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Featured

Kia Carens Scores 3 Stars In Global NCAP Yet Again

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This rating follows a worrying 0-star grownup occupant safety rating for an older model of the Carens MPV

The Kia Carens has been crash-tested in Global NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) once more and it got here out with the identical 3-star security score. In reality it has been crash-tested twice since its first GNCAP rating in 2022. Two totally different variants of the MPV have been examined, one was manufactured in December 2023, which received a 3-star score, and one other which received manufactured in May 2023, which solely scored 1 star from GNCAP. Here is an in depth report of each crash checks.

Adult Occupant Protection

Frontal Impact (64 kmph)

Protection

Impact Points

Kia Carens – May 2023

Kia Carens – December 2023

Driver Head

Good

Good

Front Passenger Head

Good

Good

Driver Neck

Poor

Weak

Front Passenger Neck

Good

Good

Driver Chest

Marginal

Adequate

Front Passenger Chest

Good

Good

Driver Knee

Marginal

Marginal

Front Passenger Knee

Marginal

Marginal

Driver Tibias

Adequate

Adequate (Left) & Good (Right)

Front Passenger Tibias

Adequate (Left) & Good (Right)

Good

Bodyshell Integrity

Unstable

Unstable

The December 2023 Carens had a greater efficiency within the crash check as a consequence of one easy cause. The seatbelt restraints of the May 2023 Carens weren’t adequate to carry the motive force and passenger in place, leading to a better probability of extreme damage in a frontal crash. 

Also Read: Kia Carens EV Confirmed For India In 2025

Due to this cause, the May 2023 Carens received 0 out of 34 in grownup occupant safety (AOP) leading to a 0-star AOP security score. However, this concern was mounted within the December 2023 Carens, and it scored 22.07 out of 34, leading to a 3-star AOP security score.

Side Impact (50 kmph)

Protection

Impact Points

Kia Carens – May 2023

Kia Carens – December 2023

Driver Head

Good

Good

Driver Chest

Good

Good

Driver Abdomen

Good

Good

Driver Pelvis

Good

Good

In the aspect influence checks, each the May 2023 and December 2023 variants of the Carens received good total safety.

Side Pole Impact

The aspect pole influence check was not performed for both variants of the Carens.

Child Occupant Protection

Kia Carens Frontal Impact

Parameters

May 2023 Kia Carens

December 2023 Kia Carens

Dynamic Score

23.92/24 factors

24/24 factors

CRS Installation Score

12/12 factors

12/12 factors

Vehicle Assessment Score

5/13 factors

5/13 factors

Total

40.92/49 factors

41/49 factors

Frontal Impact

In the case of the 18-month-old baby dummy, the kid seat was mounted rearward and was in a position to present full safety to the top. In this check, the Carens received 8 out of 8 factors. For the 3-year-old baby dummy, the kid seat was additionally mounted going through rearward and supplied virtually full safety. Here, the Carens scored 7.92 factors out of 8.

Also Read: Hyundai-Kia Set To Localise EV Battery Production, Partner With Exide Energy

Meanwhile, the December 2023 Carens improved for full safety for each kids dummies for a full 8 factors, and this incremental change is essential to bump up the Kia MPV’s baby security rating up from 4 to five stars.

Side Impact

The baby restraint system supplied full aspect influence safety in each instances, for each variations of the Kia Carens MPV.

Overall Scores

While the May 2023 Carens did get 4 stars in baby occupant safety, because of the 0-star grownup occupant safety score, its total security score got here down to simply 1 star. The December 2023 Carens, however, scored 5 stars in baby occupant safety and three stars in grownup occupant safety, leading to an total 3-star crash check security score. However, in case of each these variants, the bodyshell integrity was rated unstable, which suggests they’ll’t stand up to any additional impacts.

Also Read: Check Out The Kia Sonet HTE (O) Variant In These 7 Images

This rating highlights the identical reality as soon as once more: the variety of airbags is just not the deciding issue for a safer automobile.

Kia Carens’ Safety Kit

Kia

The Kia Carens comes with 6 customary airbags and in addition will get many customary security options like ABS with EBD, digital stability management (ESC), car stability administration (VSM), brake help, hill maintain help, all-wheel disc brakes, a tyre strain monitoring system (TPMS), and rear parking sensors.

Variants & Price

Kia Carens

The Kia Carens is available in 10 broad variants: Premium, Premium (O), Prestige, Prestige (O), Prestige Plus, Prestige Plus (O), Luxury, Luxury (O), Luxury Plus, and X-Line. It is priced from Rs 10.52 lakh to Rs 19.67 lakh (ex-showroom), and is a rival to the Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Rumion, and Maruti XL6.

Read More on : Kia Carens on road price

Technology

Is HP’s Printer Rental Program A Total Waste Of Money?

Renting a printer month-by-month might sound foolish to older generations who grew up with one in the home, however that was earlier than the digital renaissance — which noticed every little thing from books to boarding passes go digital. Printing is not as a lot of a necessity because it was once, so it is potential (generally preferable) for a lot of to reside with no printer of their houses.

A service just like the HP All-In Plan is just going to be price it to those that repeatedly print every month. Students, dwelling companies, and even mother and father with little children who desire a new coloring web page each different day, for instance. Those who go for the fundamental tier with a restrict of 20 pages a month are going to save cash when contemplating the value of printers in comparison with the price of ink. Oftentimes, refilling ink prices greater than the printer itself. If there is not a requirement to print one thing each month, this is not the service for you.

Those with an Etsy or eBay retailer who continuously print delivery labels from dwelling will discover HP’s service interesting. Sure, HP has had some notoriously poor ideas in the past that made many hate it, however this plan is not unhealthy. Considering every little thing subscribers get with this new service, together with technical help after they have problem connecting their printer to Wi-Fi, it is a worthwhile deal for individuals who want it.

Motorsport

BMW Still Makes Parts For Older Cars, Including The M1 Supercar

Regardless of make and mannequin, vehicles invariably age. The older they get, the harder they change into to maintain on the highway. How do automakers help basic automobile house owners and make some more money on the facet? By nonetheless producing components for autos that went out of manufacturing a long time in the past. BMW has been doing simply that for 30 years.

Indeed, BMW Group Classic has been manufacturing components for older vehicles since 1994 when the precursor BMW Group Mobile Tradition division was initially established. The identify change occurred in 2008. We truthfully had no concept that the German luxurious marque was within the enterprise of promoting automobile components for fashions discontinued many moons in the past. For this motive, we determined to speak with an organization consultant to be taught extra about what’s what.


Motorsport

It Took 350,000 Lego Bricks To Make This Life-Size Volvo V70

We adore the irony of an older “brick” Volvo V70 immortalized as a life-size Lego wagon made completely of, nicely, bricks. According to Volvo, this 1:1 creation has been a piece in progress for over a yr, with the corporate sharing some photographs of the construct to Facebook.

The builder is David Gustafsson, a Lego megafan from Sweden who gained upwards of 400,000 Lego items by way of the Lego Masters competitors just a few years again. He’s an achieved Lego artist on smaller scales, and that win prompted him to construct a full-size Lego model of the particular Volvo V70 he drives. Brickscale.com reveals his progress which admittedly is not completely Lego. There’s a metallic body beneath, together with regular wheels and tires on which the V70 rolls.

 

Virtually the whole lot else, nevertheless, comes straight from the world of Lego. That consists of the seats, sprint, steering wheel, and purposeful instrument cluster. The entrance and rear clips are supported by Lego bulkheads beneath. The doorways open, and the lights activate. It’s virtually an actual automotive.

In truth, this Lego wagon has all types of purposeful objects. Perusing David’s Instagram web page we see energy mirrors, rotating knobs for the local weather management, a movable shifter, and headlights that pivot when turning the steering wheel. Yes, it has purposeful steering, which is necessary as a result of there’s additionally an electrical motor powering the wheels. In different phrases, that is technically an EV you may truly drive. 

 

According to Brickscale, the V70 was not too long ago on show on the Ecar Expo in Gothenburg the place of us might watch the meeting course of in motion. That was again in December; two weeks in the past David shared Instagram photographs displaying the near-complete inside. A video from final week reveals the rear portion of the roof is completed now, too.

 

Being a work-in-progress, there are upwards of 350,000 bricks invested into the construct proper now. It’s unclear whether or not all 400,000 from the Lego Masters win will finally be used, however we’ll be watching David’s socials for updates as he nears the end line. If you occur to be in Sweden, the automotive will make public appearances at various locations by way of April.

Cars

5 Bad Habits To Avoid For Extending The Life Of Your Car’s CVT Transmission

This was a apply in older autos once they weren’t fairly good sufficient to know when and when to not use gas. However, a fast Google search confirmed that many are nonetheless partaking on this apply, which merely is not needed and may put undue stress on the driveline.

If you reside in an space with only a few and really fast stoplights, then perhaps you may attempt to justify shifting to impartial to stop having to be so heavy on the break. However, in trendy autos, it is nonetheless utterly pointless. With how fast lights are, lasting no various minutes at a time, the gas you may be saving is negligible. Compare that to the price of having to restore your driveline or carry out extra frequent upkeep in your CVT, and you will find that the numbers do not actually assist this age-old apply.

It’s additionally doable chances are you’ll attempt to drive whereas the automotive is in impartial. While this is not essentially unhealthy, in the event you do shift whereas the engine is revved, chances are you’ll trigger your transmission to slide. Do that too usually, and you’ll run into considerations.

Of course, this does not apply to longer waits, like if you recognize you will be stationary for fairly a while. In that case, put it in park and launch the brake, or simply flip the engine off.

Motorsport

The Opel Ascona Had American Bones, 80s European Charm

For those who appreciate older European cars, the Opel Ascona may not seem particularly special at first glance, but it has more to offer than meets the eye. The third and final generation of this model, produced between 1981 and 1988, played a key role in the German brand’s transition to the more sophisticated, comfortable, and technology-filled cars of the 1990s. The Ascona C marked Opel’s first attempt at creating a relatively affordable yet spacious, well-equipped, and practical front-wheel-drive car. Although it was not available in the United States, it shared its foundation – GM’s J platform – with the Chevrolet Cavalier CL, Pontiac J2000 LE, Oldsmobile Firenza LX, Buick Skyhawk Limited, and Cadillac Cimarron that were sold in the U.S.

Welcome to Timeless European Treasures, our weekly look back at cars from the European market that defined a motoring generation.

Why do we love it?

The Opel Ascona has earned its reputation as a beloved classic for several reasons. Its elegant and timeless design, comfortable ride, and excellent handling are among the primary factors that endear it to enthusiasts. The Ascona’s practicality, fuel efficiency, and solid build quality made it an ideal choice for both daily commuting and long road trips. The model proved that GM could design, develop, and build inexpensive mid-sized cars with FWD – something it kept doing during the next decades on a global scale.

Furthermore, its sportier versions, such as the Ascona 400, have gained legendary status among rally racing fans due to their impressive performance on the tracks. This particular version was part of the second-generation Ascona lineup and was driven by Walter Röhrl to win the 1982 World Rally Championship drivers’ title.

When was the car launched?

The third generation of the Opel Ascona made its debut in 1981, replacing the second-generation Ascona that had been in production since 1975. This new iteration brought several modern updates to the table, including improved aerodynamics, enhanced safety features, and a more refined interior. It was the only Ascona from all three generations to be powered by its front wheels.


Featured

Mahindra XUV400 Offered With Discounts Of Up To Rs 3.5 Lakh This Diwali


Maximum benefits are available only on slightly older units of the electric SUV’s top variant

Mahindra XUV400

  • Mahindra had updated the XUV400 with some safety features in August 2023.

  • Older stock of the electric SUV prior to August gets total discounts of up to Rs 3.5 lakh.

  • Updated XUV400 also comes with savings of up to Rs 3 lakh.

  • These offers can vary depending on the city of purchase.

  • All offers are valid till the end of November 2023.

Diwali is one of the most preferred times of the year when people buy new products, including new cars, as they can be availed with heavy discounts and benefits. So, if you have been planning to buy an affordable electric SUV, specifically the Mahindra XUV400, now might be a good time to get one. The electric offering is carrying savings of at least a lakh in November 2023.

City- And Variant-wise Offers

…

Variant

Delhi Offers

Mumbai Offers

Note: These offers are limited to the two cities mentioned above and are likely to vary based on the state you live in and the variant chosen. We request you to contact the nearest Mahindra dealership for more details.

The XUV400 was updated with some safety features in August 2023, increasing its prices by up to Rs 20,000. Hence, the older inventory of the pre-update model can be had with the maximum discounts of up to Rs 3.5 lakh.

Electric Powertrain And Charging Details

Mahindra XUV400

Mahindra offers the XUV400 EV with two battery pack options: 34.5kWh and 39.4kWh. These batteries are paired to a single electric motor that produces 150PS and 310Nm. The 34.5kWh battery provides an estimated range of 375km according to MIDC, while the larger 39.4kWh battery claims 456km.

The SUV can be juiced up using both AC and DC fast chargers in the following time periods:

  • 50kW DC Fast Charger: 50 minutes (0-80 per cent)

  • 7.2kW AC Charger: 6.5 hours

  • 3.3kW Domestic Charger: 13 hours

Also Read: 8 Cars Under Rs 10 Lakh With 6 Airbags As Standard

Prices And Rivals

Mahindra XUV400 rear

The Mahindra XUV400 is priced between Rs 15.99 lakh and Rs 19.39 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Its only direct rival is the Tata Nexon EV but it serves as an affordable alternative to the MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona Electric.

Read More on : Mahindra XUV400 EV Automatic

Desktops, Laptops, News

Microsoft Closes Windows 7/8 to Windows 11 Upgrade Option

For users of older Windows systems, there are now only two choices available. They can either install Windows 11 and purchase a product key from the Microsoft Store, or they can buy a new PC that comes with a pre-installed copy of Windows 11. It is important to note, however, that if your computer was purchased during the time when Windows 7 or 8 was the latest version, it is unlikely to support Windows 11.

This is because Microsoft has set specific system requirements for Windows 11, stating that hardware meeting certain criteria will provide optimal performance. To assist users, the company has released a digital tool that automatically checks their hardware and informs them whether their PC is eligible for the Windows 11 upgrade. If your PC is not compatible and you do not wish to purchase a new one, you can alternatively upgrade to Windows 10, as Microsoft will continue to provide support for this version for at least the next two years.

Technology

8 Best 50-55 Inch OLED TVs On The Market Right Now

The LG C2, despite being succeeded by the C3, is still considered the better option. While the C3 offers slightly higher brightness and a newer interface, it is significantly more expensive, priced at $1,899. On the other hand, the C2 can often be found at a discount of around $600, making it a more affordable choice. Both models use the same panel, so there are no hardware upgrades with the newer version. The C2 delivers top-tier image quality, 120Hz VRR, and LG’s Game Optimizer, all packaged in a minimalist design suitable for any space.

The LG C2 features the α9 Gen 5 processor, which enhances the sharpness of lower-resolution content with 4K upscaling. It also supports Dolby Atmos for a more immersive sound experience. LG’s proprietary smart TV OS offers seamless integration with various streaming platforms, including Apple TV, Disney+, Netflix, and Hulu. There are few drawbacks to the C2, especially considering its current discounted price. As of now, you can find it on Amazon for just under $1,299.