All posts by Prafful Singh

The next-generation BMW M5 is still under development, as the latest spy shots from a couple of days ago still show a heavily camouflaged sedan doing the rounds at the Nurburgring.

However, that hasn’t stopped internet-famous car designer X-Tomi from imagining what the next iteration of BMW’s performance sedan could look like, taking inspiration from the images we published as the work week drew to a close.

With styling cues borrowed from the X5 M and X6 M, X-Tomi’s rendering shows a bright red M5 sitting on signature black M wheels and wearing an X-shaped front end that incorporates a black grille with a red outline.

The hood looks very similar to that used on the M4 coupe and the sensor for the radar-guided cruise control sits in the lower part of the front bumper, which is a much better placement than BMW used on the regular 5 Series, where there was an attempt to integrate it in the double-kidney grille, but it’s hard not to notice it once you get a glimpse of it.

The front fenders are also wider than on the run-of-the-mill 5 Series, which is to be expected, considering the M5 will most certainly have wider wheels, as well as beefier brakes.

With this being a fan rendering, some unknowns remain, such as the powertrain that will motivate the seventh-generation BMW M5. Currently, the Bavarian performance sedan is powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that makes 617 horsepower and 553 pound-feet (750 Newton-meters) of torque in Competition trim.

Rumors say that the next-generation M5 will use the hybrid setup of the XM SUV, so a twin-turbo V8 and a single electric motor that make a combined 644 hp and 590 lb-ft in the base variant and 738 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque in the XM Red Label.

This information hasn’t been confirmed, but we’re pretty sure that BMW will try to one-up the current-gen M5, as well as the electric i5 M60 which packs a dual-motor setup making 590 hp and 549 lb-ft.

As always, we’d like to know what you think about this, so head over to the comments section below to give us your thoughts.

Motorsport

Ford Maverick Owner Not Happy With Ground Clearance After A Year Of Driving

June 12, 2023 Prafful Singh

The Maverick, Ford’s entry-level pickup, debuted in 2021 and since then has been sold in over 120,000 units in the United States alone. Presumably, some buyers got a Maverick as their first-ever pickup, but others chose Ford’s unibody truck because it promises decent fuel economy and lower maintenance costs compared to the bigger pickups out there.

However, as the video embedded at the top of this page shows, it’s not a perfect vehicle, especially if you like to wander off the beaten track frequently.

YouTuber Overland Florida explains in the 5-minute long production that the biggest gripe he has with his 2022 Ford Maverick Lariat FX4 is the low ground clearance and low-hanging front bumper, which isn’t ideal when going off-road.

He says that because it’s an FX4-equipped pickup, it should have a higher ground clearance from the factory, seeing how the optional package comes with goodies like all-terrain tires, exposed front tow hooks, hill descent control, and skid plates as standard.

Ford released the Tremor pack for the 2023 model year, which comes with a lot more off-road-oriented features, like an electronic lockable rear differential, skid plates, and – more to the point of this article – different front and rear shocks that increase the ride height by one inch (25 millimeters), compared to the base variant Maverick.

Unfortunately, cooler and more feature-rich variants usually come later in the life of a new vehicle – an issue early adopters have to live with.

Featured

Maruti Jimny Variant Analysis: Is The Top-spec Alpha Variant Worth The Price Tag?

June 11, 2023 Prafful Singh

It’s the only option for a fully equipped Maruti off-roader with more comforts and a bigger 9-inch touchscreen system

The Maruti Jimny Alpha is loaded with features such as a 9-inch touchscreen, cruise control, auto-LED headlights, and auto climate control. However, if you wish to have these and more in your Maruti off-roader, it’s the range-topping Alpha variant that you need to pick. Let’s see if it’s worth the premium of around a lakh rupees over the Zeta:

Variant	1.5-litre Petrol
Variant	MT	AT
Alpha	Rs 13.69 lakh	Rs 14.89 lakh

Why Consider The Jimny Alpha?

If you are looking for a fully equipped version of the Maruti Jimny, the Alpha is your pick of the two. The carmaker has provided it with a plethora of premium comforts such as its latest 9-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, auto climate control, cruise control, and push-button start/stop. That said, there’s no new addition to the safety net over the entry-level Zeta variant, which already gets six airbags, electronic stability programme (ESP), and ISOFIX child seat anchorages.

This variant also looks worth the price tag with the auto-LED headlights, body coloured door handles and alloy wheels.

Let’s see what it has to offer:

	Exterior	Interior	Comfort and Convenience	Infotainment	Safety
Highlight features	15-inch alloy wheels Auto-LED headlights Headlight washer		Cruise control Auto AC Push-button start/stop
Other features

What Could Have Been Better About The Jimny Alpha?

Although the Jimny packs a lot of modern tech compared to some of its prime rivals, it still feels lacking in terms of a few convenience features for its price. These include a 360-degree camera (an important friend indeed on off-road trips), and some more practical bits inside the cabin like bottle holders and storage spaces, all of which we feel could have been provided on the top-spec Alpha variant. While this generation of the Jimny is only built as a hard top model, fans of the Gypsy and Mahindra Thar will miss the option of a soft-top convertible.

Variant	Verdict
Zeta	Covers all the essentials with potential for accessories. Our suggestion is to go for the Alpha given the small price jump.
Alpha	It’s our pick of the two for the feel-good features that it gets over the Zeta for a justified premium.

All prices, ex-showroom pan-India

Maruti Jimny Variant Analysis: Should You Pick The Entry-level Variant?

June 11, 2023 Prafful Singh

With the Jimny Zeta variant packing in all the top-level safety features and 4WD too, does it make sense to pick it over the range-topping Alpha?

We now have the Maruti Suzuki Jimny on sale in India, and it is offered in two broad variants: Zeta and Alpha. It is a petrol-only offering and has a 4-wheel drivetrain (4WD) as standard. As the most affordable 4×4 in the country, the entry-level Zeta variant covering all the basics, does it make sense to put your money on it? Time to find out:

Variant	1.5-litre Petrol
Variant	MT	AT
Zeta	Rs 12.74 lakh	Rs 13.94 lakh
Alpha	Rs 13.69 lakh	Rs 14.89 lakh
Difference	+Rs 95,000

Why Consider The Jimny Zeta?

Even though it’s the entry-level variant, the Zeta packs almost all the basic equipment you would need at this price point. This includes a touchscreen system (7-inches) with wireless smartphone connectivity, a 4-speaker music system, all power windows, electrically adjustable ORVMs, and manual AC. Maruti hasn’t compromised on the safety front as the Zeta comes with six airbags, electronic stability programme (ESP), reversing camera and ISOFIX child seat anchorages. You even get the option of the automatic transmission from the entry-level variant.

This is also a good starting point for anyone looking to accessorise their Jimny with specialist off-road goodies later on.

Here’s what it offers:

	Exterior	Interior	Comfort and Convenience	Infotainment	Safety
Highlight features	15-inch steel wheels Halogen headlights
Other features				4-speaker music system
Upgrade to Alpha if you want			Push-button start/stop Cruise control Auto AC Power-folding ORVMs

Why Skip The Jimny Zeta?

Although the Zeta provides all the essentials, including the full suite of safety features, it does miss out on some feel-good equipment like auto AC and LED headlamps. With the range-topping Alpha variant coming in for just around a lakh rupees more, it makes sense to skip the Zeta for the former to have a bigger touchscreen and more creature comforts.

Variant	Verdict
Zeta	Covers all the essentials with potential for accessories. Our suggestion is to go for the Alpha given the small price jump.
Alpha	It’s our pick of the two for the feel-good features that it gets over the Zeta for a justified premium.

All prices, ex-showroom pan-India

Maruti Jimny Variants Explained: Which Variant Should You Buy?

June 11, 2023 Prafful Singh

The Maruti Jimny is sold in two broad variants: Zeta and Alpha, with 4WD as standard

After making us wait for what seemed like an eternity, the Maruti Jimny has finally landed in our market. The off-roader is available in a new 5-door iteration, still with a petrol heart, in India. With the Jimny being offered in just two broad variants, it shouldn’t be too tough to pick the most suitable one, but we’re here to make that choice even simpler. First, let’s get through the basics:

Engine	1.5-litre Petrol
Power	105PS
Torque	134Nm
Transmission	5-speed MT, 4-speed AT
Claimed Fuel Efficiency	16.94kmpl (MT), 16.39kmpl (AT)
Drivetrain	4WD
Ground Clearance	210mm

Maruti offers the 5-door Jimny in the following exterior shades:

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Here’s the variant-wise pricing of the new Jimny:

Variant	1.5-litre Petrol
Variant	MT	AT
Zeta	Rs 12.74 lakh	Rs 13.94 lakh
Alpha	Rs 13.69 lakh	Rs 14.89 lakh

The dual-tone option is only available with the range-topping Alpha trim, which commands a premium of Rs 16,000.

Here’s our brief analysis and verdict of every variant. For a detailed insight, just click on the desired variant’s name.

Variant	Verdict
Zeta	Covers all the essentials with potential for accessories. Our suggestion is to go for the Alpha given the small price jump.
Alpha	It’s our pick of the two for the feel-good features that it gets over the Zeta for a justified premium.

All prices, ex-showroom pan-India

We Took The Toyota Hilux On An Off-road Expedition!

June 11, 2023 Prafful Singh

The premium pickup is quite a desirable lifestyle offering, we find out how it handles itself on both tarmac and dirt

The Toyota Hilux legacy began around 55 years ago and the iconic pickup truck only graced our shores in early 2022. It arrived with a hefty price tag well over Rs 30 lakh even with localised assembly as a CKD kit, putting it beyond the reach of many. As such, the Hilux has become a highly desirable lifestyle vehicle. So when Toyota invited us to join them on their first-ever Great 4x4Xpedition for a short road trip, we were thrilled to get the keys to the Hilux for all of it.

What is the 4x4Xpedition?

Given its popular range of premium off-road vehicles, Toyota has kickstarted an event that would allow its customers to experience their cars to the fullest. Hence, the creation of this new experiential event, the “Great 4x4Xpedition”.

As of now, this event is not exclusive to Toyota customers and open to all who wish to participate with their 4×4 cars. In this first iteration itself, the convoy of 30-odd cars included a few Mahindras too (Thar and Scorpio N). There was even a kitted-out Isuzu D-Max V-Cross.

There were over ten Toyota Hilux pickups in our convoy, showing its popularity despite the pricing. They were all the top-spec variants which cost almost Rs 40 lakh on-road. Many joined us in their Fortuners while Toyota even brought along a company-owned Land Cruiser LC300.

What was the plan?

The route for this event would take us around 200 kilometres away from Bengaluru and into the hills. There, the Japanese carmaker had organised an off-road course that would showcase the full potential of the Hilux’s rugged capabilities.

This expedition gave us a chance to experience the Toyota Hilux pickup in a variety of driving conditions, similar to how most of its owners would use it, and more.

On the highways

The pickup is offered with a 2.8-litre diesel engine and the one we were piloting was the 6-speed manual transmission. In this variant, the diesel plant has plenty of grunt on offer, at 204PS and 480Nm. Although a manual, the torquey delivery of the powertrain made for a smooth and relaxed cruise for the 150+ kilometres of highway driving.

The pickup does offer cruise control, but there was rarely a chance to implement it given Indian driving conditions. It even gets an iMT function, but we chose to drive the Hilux as a proper three-pedal manual offering.

Thanks to its height, the Hilux has a very commanding driver’s position with a great view of the road ahead. The rear leaf springs do make the ride a bit stiff, especially for the rear passenger.

In terms of convenience, the Hilux is a fairly premium and well-equipped offering. Its 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system was easy to use but it really should offer wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well. As the top-spec High variant, it offered the comforts of dual-zone climate control, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and leather seat upholstery.

In the hills

The Hilux is big, and that size is even more noticeable when you take it into the narrow hilly roads. It is surprisingly dynamic through the corners despite its long body with the spacious truck bed behind the cab. Once again, the torquey nature of that large diesel engine is plenty sufficient for overtaking even on an incline. Even when the tarmac runs out, the Hilux just keeps going undeterred.

Taking a few wrong turns meant getting familiar with the Hilux’s turning radius in those narrow spaces. Thanks to its high ground clearance, small ditches do not limit you from making room to do a full U-turn in an otherwise cramped spot.

Through the trenches

The Toyota Hilux gets 4WD as standard with on-the-fly switching. We got into the automatic variant for the off-roading course, to make life a little easier. The course was dug up specifically to be completed by the participating vehicles.

The first thing to do was to turn the drive control dial from 2H to 4-low to engage the low-range gearbox. It started off easy with a positive-side incline (the car is tilting towards the passenger side), followed by driving in and out of a deep ditch, and then a negative-side incline (the opposite of the first one). These are relatively mild off-roading obstacles that show off the car’s ground clearance, its approach, break-over and departure angles, and its overall stability.

Next was the articulation test which shows off the Hilux’s body rigidity. For this test, we had to engage the electronic rear differential lock. This ensures that there is no loss in power delivery when the system detects a lack of grip on any of the four wheels. With a little guidance from the experts regarding steering input to keep us from getting stuck, the Hilux makes easy work of this test. You can even stop in the middle and balance the pickup with only one tire of each axle on level ground.

Going up!

We kept the differential lock on for the next challenge as well – the hill climb. The gradient of the incline was approximated at 45 degrees with only a dirt path, but it’s not a problem for the Hilux whatsoever. Just pick your line of ascent and keep your foot down in 4-Low till you reach the top of the hill.

What goes up…

The last challenge required the least driver input – the hill descent. The rear differential lock was disengaged and we switched on the Downhill Assist Control (or DAC as the button’s label).

Simply feather the throttle till the ground falls below your eye line and feel the car tilt over the drop, and then take both feet off the pedals. The DAC electronically applies the brakes to make sure you descend the hill in a slow and controlled manner. You can just focus on steering it in the right direction. In the case of a long descent, while driving an automatic, it is advised to switch to manual gear selection and lock it in first gear to retain maximum vehicle control.

Through every obstacle, the Hilux gave plenty of confidence with the heavy steering and the 4WD system. It was so easy, that even my colleague who’d never done any kind of off-roading course was able to complete the course in the pickup without any hassle.

Final thoughts on the Toyota Hilux

We spent three days with the iconic Toyota pickup, covering close to 500km in total. In every scenario, from the driver’s seat, the Hilux was hard to fault. The thrust of that massive diesel engine is somewhat addictive, it feels stable at highway speeds and is relatively nimble when you need it to be. Its off-roading prowess comes as no surprise, but the actual usability across scenarios was impressive.

If there’s one thing that makes the Hilux a bit difficult to live with as a city dweller, it’s the size. Yes, it does have front and rear parking sensors that are quite helpful in tight spots and while parking, but it’s always a bit stressful through crowded city streets if you are not used to the size.

The Toyota Hilux is not a substitute replacement for conventional full-size SUVs. It’s an adventurous choice and one that many of us would like to be able to make.

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Hyundai Verna vs Honda City vs Volkswagen Virtus vs Skoda Slavia: Space & Practicality Comparison

June 11, 2023 Prafful Singh

All four models have some benefits of their own, but let’s find out which one offers the better combination of space, practicality and comfort to its passengers

Hyundai launched the sixth-generation Verna earlier this year and with the launch of the new Verna, we thought we should compare it to all its key rivals: the Honda City, Volkswagen Virtus and Skoda Slavia.

While ZigWheels, our partner website, has done a ride and handling comparison of these four sedans, we have taken the approach of comparing the space, comfort and practicality that each of these models offer. To know which one gets the heart racing the most, check out the story on ZigWheels.

Looks

When it comes to looks and road presence, all models have a defining style of their own. The Virtus brings a sporty look to the segment with its sleek and timeless design. The sleek headlights and the thin grille complimented by the muscular rear give the Virtus an eye-catching road presence.

The Slavia, though a platform twin to the Virtus, has a completely different appeal. With the signature Skoda grille and bonnet design, the Slavia has a more upright and rugged road presence than the others.

The Verna’s design language is an acquired taste, due to the new fascia, especially the spanning LED DRLs, which might be something you don’t agree with but it will surely grow on you. That said, the sleek cuts on its side and the rear profile look great and the Hyundai sedan gets an overall sporty road presence like the Virtus.

Lastly, the Honda City with its slightly tweaked design comes with a much simpler overall look. It’s not too sporty nor too elegant but sits somewhere in between, and manages to show a more premium overall road presence.

Dimension-wise, the Hyundai Verna is not the biggest in the segment but it is the widest, has the longest wheelbase and is bigger in all dimensions than its previous generation. Overall, though, the Honda City is the longest of all and Virtus and Slavia hold the mantle for height.

Interiors

Hyundai Verna: The new-gen Verna offers a low height for the driver seat, for a sporty driving position. These seats are long, comfortable but a bit narrow which will be felt by drivers with a larger frame. And to top it all off, the Verna is the only one in this segment which offers a power-adjustable driver seat (slide and recline), which adds to its convenience.

The cabin gives a sporty feel with average quality plastics and a minimalistic design. But even with the low driving position, you will get good visibility while driving.

Honda City: The City offers a higher driving position than the Verna, and it is easier to find your perfect driving position due to a longer range for adjustment. The seats here are the most comfortable, softest and the widest of all four, but are not as supportive as the Verna.

When it comes to the feel of the cabin, the City sets a benchmark. It offers premium quality plastics, high quality materials, an airy cabin and an overall elegant feel. And since the seats are positioned a little higher than the Verna, it also offers better visibility.

Volkswagen Virtus: While the Virtus has a sporty cabin feel, it is not as sporty as the Verna. You get a low driving position similar to the Verna and it’s easy to find your preferred driving position. With the Virtus, you get firm cushioning for the front seats which is better for long drives, these seats are the most comfortable of all but are a little narrow.

The cabin feels simple and driver-focused but the quality of plastics and materials used in the Virtus are not as good as on the Verna or City. And due to the higher position of the dashboard and the low position of the seating, the visibility is not as good as the Verna or the City either.

Skoda Slavia: The Slavia gets the same seat position and comfort as the Virtus and the visibility is similar to the Volkswagen sedan as well. Here, unlike the Virtus, you get a more sophisticated cabin with light upholstery which makes it a little more airy.

But while the quality of materials is the same as the Virtus, some elements like the rattling bronze element on the dashboard and on the AC vents make the Slavia feel a little behind compared to the rest of the models in this comparison.

Features

Common Features: All four compact sedans are equipped with features like tilt and telescopic steering adjustment, leatherette upholstery, digital driver’s display, sunroof, automatic climate control and a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. These features go on to prove that compact sedans are not just spacious cars as they used to be, but they are now also well-equipped with features and even give strong competition to the compact SUV segment.

Hyundai Verna: In a segment first, you get switchable controls for the climate control and infotainment which are easy and intuitive to use. Also, they remove a clutter of buttons to make the layout look simpler, but we still prefer having separate controls for audio — which are now a dying breed.

Other features include other segment firsts like powered driver seat, hinglish voice commands, heated and ventilated seats and ambient lighting for both the dashboard and doors. But the Hyundai sedan gets some silly misses as well. It gets powered driver seats but height adjustment is still manual, the top-spec variants with the bigger 10.25-inch display do not get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (which is there on the lower variants), and there are not many customisation options for the digital driver’s display.

With all of these features, the Verna has the most balanced feature ist in the segment.

Honda City: The Honda City gets a lot of features from the base variant like an 8-inch touchscreen information display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, steering-mounted controls, steering adjustment, automatic climate control, driver seat height adjustment and a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS). These features might not be on par with the other models but are enough to give the Honda City a premium cabin feel.

Honda also offers ADAS features from the second-to-base variants, it gets a partially digital driver’s display with a good execution and all windows get one touch up and down function for ease of use. The City misses out on USB ports for the rear seat passengers and instead, you get two 12V charging ports which is something that takes you back a couple of years, it does not get ventilated seats and the placement of the wireless phone charger is not well thought out in the non-hybrid variants, so you can either use the wireless charger or the cupholders, not both at the same time.

The Honda City, while not as well equipped as the other models in the segment, takes a step ahead of its competitors in terms of safety.

Skoda Slavia/ Volkswagen Virtus: Both these sedans get a similar feature list. They come with a big digital driver’s display with loads of customisation options that allow you to see a lot of information in one place. They both have seat height adjustment for both the driver and front passenger and 60:40 folding rear seats which are not offered on the other models in the segment. Also, there is a good spring action for their boot for ease of use and this boot opens up automatically if you accidentally leave the keys inside while placing luggage.

While all these features are very good, there are some that are not: the video quality on the rear parking camera is subpar on both that should have been better for the price of the car, and with a powerful 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, rear disc brakes could have been a nice addition.

Both the Vitrus and Slavia get a good set of features. While there are some that could have been implemented in a better way, the overall feature-rich cabin makes up for the misses. Even in terms of safety, both models do not offer ADAS features, but their 5-star Global NCAP ratings make them the safety offerings in the segment.

Rear Seats

Moving on from the front seats, let’s see what these sedans offer for the rear seats passengers and find out which one offers the most space for three passengers in the back.

Hyundai Verna: The Verna has the most comfortable rear seat in the segment. The backrest is at a good angle but you don’t get a head rest for the middle passenger. In the Verna, you get good headroom, kneeroom, footroom and underthigh support for three passengers, and adults up to six feet tall will sit easily.

Honda City: The City’s rear seats are less comfortable than the Verna. Here, you get flat seats, which are good as you can stretch, but you end up sitting more upright which is less comfortable for long journeys. The City offers good space for three passengers, while there is less headroom, knee room and underthigh support than the Verna. But it does offer good footroom and shoulder room, so you don’t feel cramped.

Volkswagen Virtus/ Skoda Slavia: Here you get supportive seats that are at an upright angle. The Virtus offers a headrest of the middle passenger but the rear seats and the headrests protrude outwards a little. For three passengers, it offers good knee room, foot room and good underthigh support, but its headroom and shoulder room is less than that of the Verna.

Boot Space

When talking about space, how can we not mention boot space? All these sedans come with enough boot space to carry your luggage for a long trip. But the question is, which one is most practical.

Boot Space
Hyundai Verna	Volkswagen Virtus/ Skoda Slavia	Honda City
528 litres	521 litres	506 litres

On paper, the Verna has the biggest boot space of all. But when it comes to stuffing your luggage, you’ll notice the subwoofer on the roof of the boot does not allow you to stack two hard bags. But since it is a lot deeper than the others, there is still a lot of space left in front even after stuffing five bags.

The Virtus and Slavia have the same boot space which is not much smaller than that of the Verna. But their roof is free of any obstruction so it becomes easier to place your luggage.

Lastly we have the City, which on paper has the least boot space here, but it is still enough to keep five bags easily and there is still some space left in the front and sides.

Practicality

All these models offer similar cabin storage in terms of practicality. You get bottle holders on all doors and cupholders in the centre console. There are centre armrests in all which make the drive comfortable. There is space under the front armrest and glove compartments are spacier enough for documents and other knick-knacks.

But there are some features unique to each model. While the City does not get USB charging ports in the back, the pockets behind the front seats have small dedicated places for your phone and documents. The Slavia also has a dedicated pocket to keep your phone, and the Verna has a popout cup holder in the centre console.

Price and Verdict

Price
Hyundai Verna	Honda City	Volkswagen Virtus	Skoda Slavia
Rs 10.90 lakh to Rs 17.38 lakh	Rs 11.49 lakh to Rs 15.97 lakh	Rs 11.48 lakh to Rs 18.57 lakh	Rs 11.39 lakh to Rs 18.68 lakh

* All prices ex-showroom Delhi

As you can see from the table, the Verna is the most affordable. But these prices are introductory and will be increased in the coming months. However, for these prices, you are getting the most comfortable cabin and a good overall driving experience. The Honda City offers a much simpler experience but gets an airy cabin and the best quality materials, making it the safer choice and the Virtus-Slavia duo give you a choice of either a sporty (Virtus) or an butch (Slavia) experience.

Also Read: Hyundai Verna Turbo-petrol DCT Fuel Efficiency: Real vs Claimed

So which one is the best? Well that’s not for us to decide. Based on this space and practicality comparison, let us know which one you would prefer and why, in the comments below.

Read More on : Hyundai Verna on road price

Featured

Car News That Mattered This Week (June 5-9): New Launches And Unveils, Spy Shots And More

June 11, 2023 Prafful Singh

Aside from new launches and unveils, we saw a spy shot debut of a new Mahindra electric SUV

The past week witnessed some of the most awaited announcements and unveilings from Maruti and Honda. Volkswagen also launched its new colour editions, while Maruti announced the unveiling date of its new flagship product in India. In the same week, we saw a few interesting spy shots of upcoming cars from Hyundai and Mahindra.

Let’s have a look at all important highlights of week:

Honda Elevate Unveiled

Honda has finally unveiled its all-new offering in India in the form of a compact SUV, called the Elevate. It’s the first brand new Honda product for India after 2017. We have also detailed its exterior and interior, and compared its dimensions to those of its rivals. On the sidelines of the unveiling, Honda also confirmed that the SUV will directly have an EV variant by 2026 while skipping on the hybrid powertrain altogether.

Maruti Jimny Prices Out

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Maruti finally launched the Jimny in India, with its deliveries having begun as well. The Jimny is a 5-door off road SUV which has a seating capacity of four people. We have also compared its prices with those of its prime rival.

Volkswagen Virtus And Taigun Get New Variants And Colours

The German marque has revealed the prices of new colour and limited editions of the Taigun and Virtus. Talking about the Virtus, it also gets one more transmission choice with its 1.5-litre variant.

Maruti’s Premium MPV’s Unveiling Date Out

Maruti has confirmed the unveiling date of its new premium MPV in India, which will be based on the Toyota Innova Hycross. It will most likely feature the same powertrains as the Toyota’s MPV.

Honda Talks About Its Future India Plans

Honda has laid out its future Indian plans by announcing the arrival of five new SUVs by 2030. We already know two of the five SUVs, making us wonder what the remaining three could be.

Spy Shots Of The Week

This week we saw new spy shots of the facelifted Hyundai i20, which was spied for the first time in India. Another spied model was the Mahindra BE.05, which was caught on camera for the first time showing interesting design details.

Premium Launches This Week

Apple Unveiled New Updates For CarPlay

Previewing the new iOS 17 at WWDC 2023 event, Apple showcased new features for CarPlay and Maps application, which are focussed on improving your drive experience.

Featured

Here’s The Maruti Tour H1 – Carmaker’s Smallest Taxi

June 11, 2023 Prafful Singh

The Maruti Alto Tour H1 can be had in petrol as well as CNG variants

The Maruti Tour H1 has been launched in India at Rs 4.81 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). It’s basically the commercial or taxi version of the Maruti Alto K10. Here are variant-wise prices:

Variant	Price
Tour H1	Rs 4.81 lakh
Tour H1 CNG	Rs 5.71 lakh

Powering the Tour H1 is the same 1-litre petrol engine but only with a 5-speed manual transmission. It claims 24.6kmpl on petrol and 34.46 km/kg while running on CNG. The Tour H1 features dual front airbags, an engine immobiliser, ABS with EBD, and reverse parking sensors.

Here’s the press release for your preference:

Maruti Suzuki launches the All-New Tour H1 – India’s favourite entry-level commercial hatchback

New Delhi, 09 June, 2023: Maruti Suzuki India Limited has introduced the All-New Tour H1 – India’s most fuel-efficient entry-level commercial hatchback. With the latest generation of Alto K10, the All-New Tour H1 offers fresh new exteriors, spacious interiors, enhanced comfort, convenience and safety features.

It comes equipped with a more powerful and efficient Next-Gen K-series 1.0L Dual Jet, Dual VVT engine offering impressive performance and enhanced fuel efficiency.

Introducing the All-New Tour H1, Mr Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, “The all-new Tour H1 carries on the legacy and trust built by the Alto K10 for the commercial segment. It comes equipped with the trusted Next-Gen K 10C engine, impressive interiors and exteriors along with a host of comfort, convenience, and safety features. Offering excellent fuel efficiency, the Tour H1 is set to deliver immense joy in the lives of our commercial channel customers.”

Powered by the Next-Gen K-series 1.0L Dual Jet, Dual VVT engine, the All-New Tour H1 produces 49kW@5500rpm (66.6Ps@5500rpm) of maximum power in Petrol variant and 41.7kW@5300rpm (56.6Ps@5300rpm) in the CNG variant. Torque output is rated at 89Nm@3500rpm in Petrol mode and 82.1Nm@3400rpm in CNG mode. Available in both Petrol and factory-fitted S-CNG options, it offers an incredible fuel-efficiency rating of 24.60 km/l* for the petrol-fuelled Tour H1, and 34.46 km/kg* for the S-CNG variant.

(Alto K10 Image For Reference)

The All-New Tour H1 offers safety^ features such as dual airbags, front seat belts with pre-tensioner and force limiter, seat belt reminders for both front and rear passengers, engine immobiliser, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), speed limiting system, reverse parking sensors, etc.

The all-new Tour H1 will be offered in three colour choices, namely, Metallic Silky Silver, Metallic Granite Grey, and Arctic White.

All-New Tour H1 Technical Specifications:
Length	3530 mm	Max Torque	Petrol mode: 89Nm @ 3500rpm
			CNG mode: 82.1Nm @ 3400rpm
Height (Unladen)	1520 mm	Max Power	Petrol mode: 49kW @ 5500rpm (66.6 PS@5500 rpm)
			CNG mode: 41.7kW @ 5300rpm (56.6 PS@5300 rpm)
Width	1490 mm	Fuel-Efficiency	CNG – 34.46 km/kg Petrol – 24.60 km/l
Wheelbase	2380 mm	Fuel Tank Capacity	Petrol: 27L CNG: 55L (Water Equivalent)

The ex-showroom prices are as follows:

All-New Tour H1 Prices (Ex-showroom in INR)
Variant	Price
TOUR H1 1L 5MT	480,500
TOUR H1 CNG 1L 5MT	570,500

Maruti Suzuki has vehicles in the Tour edition across segments including hatchback, sedan and Multi Utility Vehicle (MUV). This new addition is aimed at offering more affordable options and expanding choices for the customers in the commercial channel.

The Newly-Revealed 2024 Lexus GX Looks Like A Serious SUV

June 11, 2023 Prafful Singh

The new Lexus GX is a completely fresh model from the ground up with an all-new look and more off-roading credentials to its name

The third-generation of the Lexus GX has been globally premiered. This is its most significant update till date, and the previous generational update was introduced over a decade ago. This luxury off-road capable SUV is set to go on sale across international markets towards the end of 2023. Here are five things you need to know about the all-new Lexus GX:

Looks Like A Tank

The new GX is based on the new GA-F platform, which is shared with the Lexus LX. It looks nothing like its predecessors and adopts a block-ish design that looks like something that Dwayne Johnson would drive through walls in the next Fast and Furious movie. The curvy nature of the previous generation is replaced by a meaner, more aggressive looking sharp silhouette and looks more butch than it ever has.

The grille now seems a lot more palatable while still being in-your-face with its tall stance. Its wheel arches are more prominent than its predecessor, thanks to the chunky cladding all around, and can be filled with wheels ranging in size from 18- to 22-inches. The strong shoulder line flows through the entire body and the lines casually integrate into the bonnet. One quirky detail is the upward kink in the window line.

The boxy SUV trait continues at the back with an upright boot design and crisp geometrical proportions. A touch of modernity can be seen with the connected LED tail lights. The GX truly gives you that off-roader vibes with a neo-retro appeal.

Premium And Luxury From The Inside

The cabin of the new Lexus GX has a very different design approach to the badass styling on the outside. Its interior looks very luxurious and premium like one would expect from a Lexus, but still gives out utilitarian vibes. It has a single-pane sunroof and grab-handles on the A- and B-pillars on each side.

Occupying the centre stage is a massive 14-inch touchscreen system and the 12.3-inch digital driver’s display is integrated into the same panel. The tall heighted dashboard gives you the feeling of a giant SUV. Even though the climate controls are operated via the touchscreen, it has physical dials integrated for the dual-zone temperature adjustment.

Also Read: Upcoming Cars In India

It’s Got A V6!

The new GX continues to be a body-on-frame SUV that is powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, which comes mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox. Also on offer is a 2.4-litre turbocharged hybrid engine, which will be good for the fuel efficiency. It is the first ladder-on-frame Lexus to use a hybrid system. Both powertrains come with 4WD.

Off-Road Monster

Aiding its off-road credentials is a full-time 4WD with low-range gearbox and multi-terrain select mode. The controls for which are housed in the centre console, ahead of the drive selector, with switches to lock the differentials. It’s also the first Lexus to get E-KDSS, which provides compatibility between off-road and on-road driving. There are special seats which minimize the head toss while driving off the road. Lastly, the driving performance is improved by all-terrain tires..

Lexus will also be offering two hardcore off-road variants – OVERTRAIL and OVERTRAIL+. Both of them get several modifications to make it more capable.

Expected Price And India Launch Details

Lexus is expected to bring the new GX to India sometime in 2024, after the global launch. The GX sits between the RX and LX in the Lexus SUV range and has never been offered in India. It’s expected to be priced around Rs 2 crore (ex-showroom).

It’s the only option for a fully equipped Maruti off-roader with more comforts and a bigger 9-inch touchscreen system

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The new Lexus GX is a completely fresh model from the ground up with an all-new look and more off-roading credentials to its name

Looks Like A Tank

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Off-Road Monster

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