With the new 7th generation G30, the BMW 5 Series is ready to launch a counter-offensive and really fight back. And having driven the car - I'd say it has got the goods to do it.
The Ignis has one of the most polarising designs that we have seen in recent times, but, you cant deny the fact that as a car, it is quite striking. If the exterior design doesnt seem to attract you, the interior on the Ignis certainly will. In fact, the Ignis is by far the best designed Maruti we have even had in India. The Ignis, just like the Baleno will get both petrol and a diesel engine. The petrol engine will be the same 1.2 litre 4-cylinder K12 enigne that does duty in the Baleno and the Swift. The diesel on the other hand is the 1.3 litre DDiS engine that again does duty in like likes of the Swift, Baleno and Ciaz. For the first time in this segment, both the petrol and diesel engine will be equipped with a AMT gearbox. The Maruti Suzuki Ignis will be launched on January 13, 2017 and should be priced aggressively. Of course, the Ignis will be available only in Nexa dealerships. The Ignis should be priced between Rs 4.50 lakh and Rs 7 lakh.
The Skoda Kodiaq is the Czech carmaker's big bet as it aims at rapidly increasing volumes in existing and new markets worldwide. And why not, after all SUVs and compact SUVs with a crossover flavour are the 'it' segment and see much higher growth (and margins) than industry averages. This is of course just as true in India too, and which is why the Kodiaq becomes very important for us - and indeed Skoda India too!
Of course, every car needs a bit of a refresh every few years and that is exactly what Mercedes-Benz India has done too. But, if you expect this to be a noticeable difference, you might be disappointed.
The new generation of the Audi Q5 is a comprehensively improved vehicle. Not that the last car had glaring flaws - after all it has been a hit since its 2008 launch. But yes 8 years really called for a new model. And so 1.6 million units later the next generation car is ready to roll. The new Q5 has many changes and firsts on it, but one most significant to the start the story with, is that it's being built outside Germany.
Its design language speaks forms that are quite unique among such cars. It's been styled according to the latest trends within the Skoda brand, and maintains the new family look.
Like the Octavia, the Skoda Rapid has also been an underrated car and we strongly believe that the Czech based car manufacturer should have introduced this facelift at least a year ago, but well, better late than never.
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 drive Renault's much-awaited Kwid AMT and have quite some positive opinions about it. Read out comprehensive review to find if its actually better than the competitors' offerings.
