Welcome All Of You: January 2016

Wednesday, 27 January 2016

New Hyundai Tuscon 2016

© Provided by MotorTrend India

A good crossover nowadays needs more than just the basics. It should ride better, perform better, and provide more utility than its competition to stand out in a market flooded with CUVs.

On paper, the 2016 Hyundai Tucson appears to do just that. The third-generation crossover, all set to arrive in India later this year, is longer, wider, and lower, with a new powertrain and more technology that mostly works seamlessly inside the quiet cabin. It is a solid alternative to much more mainstream choices such as the Honda CR-V.

Frankly, this small crossover segment has turned into the midsize car segment. It is becoming just as cutthroat and just as boring. These are the minivan substitutes without the utility of a minivan or the third row of bigger vehicles. Hyundai has at least tried to make the new Tucson palatable for people who need a family hauler but still want to feel like they have not surrendered their automotive souls.

The all-new exterior does a nice job of riding the fence between utilitarian and sporty. The new Tucson arrives 3.0 inches longer, 1.1 inches wider, and 0.4 inch shorter than the outgoing model. All three changes give it a stronger stance and enhance its performance.

The new face of the Tucson, which is also the new face of Hyundai, includes a hard-cut hexagonal-shaped grille, LED twin-projector headlamps, and LED daytime running lights. The front end certainly creates a more aggressive face meant to fill everyone elses rearview mirror. It does not shout, but the growl is welcome.

The rest of the Tucsons design follows similar lines. As part of Hyundai fluidic 2.0 design scheme, the sheetmetal creases are sharp but not overdone. For this generation, the windows are smaller and the metal bigger, which Hyundai says translates into a sportier profile. But really, that sportiness comes from the staggered wheel housing and optional 19-inch wheels. The stance of the Tucson leans forward, a big cat ready to pounce.

The 1.6-liter, turbocharged engine provides plenty of pouncing power. The four-cylinder engine produces 175-horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, which, frankly, I thought would leave the Tucson sluggish off the line and wheezing on the highway. During a day of test-driving, I was pleasantly surprised that even the 3,800-pound AWD Limited had plenty of power for both passing and off-the-line acceleration. It is certainly not going to set a land-speed record, but it felt like it could outperform any minivan and hold its own against more nimble midsize sedans. The 1.6-liter engine also comes with a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that was extremely smooth and very intelligent, knowing when to hold a gear and when to shift.

Tuesday, 26 January 2016

Jaguar Land Rover lineup for 2016 Auto Expo

Jaguar Land Rover is supposedly planning to make a big bang at the upcoming Auto Expo. Both the Tata owned brands will showcase new models and possibly even launch a couple at the biennial event in February. While we wait for specific details from the British marque, here is the list models we expect JLR to showcase at the expo.

© Provided by Carwale.com

Jaguar XE: The entry-level sedan in the JLR lineup will certainly debut at the Auto Expo. We are waiting to find out, if the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3 Series rival will be launched in the first week of February or the company will look at a later date to commence bookings. The XE will be assembled in India with a 2.0-litre diesel engine producing 161bhp, mated to the eight-speed ZF gearbox.

© Provided by Carwale.com

Jaguar F-Pace: The F-Pace is one of the most important cars from Jaguar, as it forays into the SUV segment. The company is carefully drawing the line between the hardcore SUVs from Land Rover and this, which is mainly a lifestyle product. With the F-Type inspired design, the new model looks stunning; underneath, however, it has the same platform as that of the XE sedan. The Jaguar SUV will be launched in Europe, in April, to compete with the likes of the Volvo XC60 and the BMW X3. We should get to see the F-Pace at the Expo, however, the launch will only be towards the end of the year.

Jaguar XJ Connectivity: The flagship Jaguar sedan has got a midlife update for 2016. While there is hardly any difference in terms of looks, the technology has been vastly updated with the new connectivity pack. The age-old music system has been replaced by a new infotainment unit with InControl remote and connectivity apps. The India prices should be announced at the Expo with deliveries commencing in a month.

Range Rover Evoque Convertible: JLR recently launched the facelifted version of the Evoque in India with the nine-speed transmission. However, the convertible version of the new model wasn’t part of the lineup at the time of the launch. We believe that the company will display this model at the expo along with the three-door version of the compact SUV. Both these versions of the Evoque may be launched at a future date in India as CBUs.

Chevrolet Cruze facelift to debut at the 2016 Auto Expo

© Provided by Carwale.com

If you are in the market for an entry-level luxury sedan and didn’t consider the Chevrolet Cruze over its rivals, you may want to reconsider. Its largely unchanged appearance since its introduction in 2012 will no longer deter your decision. The 2016 Cruze though is not going the whole hog, will feature a few changes on the exterior and interior. For a detailed makeover we will have to wait for the next-generation model to work its charm.

The Chevy update mainly consists of a refreshed bumper and a different grille design. The refreshed bumper design has even more muscular lines than before. While, the updated grille is even larger than before but lacks the prominence it previously had because of its rounded edges. The fog lamp housing units are now horizontal as compared to the vertical ones. The chrome-garnished LED DRLs are now placed neatly right over the fog lamp clusters. Furthermore, the skirt on the on the front bumper is larger and more prominent. The inside now hosts, a 7-inch MyLink infotainment system which features SmartRadio, Bluetooth connectivity, Siri for apple devices, voice recognition control and controls for the AC.

Under the hood, the Cruze will continue to be powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine that produces 168bhp and 380Nm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed MT or AT. When launched, the Cruze will compete with the Skoda Octavia, Hyundai Elantra, Volkswagen Jetta and the Toyota Corolla. Chevrolet will showcase the new Cruze at the 2016 Auto expo in February and will roll out the model to the showrooms shortly after.

Sunday, 24 January 2016

Honda BR-V and Accord India premiere at Auto Expo 2016

Honda has announced its plans for the forthcoming Auto Expo. The Japanese carmaker will unveil the BR-V and the Accord in India, along with a few concepts and the existing range of cars. Here is the detailed list of all the products that will be seen at the Honda hangar from the Auto Expo.

BR-V: The Honda BR-V will be in India for the first time at the Auto Expo. The crossover is scheduled for a mid-2016 launch to compete with the Hyundai Creta, Renault Duster and the Nissan Terrano. The BR-V is based on the same platform as the Mobilio, but has a cosmetically enhanced face that looks more aggressive. There are some mechanical changes to the car to make it more SUVish, also the interior is feature rich and looks premium. The biggest advantage, however, is the fact that the BR-V has seven seats compared to the five-seater configuration of its rivals.

Accord: The facelifted version of the global Accord will be on display at the expo. The premium sedan will be relaunched in India later this year with petrol and petrol-hybrid engine options. Honda might launch the new version of the Accord as CKD and take advantage of the FAME initiative to rival the Toyota Camry hybrid, with the subsidy.

Project 2&4: Project 2&4 is an open-wheel concept with the Honda MotoGP engine, aimed at giving the driver an experience of riding a motorcycle. The 1.0-litre V4 engine produces 212bhp and 118Nm at 14,000rpm, which is coupled with the six-speed automatic transmission and paddle shifters powering the rear wheels. The engine is positioned next to the driver and the total weight of the car is just 405 kilograms, making it one hell of a track machine.

McLaren Honda MP4-30: Talking about track machines, nothing can beat the Formula 1 car, which will be the biggest eye-candy at the Honda stall. Honda made a comeback to F1 last year as engine supplier for McLaren; the car will be on display at the expo for all the motorsport fanatics.

Sunday, 17 January 2016

Jaguar XE launch on February 3 at Auto Expo, bookings open

The Jaguar XE will be launched in India on February 3 during the Auto Expo 2016. All the Jaguar showrooms across India are accepting bookings for the new entry-level sedan, which will be available with two petrol engine options.

The new XE will sit below the XF sedan in the Jaguar range and take on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3 Series and the Audi A4. Jaguar has confirmed that the XE at the moment will be available in two derivatives of the 2.0-litre petrol engine. The less powerful of the two will deliver 197bhp, while the other will be tuned to produce 237bhp.

While there is no confirmation on the booking amount, the dealerships are taking a token of around Rs 1 lakh to book the sedan. The Jaguar XE will be assembled in India and the features list for the sedan will include panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, navigation, infotainment unit with Meridian Sound System and surround cameras.

Tuesday, 12 January 2016

Hyundai’s new luxury brand, Genesis

All New Genesis G90

Hyundai’s new luxury brand, Genesis, introduced its first model ever today at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The full-size G90 will effectively replace the outgoing Hyundai Equus.

Sporting a sleek, muscular design, the Genesis G90 is filled with technological innovations and advanced safety features such as autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assist.

The G90 was created by Prestige Design, a team specially tasked with developing the six models that will comprise the Genesis lineup by 2021. Unique, yet understated, the car’s looks embody what the company calls “athletic elegance.” The front grille evokes the Genesis image and is capped by the winged logo.

Not to be overlooked, the interior is one of the most spacious and luxurious on the market, Genesis claims. It features rich materials such as leather and aluminum, a Lexicon premium sound system, a 12.3” HD display, a selection of seven lighting options, three-zone climate control, and more.

Under the hood of the Genesis G90 is a standard 3.3L GDI V6 engine with twin turbochargers rated at 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque. It allows 0-100 km/h acceleration in 6.2 seconds. A 5.0L GDI V8 producing 420 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque shaves half a second off that time.

Pricing will be announced at a later date.