VR Tech Times

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has been one of the standout EVs of recent years, so much so that we crowned it our 2024 Car of the Year. Back then, besides being one of the most impressive electric cars on sale, it was also among the most affordable in its segment. And when compared with rivals like the BYD Sealion 7 and BMW iX1, the Ioniq 5 came out on top thanks to its comfort, practicality and value. Fast forward to 2026, and the landscape has changed. Hyundai has updated the Ioniq 5, and the biggest talking point is its larger 84kWh battery. But in the process, this value-focused EV has become one of the most expensive options available. Tesla, meanwhile, has dropped prices. The Model Y now starts at just under Rs 51 lakh, undercutting the Ioniq 5 and transforming itself from one of the pricier alternatives into the more affordable option. With the pricing hierarchy flipped, this comparison has become more interesting than ever. Tesla Model Y vs Hyundai Ioniq 5: Exterior design   The Te...

Among all Bajaj-made Triumph 400s, the Tracker and Thruxton are the two motorcycles with the engine in its higher state of tune, which produces 40hp at 8,750rpm and 32Nm of peak torque at 7,500rpm. We were recently able to subject it to our instrumented performance tests, and here’s how it fared. 350cc Triumph Tracker 400: Acceleration The Tracker was tested in dry conditions Acceleration Time (seconds) 0-60kph 3.05s 0-80kph 4.86s 0-100kph 7.55s The engine’s power delivery is linear now compared to the previous 398cc mill, which had a rather strong low- and mid-range. The meat of the power comes in after 6,000rpm and pulls cleanly till the redline. The bike feels tractable enough to cruise at lower speeds in higher gears, making it fun and easy to ride in the city. A comfortable cruise with the engine in its sweet spot in 6th gear comes in around 90-100kph. 350cc Triumph Tracker 400: Roll-on acceleration The engine produces 40hp at 8,750rpm and 32Nm of peak torque at 7,500rpm Roll-o...

When most Indians picture a Yamaha RD350 , a bike that looks like a UJM (Universal Japanese Motorcycle) with an air-cooled, twin-cylinder motor comes to mind. This was the bike on sale in India in the ‘80s via the Escorts licensing agreement, and it cemented Yamaha’s reputation as a maker of seriously fast motorcycles. However, during the same era, in global markets, there was a completely different bike being sold bearing the RD350 nameplate, crucially with an LC suffix (informally) attached to it. This version was never officially sold in India and packed a more powerful liquid-cooled motor, a sportier chassis and very different styling. What you see here is that very bike and, as you’ll read, this is quite a different animal to the air-cooled RD.   Genesis At the end of the air-cooled RD’s lifecycle, Yamaha must have realised that while it was undoubtedly violently quick, it was also like wielding a double-edged sword – the rider could get hurt when putting its power down. Tam...

Our long-term Alcazar has done all sorts of jobs since it joined the fleet. City runs, airport pickups, the odd weekend getaway. But nothing quite like what it was asked to do recently. It had to play support car for our camera crew shooting a feature on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, and that meant a 2,700km round trip between Mumbai and Delhi with barely a day’s rest in between. I wasn’t driving the entire way myself, and the Alcazar was only handed over to me in Delhi by one of our drivers. His enthusiasm to ask me if we needed him to drive it back to Mumbai was a testament of how impressed he really was with the Alcazar. Folded third row frees up a lot of space for luggage. The brief was simple. The Alcazar had to carry three crew members and all their camera gear along with all our luggage. This is exactly the kind of job our Alcazar has proven good at before, and it didn’t disappoint this time either. With the third row folded flat, the boot swallowed almost everything. The capta...