high-speed alert system as standard. Moreover, you also get the hill-hold function for the automatic variants. So, the Vitara Brezza is a very well equipped vehicle when we talk in terms of safety.

The trust factor of Maruti Suzuki

There has always been a certain trust factor associated with the Maruti Suzuki brand. Being one of the oldest car manufacturers of India and they also manufactured the legendary Maruti 800 which almost every family has owned at a certain point of time because it was the first car that people of India could afford. The Maruti Suzuki has developed a reputation of being a reliable, affordable and “people’s manufacturer” image. There is no doubt that the Maruti Suzuki is the largest automotive manufacturer of India. Then there is the vast service network that the manufacturer offers. This gives people peace of mind that even if their car goes wrong in some way, they would be able to find a service centre. Even the spare parts of the Maruti Suzuki are less expensive than the competitors.

These are the 5 reasons that we think why the Brezza continues to be the best seller compact-SUV in the Indian market. The 2020 Brezza starts from Rs. 7.34 lakhs ex-showroom and goes all the way up to Rs. 11.4 lakhs ex-showroom. It competes with the Hyundai Venue, Ford Ecosport, Mahindra XUV300 and Tata Nexon. There are also some upcoming compact-SUVs that will be trying to take the crown from the Brezza which are the Kia Sonet, Nissan Magnite and the Renault Kiger.

Also read: Kia Sonet mid-spec variant compact SUV spied

MG is ready to launch its fourth car in the Indian market, which will also become its most expensive vehicle in India. Showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo, the all-new MG Gloster is currently being tested relentlessly on the roads and it is expected to be launched by the festive season this year. This will be the brand’s third launch in the market this year after the all-new MG ZS EV and the Hector Plus. The Gloster will take on the likes of Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Mahindra Alturas G4 and more such vehicles in the segment.

The new video reveals a lot of details about the upcoming Gloster. The most interesting details that can be gathered from this set of spy images are the captain seats in the middle row. It will be a three-row SUV like the Hector Plus and the middle-row seats will be similar to the Hector Plus too. Other features worth highlighting are the dual-tone upholstery (brown and black), plush diamond-stitching, contrasting white stitches on the black upholstery, two-piece front arm-rest with storage and multi-zone climate control system.

Also read: Mahindra E20 & E20 Plus go 100 Kms farther with aftermarket range extension kit

It should be noted that MG has already started dispatching the Gloster SUV to the dealerships and a few models have been spotted in the showrooms too. The Gloster spied in the showroom get the ADAS badging, which is a semi-autonomous safety model. This system is classified as Level 2 of autonomous driving and is able to control the speed and steering of the vehicle to keep it in the lane. However, since it is not fully-autonomous, the driver has to keep an eye out all the times and check for any obstacles ahead. It should be noted that this is a radar-based technology. The Gloster will also get semi-automatic parking system that will allow the driver to park it in the tightest spaces.

The car will also come with a long list of features just like any other MG Motor SUV in India. To start with, it gets an all-digital instrument cluster, lane-departure system and rear electronic differential lock. MG will also offer a rotary knob that can be used to choose between various traction modes and drive modes. There Gloster will also get a number of safety features like hill descent control, park assist, seat ventilation and wireless charging system. The Gloster will also come with a massive panoramic sunroof.

The engine details of the upcoming MG Gloster are not out yet. However, it is likely to be powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine that will be sourced from FCA. It is the same engine that powers the likes of Hector, Compass and Tata Harrier but in the Gloster, the power output will be bumped up to produce a maximum of 218 Bhp and 480 Nm. It will get an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Also read: Toyota RAV-4 SUV launching in India soon: Tata Harrier to be 2 times COSTLIER than Fortuner

Tata Nexon EV is currently the most affordable long range electric vehicle sold in the country. Tata Motors launched the all-new EV version of the Nexon compact SUV in the market earlier this year. It competes with cars like Hyundai Kona and MG ZS EV in the segment and has been doing good in terms of sales as well. Tata Motors delivered India’s first homegrown own electric SUV – the Nexon EV – to Mr. N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons & Tata Motors.

Nexon EV just like its petrol and diesel powered versions is quite popular among the buyers because of its build quality. Nexon is one of the safest car in the sub-4 meter compact SUV segment with 5 star rating in Global NCAP test. Buyers have similar kind of trust in Nexon EV and that is reason why it has become the best selling electric car in the country. Tata Motors recently rolled out 1000th Nexon EV from their plant. Actress and TV host Mandira Bedi was one of the celebrity who had bought the EV recently.

Nexon EV looks exactly like the regular Nexon in terms of design. The only differentiating factor here is the electric blue highlights that it gets on the front, side and rear along EV badging. Apart from that it gets all the features like projector type headlamps, dual function LED DRL, sporty looking alloy wheels, LED split tail lamps, electric sunroof and so on.

Also read: Actress & TV Host Mandira Bedi”s latest car is an all-new Tata Nexon EV

On the inside, it offers various features like multi function steering wheel, touchscreen infotainment screen, semi-digital instrument cluster, rear AC vents and others. Both exterior and interiors get tri-arrow design elements in different area which looks good on the car. Coming to the heart of the matter, Nexon EV is powered by Ziptron technology that uses a 30.2 KwH high capacity lithium-ion battery. The car generates a maximum of 129 Ps and 245 Nm of peak torque. It has an ARAI certified driving range of 312 kms but, in real life life condition the range will be lesser than that.

Tata had also very recently started offering subscription program for its customers in Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. This will make the best selling EV in the country even more accessible to buyers. In this scheme buyer can choose to subscribe the vehicle for 18,24 or 36 months by paying an all-inclusive fixed monthly rental.

Also read: Kia Sonet mid-spec variant compact SUV spied

Hyundai Creta, which was launched earlier this year has become one of the best-selling vehicles in the Indian market. The all-new Creta looks sharp and offers some extremely sporty looking alloy wheels with the top-end variants of the car. Still, there are many customers who prefer aftermarket alloy wheels than the stock ones. Here is one of the first Hyundai Creta SUVs to get aftermarket alloy wheels and it looks extremely good.

This is aftermarket alloy wheels that seem to be from HRE. With the new alloy wheels, the Creta also gets lower profile tyre that makes the vehicle looks extremely aggressive. With the new wheels, the Creta also gets an aggressive stance that makes it look better than the stock version. There are a few other changes in this Creta too.

Also read: Hyundai India sells over 11,500 units of Creta SUV in July

At the front, the car gets red highlight on the grille that is as wide as the grille and makes the car look extremely good. The vehicle also gets blacked-out parts and even the arrow-shaped highlight has been changed to black. At the rear, the Creta moniker has been removed completely and it adds a neat and clean look to the vehicle.

The Hyundai Creta’s new-age headlamp and tail lamp look extremely sporty and aggressive. Even though many say that the design of the Creta is quite unorthodox, it never fails to turn heads on the roads. The all-new Creta has become one of the best-selling vehicles in the market.

It offers three engine options and is available in several trim levels. The petrol variants get two different engine options. There is 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol that generates a maximum power of 115 PS and it offers a manual as well an automatic transmission. The top-end variant of the Creta comes powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which is the most powerful engine in the model’s line-up. It generates a maximum power of 140 PS and is offered only with a 7-speed DCT automatic and there is no manual available with this engine. The diesel variants get the 1.5-litre diesel that also generates a similar 115 PS and gets both manual and automatic transmission.

The Creta also offers a list of segment-first features too. It comes with a massive panoramic sunroof, electrically adjustable driver seat, massive infotainment system with BlueLink system, ventilated seats, Bose speaker system and many more such features.

Also read: Toyota RAV-4 SUV launching in India soon: Tata Harrier to be 2 times COSTLIER than Fortuner

Maruti Suzuki has number of vehicles in their line up and have been offering monthly discounts on their models post lockdown to revive the demand. Maruti sells premium cars via Nexa dealerships across the country and the manufacturer is currently offering discounts on almost all their Nexa models. Here is the list of Nexa cars that are being offered with discounts for the month of September 2020. These discounts are available in select Nexa showrooms in Delhi NCR.

Maruti Ignis

Maruti Ignis hatchback is available with a 1.2 litre petrol engine only. It recently received an update earlier this year as part of BS6 transition and looks more muscular than before. The Ignis hatchback is available with both manual and AMT gearbox options. Maruti is currently offering a cash discount of Rs 25,000 with Sigma trim, Rs 20,000 with Delta, Alpha and Rs 10,000 with Zeta trim. Apart from that, Maruti is also offering an exchange bonus worth Rs 15,000 and corporate discount of Rs 5,000 with all the variants of Ignis.

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Maruti Baleno

This premium hatchback was the first vehicle from Maruti Suzuki to go BS6. It is also available with a petrol engine and it gets manual and CVT gearbox options. The Baleno competes with cars like Hyundai Elite i20, Tata Altroz and Toyota Glanza in the segment. Maruti Suzuki is offering discount worth Rs 25,000 across all variants. This includes cash discount of Rs 10,000, exchange bonus of Rs 10,000 and corporate discount of Rs 5,000.

Maruti Ciaz

The mid-size segment consist of cars like Honda City, Hyundia Verna, Skoda Rapid, Volkswagen Vento and Maruti Ciaz. Ciaz is one of the popular sedans in the segment and is now available with a 1.5 litre petrol engine that is available with a manual and 4-speed automatic transmission option. Maruti is offering a cash discount worth Rs 10,000, exchange bonus worth Rs 20,000 and corporate discount of Rs 5,000.

Maruti XL6

Marut XL6 is a premium MPV that is based on the regular Maruti Ertiga. The design and features on the inside are different that the regular Ertiga and like other Maruti cars in the list, XL6 is also available with a 1.5 litre petrol engine only which is available with manual and automatic gearbox. NEXA is currently offering an exchange bonus worth Rs 20,000 and corporate discount worth Rs 5,000. Currently no discounts are offered on recently launched petrol version of the S-Cross premium crossover.

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Even though India has one of the largest road networks in the world, the condition of the roads is not the best. In the past, numerous accidents have been reported due to the bad condition of the roads. Now,  police officials are saying that if a fatal accident happens due to the potholes or bad road surface then no one other than the driver will be held responsible.

The Ahmedabad Police say that if the roads are not good, it is the driver’s responsibility to be a better driver. While the cops used to book people involved in fatal accidents under Section 304-A – which is causing death by negligence – the new section under which people involved in accidents will be booked will be much stricter. If a driver gets involved in a fatal accident now, the cops will now use Section 304, which is culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Under Section 304, there is a provision to life-term and the bail does not come easy. Also, jail time can be extended to ten years and a fine can be imposed as well. The 304 Section deals with the people who commit an offence or an act with intention of causing death, or of causing such bodily injuries as is likely to cause death. Whereas Section 304-A, which was used earlier had a maximum prison time of two years or a fine, or both in extreme cases.

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Ahmedabad city joint commissioner, Mayanksinh Chavda says that that the stricter rules will ensure that the motorists are more careful and follow the traffic laws. Here’s what he told TOI,

If a person drives fast despite the awareness that accidents may occur on bad roads, then he or she is liable to face more stringent charges. I had in the past applied Section 304 to a person who drove his motorcycle with two persons riding pillion. The section was also invoked to charge a person who was driving under the influence of cough syrup and caused a fatal accident.

The cops have already started booking the motorists under Section 304. Last week, an 18-year-old girl was hit by a vehicle near the Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway. The driver became the first person to be booked under the new rule.

When the journalist questioned the reason for not booking people in authority for poor maintenance of the roads, DCP, Tejas Patel said that establishing negligence by civic body contractor will spur legal issues.

There have been many such cases where the motorists have been involved in fatal accidents due to the poor road condition across India. While the motorists blame the civic agencies for the quality of the roads, cops holding the motorists responsible with stricter laws will be something different in India. It is likely to be followed in Ahmedabad, Gujarat for now before other cities adopt such a rule.

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After making pollution under control (PUC) mandatory to renew car insurance in India, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed a new rule. If the new rule comes into place, you will not be able to buy new third-party motor insurance for your vehicle. It is likely to come into effect from 1st April 2021.

That’s not all, the ministry is also planning to make FASTag mandatory for all four-wheelers in India that were sold before December 2021. Currently, all the new cars sold in India have to get mandatory FASTag from the dealership.

According to a statement released by the government,

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“Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has notified draft notification GSR 541 (E) dated 1st September 2020 to seek comments and suggestions from the stakeholders on making FASTag mandatory for old vehicles sold before 1st December 2017. The amended provision in CMVR, 1989 is proposed to be put in force w.e.f 1st Jan 2021. Further, it is proposed to make having a valid FASTag mandatory while getting a new 3rd party insurance (through an amendment in the certificate of Insurance), wherein the details of FASTag ID shall be captured. This is proposed to be put in force w.e.f. 1 April 2021.”

All the vehicles sold since 2017 in India has to get the FASTag for getting registration number. The new rules have also made the FASTag mandatory for renewal of fitness certificate for the Transport and commercial vehicles. Also, the rule says that the vehicles with National Permit Vehicles have to get the FASTag since October 2019.

It should be noted that FASTag are sold separately for every vehicle and you cannot interchange them with other cars. Also, you cannot buy a single FASTag for two different vehicles that you own.

FASTags were introduced in India as prepaid rechargeable tags for toll collection. The system makes the toll payment quicker by automatic payment deduction from the FASTag account. To increase the adoption of the FASTag, the government also had issued a notice that all the vehicles without FASTag will have to pay double the toll amount while vehicles with the tags will get a discount. It uses RFID technology and scanners installed in the toll booths reads the information in your FASTag account and deducts money accordingly. Currently, there are a few lanes reserved for vehicles all over India but in the coming times, vehicles with FASTag will be able to cross the toll plazas using any lane.

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19-year old Dakshinamoorthy is a mechanical engineering student and is currently in his third year. The inquisitive teenage loves to make new products and invent new things on his own since childhood. Dakshinamoorthy has made his most complicated product till now and it is an amphibious bike that is based on a TVS MAX100.

Dakshinamoorthy who stays near Salem, Tamil Nadu has modified the engine of the TVS MAX100 to make it run on limestone. This year, he modified the bike to make it an amphibious vehicle. The engine runs on acetylene gas which is produced after mixing limestone and water. The gas is filled in the cylinder, which makes the engine It is extremely environment-friendly and reduces operating cost too. It is a highly flammable gas, which is used in welding. We are not sure if the bike still runs on petrol if the gas runs out. It is quite complicated and the gas needs to be regulated correctly.

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Now coming to its amphibious nature. The bike has been modified and iron frames have been added on both the sides of the bike. The disposed of tubes from the truck tyres are then attached to these frames and air is filled. This makes the bike float. There is no propeller in this bike but the rear tyre works as one. With the rear tyre moving at a high speed in the water, it pushes the bike forward. To change the direction, a small rudder has fitted to the rear of the bike that is connected to the handle of the bike. So changing the directions in water is not a problem too.

Dakshinamoorthy loves to invent new things and his next project will be a helicopter powered by helium gas. However, due to the lack of funds, the progress is very slow. The student says that if a private firm or the government helps him with the funds, he can manage to make many more such inventions in the future.

This limestone-powered amphibious bike was developed majorly to cross the Cauvery river. Since his house is located on the bank of the river, he made this bike to cross the river and reach the opposite bank where his relatives stay.

The 19-year old is a third-year student of Mechanical engineering at a Polytechnic college. He has been working on inventing such new things since his childhood and has developed many futuristic gadgets too.

Also read: Beautiful Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 for sale: CHEAPER than new

After the launch of Nexon XM(S), which became the most affordable car in the Indian market with a sunroof, Tata has launched a new variant of the Harrier too. The new XT+ variant will offer a sunroof, which will allow customers to get a massive panoramic sunroof without having to spend for the top-end variant.

The new Harrier XT+ gets an ex-showroom price of Rs 16.99 lakh but this price is valid only if you make the booking in September 2020. Tata has announced that the prices will increase from 1st October 2020. The manufacturer has not announced the date of delivery of the XT+ variants but has said that the customers who book the variant now, will get the delivery before 31st December 2020.

Commenting on the introduction of this new variant, Mr Vivek Srivatsa, Head Marketing, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit (PVBU), Tata Motors said,

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“In line with our New Forever philosophy of continuously updating our product range with new products and features, we are delighted to introduce the latest variant of our flagship SUV – Harrier XT+. Since its launch, the Harrier has been loved by customers & the industry experts with its stunning design and exhilarating performance. We are confident that the introduction of the XT+ variant will further strengthen the appeal of the Tata Harrier by giving customers an option to experience a premium feature like the Panoramic Sunroof at an extremely attractive price.”

The XT+ variant comes with features like projector headlamps, dual-function LED DRL, 17-inch alloy wheels, 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, 8-speaker system, push-button start-stop button, automatic climate control system, reverse parking camera, automatic headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, and more such features. The Harrier XT+ also gets safety features including dual front airbags, ESP with 12 functions for different drive modes, fog lamps and reverse parking camera.

Earlier this year, Tata launched the BS6 compliant Harrier. With the update, Tata increased the power of the engine from 140 PS to massive 170 PS. It generates a similar torque of 350 Nm. Tata also added the 6-speed automatic transmission too.,

With the rising demand for vehicles with sunroof in India, Tata launched the new variant of the Nexon yesterday. The new XM(S) variant became the most affordable car with a sunroof in the Indian market. Tata is also working on launching the all-new Tata Gravitas, which is a three-row-seating version of the Harrier and will take on the MG Hector Plus. Tata will also launch the production version of the HBX in the Indian market in the coming months.

Also read: Kia Sonet mid-spec variant compact SUV spied

Few days ago, spyshots of a new Royal Enfield motorcycle surfaced onto the interweb. The upcoming motorcycles spied was a 650-cc cruiser that will be launched in the market soon. As of now, not much information is available regarding the motorcycle but, here we have a render image that shows how the upcoming 650-cc motorcycle from Royal Enfield could look like. The render is based on the spy pictures that have surface online.

The render image has been shared by IAB on their website and the artist has done a good job of it. The render image as mentioned above is based on the spy pictures and the artist has tried to include all the elements that were visible in the images. The design of the upcoming 650-cc cruiser motorcycle is heavily inspired by the Thunderbird/the upcoming the Meteor motorcycle. It has a round headlamp at the front and for the first time, Royal Enfield will also offer an upside down fork at the front.

It looks like a grown up Thunderbird from the images with a low slung seating position. The front and the rear get blacked out alloy wheels and the engine is also painted in black. This gives the bike an elegant look. The upcoming cruiser will be based on the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 motorcycles that were launched in the market a couple of years ago. The frame will be slightly modified to suit the cruiser style ergonomics.

Also read: Beautiful Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 for sale: CHEAPER than new

The foot pegs are all positioned in a way to provide a relaxed riding position to the rider. The instrument cluster on the bike is also expected to be a new digital unit that will support bluetooth connectivity for navigation and other alerts. The tail light is a simple round unit which is placed on the rear mudguard. Turn indicators are placed lower to that next to the number plate.

The chrome finished twin exhaust gets a new design and the whole bike gets a black treatment with yellow pin striping on it. The engine on this upcoming 650-cc cruiser is going to be the same unit that we have seen in Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 but, it is not known whether the engine will be tuned in anyway to make it more favourable for a cruiser.

Also read: Royal Enfield Thunderbird X based “Trike” comes with a reverse gear (Video)

Kia Motors India unveiled their third product Sonet SUV in the market last month. Bookings for the same have also started and the manufacturer will be officially announcing the prices and start delivery on 18 September 2020. Kia Motors India has now officially rolled out first Kia Sonet SUV from Anantapur plant, Andhra Pradesh. Kia Sonet when launched will compete with cars like Hyundai Venue, Maruti Brezza, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300 and Ford EcoSport in the segment. The manufacturer also announced that the mass production of the Sonet in India has been initiated after testing the vehicle for over 100,000 kilometers in different climatic conditions and some of the most challenging terrains in the country.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Kookhyun Shim, MD and CEO at Kia Motors India said, “Today is a momentous day for Kia Motors India, as we officially roll-out the first Kia Sonet customer car. It is a matter of great pride that we have been able to stay true to our promise of ‘The Power to Surprise’ and bring in Sonet in time, despite the unprecedent challenges the world is facing today. Kia Sonet is the symbol of promise and commitment of Kia to the Indian market and a testament to the passion and dedication of the employees at our state-of-the-art Anantapur plant who have worked relentlessly to ensure uninterrupted development of the new Sonet.”

Kia Sonet is bold looking feature loaded SUV in the sub-4 meter compact SUV segment. It gets Kia’s signature Tiger Nose grille at the front with all LED hradlamps, heartbeat shaped DRLS, LED fog lamps and a muscular bumper at the front. The Sonet gets sporty looking machine cut alloy wheels, black claddings and roof rails on the side profile. Coming to the rear, it get all LED tail lamps with a reflector bar running between the lamps. The rear bumper also looks muscular.

Also read: Kia Sonet mid-spec variant compact SUV spied

On the inside, Kia Sonet is equipped with 30+ segment best features like front ventilated seats, electric sunroof, wireless phone charging, 10.25 inch touchscreen infotainment screen, ambient lighting, Bose audio system and so on. It also gets 57 UVO Connect features including voice assist and so on.

Kia Sonet will be available with a 1.0 litre turbo petrol engine that will get iMT and DCT gearbox options, 1.2 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with manual gearbox and a 1.5 litre diesel engine with manual and 6-speed automatic transmission. Kia Sonet will be a made in India product that will also be sold in various global markets, just like its first product Kia Seltos. Kia is looking at building India as the export hub for the Sonet to cater to the demand of over 70 markets globally.

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Most of the people buy a new car which they will be driving in the city. The requirements of a car that will be used for urban use might be complicated. It has to be compact, fuel-efficient, spacious, comfortable etc. As of now the trend of SUVs is on a boom that is why they are selling so well. Having said that buying an SUV does not make sense for a car that will be driven in a city. SUVs are big, bulky, not fuel-efficient, it is difficult to drive them in narrow streets and to park them. So, there are the compact-SUVs which take elements and inspirations from bigger SUVs and bring them to us in a much smaller form factor.

The most selling compact-SUV who has been leading the segment is the Maruti Suzuki Brezza. Today we explain why we think that the Brezza is the perfect urban compact-SUV.

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Dimensions

As we all know the Brezza is a compact-SUV and it measures under 4-metres which makes it quite compact for city uses. The compact dimensions help the driver in parking the car easily in tight parking spaces and driving through narrow seats. It makes it easier to filter through dense traffic, reduces the turning circle so that you do not have to make a three-pointer turn for a u-turn which can be a bit difficult if traffic is fast-moving. So, the dimensions of the Brezza helps it to tackle the city tasks more effectively and efficiently.

Feature equipped

The Brezza comes equipped with many features that make your day to day life that much easier. It is equipped with automatic headlights so you do not have to turn them on, it comes with rain-sensing wipers that turn on as soon as it starts drizzling. There is automatic climate control so you do not have to manually adjust the temperature and the fan speed, the car does it for you automatically at a press of a button. There is keyless entry and push-button to start/stop which opens up the car without requiring you to take the keys out of your pocket and you can just sit in push the button and drive off. There is height-adjustable driver seat and tilt steering so that you can find your perfect driving position. Maruti Suzuki also offers cruise control which can come in very handy on the long highway trips as the car can maintain the speed itself. The latest generation of SmartPlay infotainment system comes with voice commands, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay so that you can connect your smartphone to the infotainment system. Moreover, there is a reversing parking camera with rear parking sensors to help you park in those tight parking spaces. These features come in very handy on your daily commutes as the car performs most of the functions for you.

Frugal engine

Earlier, the Brezza was sold solely with a diesel engine which was known for its mileage and because of the BS6 emission norms it had to be discontinued. Now, it is only available with a 1.5-litre petrol engine. It produces 103bhp of power and a peak torque output of 138Nm. the engine produces decent power output while being fuel-efficient if you drive with a light right foot. The fuel-efficiency is just an add-on to an already smooth, rev-happy and refined engine. A good fuel efficiency figure is important because you will have to take fewer fuel stops and you will be able to cover more distance. Thus, saving precious time and money.

Automatic transmission

People are slowly shifting towards automatic transmissions because of the convenience and fuel economy they offer. Maruti Suzuki also offers a 4-speed automatic torque converter unit with the Brezza. The gearbox is tuned for city use due to which it shifts smoothly whether they are upshifts or downshifts. Even being an automatic transmission its claimed mileage is more than the manual transmission. The automatic gearbox is expected to deliver 18.76 kmpl as compared to 17. 03 kmpl for the manual gearbox. More mileage and an automatic gearbox is a boon for daily commutes. You will not get tired in bumper to bumper traffic as you will not have to shift gears or modulate the clutch continuously. The bonus is a bit of fuel that you save with the automatic transmission.

Practicality

Brezza comes with decent cabin space and can comfortably seat 5 people. The compact-SUV comes with ample legroom and headroom for the occupants. It also has quite a fair amount of boot space so you can dump in your luggage. You can even split the rear seat in 60:40 to increase the boot space if you want to fit in more things. So, in daily scenarios, the Brezza can do everything as it is expected to do while keeping its occupants comfortable.

The Brezza makes a very good daily driver. It is comfortable, returns a good fuel efficiency, has a decent boot space, comes equipped with many features and is easy to drive. At a starting price of Rs. 7.34 lakhs ex-showroom, we think that the Brezza is very well priced for a car that can do everything you will need to do on a daily basis.

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The Hindustan Ambassador is an iconic car and is also the car that remained in the production for the longest time in the Indian market. The Ambassador was in production for more than three decades in India and served various government authorities in India including the Prime Ministers and the Defense personnel. The Ambassador remained a top choice for many even after the arrival of the cars like Maruti 800, which were much more affordable. However, over the years, the popularity of the Ambassador went down as it was not updated to keep up with modern times. But what if it had been updated and continued to be in production? While it will be difficult to imagine a modern avatar of Ambassador, what we have here is a perfect blend between the discontinued sedan and the best-selling sedan in the Indian market at the moment!

Presenting the Dzire-Ambassador sedan that has been made by SRK Designs. With the call for Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, a bulletproof variant of this can serve perfectly to our Indian leaders and politicians on the global stage and show India’s prowess in the sector. This rendered image of the Ambassador-Dzire with a strobe on the top looks quite funky.

Indian politicians used to put a lot of trust on the Ambassador sedans in the past. From Indira Gandhi to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Ambassador was the go-to car for the former prime ministers. While the Special Protection Group (SPG) has chosen several foreign-made bulletproof cars like BMW 7-Series Hi-Security, Land Rover Range Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser, Mercedes-Benz S-Class Pullman for the Prime Minister and President of India, a resurrected version of the Ambassador will be something that will put India on the same page as the countries like USA, China, Russia, England and a few other countries who have custom-made indigenous vehicles for their respective head of the country.

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It should be noted that this is a digitally created rendering and there are no plans for launching such a vehicle in the future. However, we may just an all-new car that may carry the Ambassador moniker in the future. PSA Group, which will launch the Citroen brand in India next year has now bought the rights to use the Ambassador moniker in future. While there are no plans to launch a car with the same name in the near future, it sure will be something grand whenever it is launched in the market. The Ambassador name is iconic and there are many who still own the discontinued sedan and many of them even have beautifully restored and modified versions of the vehicle.

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On Indian roads, it is quite a common sight to see a cop stopping a vehicle for some sort of rule violation. One section of people who are always targeted by cops are superbikers as they and their bikes don’t go unnoticed in a crowd because of the loud exhaust. There are number of incidents where cops have issued fines for various reasons. As in any other case, there are exceptions here too. Some cops just stop the bikes out of curiosity so that they can see and feel what the bike actually looks and feels like. Some have even taken the bikes for a spin too. Here we have one such video where a rider can be seen teaching a cop on how to get on an adventure tourer motorcycle.

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The video has been shard by iamautomotivecrazer on Instagram. The video shows a cop slowly walking towards the bike and asking more about it. The owner of the bike explains that it a Triumph Tiger 800 and is an adventure touring motorcycle. The owner even tells the cop that it is a triple cylinder motorcycle. The cop then comes closer to the motorcycle and starts discussing more about it. He was curious about the motorcycle and asks about how does one manage to get on it.

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The main reason why he asked that was Tiger 800 in comparison to regular motorcycle has a high seating position and getting on to ride is different from regular motorcycle. The rider shows how it is done. The bike is parked using the side stand and the rider simply stands on the foot rest and puts his right leg over the seat to the other side. This is the exact technique that everyone needs to use to get onto a massive adventure motorcycle like the Triumph Tiger or say the BMW GS 1200.

The cop then asks does this action actually affect the life of side stand. The rider then says that, this is the right way of getting on an adventure motorcycle and the side stands are sturdy to take the weight. The cop even gets on the motorcycle using the same technique. The video doesn’t show whether the cop took it for a ride or not. The cops were very cooperative and did not disturb the biker and left the place so that rider can continue shooting the motorcycle.

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Automobiles are one of the most powerful machines that are accessible to many without the need of any proper training. However, there are a few things that we sometimes do wrongly and it can hurt you as well as others. One such example is opening the door of the car. It is something that most of us do regularly and you’ll be surprised to know that most of us do it wrongly! How? Well, read on.

The first thing that we do after stopping the car is open the door. That’s an instinct and it happens so fast that we do not even realise how dangerous it can be to the others and you. Parking the vehicle on a busy street or any other road and opening the door without checking for traffic, cyclists and pedestrians can cause serious damage. Most of us do not even check if someone is coming from behind and open the door. There have been many instances when such a move has caused accidents that have resulted in deaths too.

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These kinds of instances are quite common in India and in many developed countries too where the drivers otherwise follow the traffic rules strictly and maintain the lane discipline. The video above shows footage from a dashboard camera of another car in a foreign country. The video shows a car parked and the occupant coming out of the vehicle without checking for pedestrians and other vehicles coming from behind. A cyclist can be seen entering the video and hitting the semi-opened door. The life of the cyclist could have been in danger if there was another vehicle coming from behind. Also, it should be noted that the occupant coming out of the car and the vehicle itself could have hurt badly if it was a bigger vehicle or a motorcycle.

Imagine that happening to you while walking on the road or cycling on the road. While there are a few luxury cars that offer features to warn the occupant about the vehicles or pedestrians coming from behind, most cars sold around the world do not offer any such feature. So how do you go around this problem? There is a safe way of opening the doors and it is called the Dutch Reach! Read all about it here.

The Dutch Reach

The Dutch reach was developed in the Netherlands. Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands has more cycles than the number of people living there. To protect the pedestrians and cyclists from any such mishap, the technique was developed and is taught to the school children too. It is a safer way to open the car doors.

The video explains how the Dutch Reach works and how it saves others on the roads. The technique is to use the far hand to open the door. Which means that if you want to open the door and the door is to your left, you need to use your right hand to reach the door and open it. Same goes for the door on your right. You need to use the left hand to open the door on your right. What happens is when using this technique, your body moves towards the back and you are able to see any pedestrian, cycle or vehicle is approaching your car. Practise this daily and make getting in and out of the vehicle an incident-free task!

Also read: Beautiful Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 for sale: CHEAPER than new

The Brezza has been the best selling compact-SUV since it was launched in 2016. Getting to the best selling position is tough but what is even tougher is to maintain that position. To match-up with new competitors and to comply with the BS6 norms, the manufacturer launched the facelift to the Brezza. One of the main highlights of the 2020 Brezza is it still continues to offer value for money that it offered when it was first launched. It is the value for money that made Brezza a big hit in the Indian market. So, what does Maruti Suzuki does to ensure that the Brezza continues to offer the most value for money?

Automatic transmission

Automatic transmissions are becoming more and more common. People want the convenience of driving an automatic transmission for their daily commutes. Most of the people are using their cars in cities where they face bumper to bumper traffic and the manual gearbox can become tiring after working the clutch for long periods. Here, what you need is a tried, tested and reliable automatic transmission. Maruti Suzuki also offers the Brezza with a 4-speed automatic torque converter gearbox which works smoothly. Usually, what used to happen was the automatic transmissions would return less mileage than their manual counterparts.

However, this is not the case anymore. The Brezza delivers a claimed mileage of 18.76 kmpl for the automatic transmission whereas the manual gearbox will deliver 17.03 kmpl. In manual gearbox, the mileage is hugely dependent on how well the driver is with the gear shifting, throttle inputs etc. but in the automatic transmission, the gear shifts are performed by many sensors and computers. So, theoretically, the automatic gearbox can also deliver more consistent mileage than the manual counterpart.

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Well-equipped lower variants

We have seen this many manufacturers that do not offer much equipment and features with the lower variants and the base variant is just a bare bone. Most of the important features are offered only with the top-end variant which is priced very high. However, Maruti Suzuki has taken a different approach here because they know that not everyone can afford the top-end variant. So, they have equipped the LXi and VXi variant with most of the features that you would need on a day to day basis.

Even the LXi variant which is the base variant gets projector headlamps with LED DRLs, LED taillamps, electric adjust for ORVMs, MID, illumination control, reverse parking sensor with infographic display, central locking, infotainment system, keyless entry, dust and pollen filter, front and rear power windows and tilt steering. It also gets the cosmetic upgrades such as floating roof design, rear spoiler, body-coloured door handles and ORVMs and chrome on the front grille as standard.

The VXi variant adds an upper glove box, automatic climate control, back pockets on the front seats, rear-seat headrests, engine push button to start/stop, smart entry system, steering mounted audio controls, rear defogger, Chrome on the gear lever, front footwell and glovebox illumination, fabric for the door armrest and electric foldable ORVMs. Moreover, it gets roof rails, wheel covers, LED projector headlamps with LED DRLs. That is a lot of equipment for a variant that sits above the base variant. This is the reason that the VXi variant is one of the most selling variants as it offers the most value for money.

Versatile and efficient engine

Due to the BS6 norms, the 1.3-litre diesel engine was discontinued and the Brezza was debuted with an all-new 1.5-litre petrol engine that we have seen on other Maruti cars. The engine produces 103bhp of max power and a peak torque output of 138 Nm. The engine is known for its smoothness and rev-happy nature. There are no vibrations, the clutch-feel is light and the engine does not feel stressed when you are pulling from single-digit speeds in a higher gear. Even on the highways, the engine can cruise comfortably on triple-digit highways speeds without showing any signs of strain. Then there is the fuel efficiency of this engine. If you have a light foot on the accelerator and drive in a good fashion, you can easily extract a good mileage from the engine even in a city.

Low-cost of maintenance

Maruti Suzuki is known for its low and affordable maintenance vehicles and the Brezza is no different. Maruti’s engines are very reliable and require no special maintenance. The engine just requires regular maintenance like engine oil replacement, air filter, coolant etc. All of their earlier engines have proved the reliability. And even if you breakdown, you should be able to find a service centre eventually where you can get your car towed. Thanks to the vast service network of Maruti Suzuki. Moreover, their engines are easy to work on. So, in case you cannot find a service centre, you can get your car checked up by a local mechanic.

Maruti Suzuki Brezza is a great companion if you are looking for a compact-SUV for daily commutes. It has proved itself with several happy customers since it was launched. It is one of the compact-SUVs that offers the most value for money and the sales of the Brezza are still going strong which speaks for itself.

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