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I currently own a Hyundai Creta diesel manual that’s done 1.2 lakh km in four years and I’m planning to upgrade. I drive 90km daily, and it’s a mix of city, highway and bad roads. My budget is around Rs 21 lakh-22 lakh, and I am confused. Aditya Kore, Surat Autocar India says: For your daily commute of 90km a day, it's advisable you go in for a diesel SUV again. One option is to go in for another Creta, which got a substantial facelift earlier this year. You can also take a look at the XUV700 diesel, which is a good highway cruiser and can take a beating on bad roads; the Mahindra diesel has a lot of overtaking power to make highway driving effortless. The XUV700 doesn’t have the same reputation for reliability as the Creta, but it’s a bigger and more comfortable car with good features. Also See:  Hyundai Creta facelift review: Even more wholesome now 2024 Hyundai Creta facelift video review 2024 Hyundai Creta long term review, 8,820km report 2021 Mahindra XUV700 review, t...

GOOD FOR:   Smooth turbo-CVT Good value LOOK OUT FOR:  Suspension wea, Interior rattles Ever since its launch in December 2020, the Magnite has been a very important model for Nissan in India – for a period, it was the only Nissan on sale. It combines a compact package, a good features list, and punchy performance (turbo) in a value-for-money package. And now that you can get a slightly used one for the price of a new small hatchback, it’s worth considering.| Nissan Magnite engine, gearbox details Under the hood, the Magnite comes with the choice of two 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engines. The first is a naturally aspirated unit producing 72hp and 96Nm, while the other is a turbocharged unit that makes 100hp and 160Nm. In terms of gearboxes, both come paired with a 5-speed manual as standard. The turbo-petrol additionally gets the option of a CVT, but in this configuration, the engine’s torque output drops by 8Nm (to 152Nm). An AMT auto option was also added to the ...

Almost 17 years after the BMW X6 had the audience gasping with its coupe-SUV design, mass-market manufacturers are using the look to make their SUVs stand out. The Citroën Basalt and the Tata Curvv aim to reel in buyers seeking a bit more style and presence, but of course, without compromising on the features and practicality of a midsize SUV. While the Basalt looks to play the value card with its aggressive pricing, the Curvv banks on loads of equipment and Tata’s well-spread network. Tata Curvv vs Citroen Basalt design While both are coupe-SUVs, there is a significant difference in their character when it comes to design. The Basalt is more rounded and softer around the corners, whereas the Curvv is edgier and sharper. Dimensionally, they are neck and neck, with the Basalt edging ahead in terms of length and wheelbase, while the Curvv takes the lead in height and width. On the face, both the Basalt and Curvv bear similarities to their respective siblings, the Aircross and Nexon....

Ease of use. Practicality. Comfort. Fuel efficiency. These are some of the main driving forces that drive a scooterist’s purchase. The all-new Jupiter 110 made a strong case for itself when we sampled it for the first time at TVS’ test track a few months ago. While it undoubtedly left us impressed, the pertinent question is: how does it tackle the chaotic, staccato grind of a bustling city like Mumbai? Since the Jupiter 110 now uses the same main frame as the 125, it inherits some of its bigger sibling’s inherent trump cards , like the 33-litre boot (the largest on any Indian ICE scooter) and the handy (pun intended) apron-mounted fuel filler. Apron-mounted fuel filler is very convenient, but fuel can splash back. Both of these are highly appreciable features for a scooter – something no rival can match. As for the design, this is easily the most youthful 110cc family scooter out there, and the vibrant matte blue colour helps things further. 33-litre boot is one of the biggest ...

Simple Energy, a startup focused on electric two-wheelers, announced its expansion strategy for 2025. The company plans to open 150 new stores and 200 service centres across India. The company launched commercially in May 2023 and currently operates in seven cities across five Southern states and has completed over 1,500 vehicle deliveries.   The expansion comes amid a robust growth trajectory in India's electric two-wheeler market, which saw retail sales increase by 33 percent to 1.14 million units in 2024. Simple Energy will extend its presence to 23 states, including key markets in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat, targeting metropolitan, tier 2 and 3 cities.   Suhas Rajkumar, the company's founder and CEO, emphasised that the expansion reflects customer confidence in their flagship model, the Simple One. The strategy aims to enhance accessibility to electric vehicles and create a comprehensive service infrastructure nationwide.   The company has ...

Skoda will reopen bookings of the Kylaq Classic variant from January 27, and has said that deliveries and test drives will begin next week, too. Prices for the Kylaq start at Rs 7.89 lakh and go up to Rs 14.40 lakh (ex-showroom). Kylaq Classic bookings were paused in mid-December Comes with a sole 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine Kylaq recently got a 5-star BNCAP crash test rating Skoda Kylaq Classic bookings to reopen from Monday In December, within 10 days of launch, Skoda announced that it was temporarily closing bookings of the entry-level Classic variant. At the same time, the Czech carmaker had also announced that the Kylaq had gathered 10,000 bookings and the first batch of 33,000 units will be delivered by this May. Do note, though, while bookings for the Classic reopen on Monday, deliveries will most likely be in the second batch of vehicles manufactured. The Kylaq Classic comes decently equipped with features like LED lights, six airbags, ESC and ISOFIX anchors. High...

BMW India launched the  new fourth-generation X3  at the recently concluded Auto Expo 2025. The SUV starts at an introductory price of Rs 75.80 lakh, placing it in the ballpark of German rivals like the Mercedes-Benz GLC and Audi Q5. Both of these SUVs have been in the market for a few years, so it's worth taking a look at how the new BMW X3 stacks up against them on the spec sheets. New BMW X3 vs rivals: exterior dimensions NEW BMW X3 VS RIVALS: DIMENSIONS X3 GLC Q5 Length (mm) 4755 4716 4682 Width (mm) 1920 1890 1893 Height (mm) 1660 1640 1655 Wheelbase (mm) 2865 2888 2827 Ground clearance (mm) - 201 200 Boot space (litres) 570 620 520 Tyres 245/50 R19 235/55 R19 235/55 R19 The new BMW X3 is evidently the largest SUV here, but it does have a 23mm shorter wheelbase compared to the  Mercedes-Benz GLC . Another area where the GLC takes the lead is its cavernous 620-litre boot, which offers an additional 50-lit...

The 125cc scooter segment in India has been the first choice for buyers who want a bit of performance while maintaining practicality. All three scooters compared here have a sporty edge to them and stray away from the conventional design of a 110cc scooter. We compare the latest entrant from Hero, the Xoom 125 in terms of specifications with its chief rivals. Hero Xoom 125 vs Suzuki Avenis vs TVS Ntorq 125: engine and output Engine and output Hero Xoom 125 Suzuki Avenis TVS NTorq 125 Engine 124.6cc, single cylinder, air-cooled 124.3cc, single cylinder, air-cooled 124.8, single cylinder, air-cooled Power 9.7hp at 7250rpm 8.5hp at 6750rpm 9.3hp at 7000rpm Torque 10.4Nm at 6000rpm 10Nm at 5500rpm 10.6Nm at 5500rpm The Hero Xoom 125 ’s air-cooled motor produces the most power at 9.7hp, it’s a whole 1.2hp higher than Suzuki’s Avenis . In terms of torque, the Ntorq 125 is rated to produce 10.6Nm and while this number is marginally higher than the rest...

Honda and Nissan announced merger plans in December 2024 , and the process has been progressing as per schedule. The merger will also include Mitsubishi , and both companies aim to reach a definitive agreement by June 2025. Unlike Honda, Nissan’s 35.7 percent stake is currently owned by the French brand Renault. According to Kyodo News and Bloomberg , Honda prefers to merge with a wholly owned Nissan and has asked if it could buy back Renault’s stake for around USD 3.6 billion, based on current exchange rates. Foxconn was interested in buying Renault’s stake in Nissan: sources Renault had said it would “consider all options” based on best interests Post merger, Honda and Nissan would continue to exist separately Honda-Nissan Merger: Latest update This doesn’t seem to be a personal grudge between the carmakers. The merger could potentially create one of the world’s largest automotive groups. Honda’s main concern in asking Nissan to buy back its stake from Renault is the possi...

The  Hyundai Creta Electric  marks the carmaker's first foray into the Indian mass-market EV segment. Starting at an introductory price of Rs 17.99 lakh (ex-showroom), the Creta Electric goes up against competitors like the Tata Curvv EV, MG ZS EV, and the  recently launched Mahindra BE 6 . We compared these four electric SUVs on paper to find out how well the Creta Electric fares against its rivals. Hyundai Creta Electric vs rivals: exterior dimensions HYUNDAI CRETA ELECTRIC VS RIVALS: DIMENSIONS Creta Electric Curvv EV ZS EV BE 6 Length (mm) 4340 4310 4323 4371 Width (mm) 1790 1810 1809 1907 Height (mm) 1655 1637 1649 1627 Wheelbase (mm) 2610 2560 2585 2775 Ground clearance (mm) 200 186-190 177 207 Boot space (litres) 433 500 448 455 Turning radius (metres) - 5.35 - 5.00 Wheel size 17in 17in/18in 17in 18in/19in/20in The Hyundai Creta Electric outshines the Tata Curvv EV and MG ZS EV in terms ...

For the longest time, most scooters on sale in our nation haven’t breached the 125cc displacement ballpark, save for a few expensive maxi-scooters from foreign brands. In 2021, Yamaha brought in the Aerox 155, the first higher capacity, liquid-cooled, maxi performance scooter, which proved to be a sales success. Now, Hero has followed suit with the launch of the Xoom 160 at the Auto Expo 2025. Let's see how the Hero stacks up against the Yamaha on paper. Hero Xoom 160 vs Yamaha Aerox 155: engine and output Engine & output Hero Xoom 160 Yamaha Aerox 155 Engine 156cc, Liquid cooled, single cylinder 155cc, Liquid cooled, single cylinder Power 14.4hp at 8,000rpm 14.7hp at 8,000rpm Torque 14Nm at 6,500rpm 13.9Nm at 6,500rpm Power-to-weight ratio 9.86hp/tonne 8.57hp/tonne The Hero Xoom 160 and Yamaha Aerox 155 both feature sophisticated 4-valve, liquid-cooled engines, delivering nearly identical peak power figures at the exact same rpm. Hero...

Royal Enfield has kicked off 2025 with its first launch, the Scram 440. The Scram 440 is available in two variants - Trail (Rs 2.08 lakh) and Force (Rs 2.15 lakh). The former runs on wire-spoked wheels and the latter on alloys, permitting tubeless tyres.  Scram 440’s motor makes 25.4hp, 34Nm, gets a 6-speed gearbox Switchable ABS, LED headlight standard on both variants Prices have risen by Rs 2,000 - Rs 3,000 Powering the Scram 440 is an air/oil-cooled, 443cc, single-cylinder motor making 25.4hp and 34Nm of torque. This larger mill is derived from the 411cc motor by enlarging its bore by 3mm. Royal Enfield has also given the Scram 440 a 6-speed gearbox, adding an extra cog to the 411’s 5-speed unit. The company says it has worked on reducing the NVH levels by refinements to the SOHC valvetrain.  RE has also strengthened the Scram 440’s chassis and now you can mount a top box on the back, with a total payload of 10kg. The 440 also comes standard with switchable ABS an...

If the passenger vehicle industry in India hit its best-ever annual wholesales of 42.7 lakh units in the calendar year 2024, up 4 percent YoY (CY2023: 41 lakh units), then it is thanks to the unabating demand for utility vehicles (UVs), which comprise SUVs and MPVs. The UV sub-segment continues to be the shining star and helped buffer the sizeable 14 percent decline in sales of hatchbacks and sedans. With despatches of 27,49,932 units last year, the UV segment not only achieved handsome 17 percent YoY growth (CY2023: 23,53,605 units), but also increased its share of overall PV sales to 64 percent from 57 percent in CY2023. The UV arena is a tough one, what with 32 SUV and MPV manufacturers, 128-odd individual models and over 1,000 variants. Buyers are really spoilt for choice which makes the performance of these best-selling models important in the overall scheme of things. Let’s take a close look at the movers and shakers and their performance.   1. Tata Punch is the hig...