Cyrus Dhabhar was born and brought up in a motorsport family and cars run deep in his blood. As a passionate founder and head of a classic car club in Mumbai and an avid part of the vintage and classic car scene in the country, Cyrus prefers his cars older and simpler. That said, he loves everything on four wheels and the occasional two-wheeler as well. Cyrus currently is the Assistant Editor - AUTO for the NDTV Group.
The boom in the SUV segment in India is quite obvious and with the Creta doing really well even at almost Rs 16 lakh, there was definitely a market for a slightly more premium SUV. And this is why the new Tucson fits perfectly well in Hyundais SUV portfolio, right slap bang in the space between the Creta and the Santa Fe.
We recently drove the Renault Kwid AMT and just like the Duster, the Kwid in the automatic avatar, badged 'Easy-R' managed to impress us. It had already got a more powerful 1.0-litre petrol engine and now the addition of the AMT, it looks like Renault is starting to grab the pulse of the Indian car market. Here are 10 things you should know about the newly launched small car.
Although there has not been much official development on that front just yet, we did get a chance to experience some of what Kia has to offer very recently. And while we explored what the Kia brand is all about, here is why we think Kia is strongly eyeing the Indian market and why a brand like Kia would actually work in India.
Six years after the original Toyota Fortuner was launched in India and became and overnight success, Toyota has launched the all-new Fortuner with more features, more engines, sharper exteriors and a new interior. Lets see how it faces up against its biggest competitors, the Ford Endeavour and the Hyundai Santa Fe in an all-out spec comparison battle!
The pricing has put the Polo GTI in the same territory as some other very capable cars so here are a few alternatives you can buy for a similar price.
The 190bhp hot hatch is one of the most affordable performance cars you can buy in India today.
Hyundai has pulled wraps off the 2017 Elantra Sport in the US with the sedan getting more power and performance few months ago. With the regular Elantra already seeing some good number, is India ready for a sporty Elantra too?
One of the first things we are taught in Physics is that energy is constant and can nether be created nor destroyed. And energy is what we need to move about from point to point, whether in the form of petrol and electric powered vehicles or your own two feet. The way you utilise energy can be the difference between how quickly and efficiently you get to a place and of course, in a world where energy needs are higher than ever and clean renewable energy is the calling of the day, there are bound to be a few good ideas.
The dealership is a joint dealership for all the FCA brands on offer in India Fiat, Abarth and Jeep.
The BMW 3GT was originally launched in India in 2014 and was well received by people who like the BMW badge but want something that has comfort and space as higher priorities as compared to outright handling prowess and power. After a minor facelift to the standard 3 Series sedan earlier this year, BMW India has now turned its attention to the 3GT and given it a mid-life facelift and has launched it at Rs.
There are always a few car models that define an automotive company. The Accord for Honda is exactly one of those and we did get three generations of the car from 2000-2013 till Honda India pulled the plug due to slow sales. But now it is back in and all new avatar and whats more important than the sharp looks is what it gets under the bonnet - a hybrid powertrain.
The Land Rover Discovery Sport here is one such SUV that was originally meant to be available only with the diesel motor but now also gets a new 2.0-litre petrol engine just in case the ugly head of the 'diesel ban' decides to pop up again.
The recall has been announced to rectify a faulty fuel hose and clip that could result in disruption in fuel supply to the engine resulting in dangerous driving situations.
What an opportunity - the chance to drive the oldest surviving Mercedes-Benz in India - and that too one that's functional! Driving a 500bhp car or doing 300 kmph down an autobahn or track is great fun but driving a part of history is always a little bit more exciting. In fact, I would trade the speed and power for a chance to drive an old car with a fascinating story behind it any given day!
SIAM has put out a draft on what it thinks should be the structure for GST for India to make life easier for both consumers and the automotive industry in general.
Five years is a long time for any car's life cycle but Honda has finally showered some much needed attention on its entry level offering - the Brio hatchback. That said, just like the Amaze before it, the updates on the Brio on the exterior front are quite negligible with most of Honda's attention focused towards making the interior a much nicer place to be. So, let us take you through what is new and what isn't.
The BMW 'i' brand launched a few years ago with the compact i3 hatchback and the mid-engined i8 supercar. With global acclaim but slow sales for both, 'i' hasn't really taken off for BMW they way they had expected it to. There was always a third more user friendly 5-door family car on the cards and now some leaked patent images confirms it.
The standard BMW 3 Series sedan underwent a slight nip/tuck earlier this year and now it is the time for the 3 Series GT to get a mid life facelift. The 3 Series GT is essentially a larger and more comfortable version of the sedan with coupe-like styling. However, it is a little more practical since there is a more leg space in the rear and the hatchback boot-lid offers more (and easier) storage solutions.
The Ford Endeavour launched early this year has been quite a successful offering for the American automobile manufacturer. Having taken the fight to the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and the Chevrolet Trailblazer, most buyers have opted for the larger 3.2-litre engine variant in the fully loaded Titanium spec.
Here is a quick list of cars that will make it to India soon or are relevant to India from in a larger scheme of things.
