Reviews

Absolute Altroz

The Tata Altroz is much more than just a nippy little runabout

Albatross. Glittering Eye. Mariner. Coleridge. Sounds like a load of gobbledygook? Not really. When Tata Motors christened their 45X Concept, they decided to call it the Altroz, a word inspired by the large seabird, the Albatross, found in the Antartic and the Pacific oceans, and mythologically celebrated for bringing good luck to sailors. In fact, many…

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RACHNA TYAGI
Modern Sonet

With the Sonet, Kia’s most important launch in India, it will enter the most competitive sub-4-metre segment. Does this head-turner have what it takes to get to the top? We find out.

One has to accept some inalienable truths. Despite the global pandemic, India’s love affair with SUVs continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Last month’s sales figures show that of the top 20 best sellers, five are SUVs, of which three are from the most coveted class – the compact segment. Competition will only intensify…

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ARUP DAS
Jekyll and Hyde

The Skoda Rapid TSI is so Jekyll and Hyde that even Robert Louis Stevenson wouldn’t disagree.

Who would look at the Skoda Rapid TSI and think that this sedate looking car is in fact capable of unleashing such exhilarating fun and that too with what seems like a feeble engine, at least on paper. So very Jeckyll and Hyde. Boy, was I in for a delightful surprise! On the outside, not much…

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RACHNA TYAGI
Safe Bet

It’s been a long and challenging journey for the S-Cross since its launch in 2015 but now Maruti Suzuki is hoping that a switch in the engine from diesel to petrol will swing its fortunes. Is it too late in the day or can it make up lost ground?

There is a famous quote by Jack Nicholson in the film, A Few Good Men, which is apt for Maruti Suzuki’s efforts to resurrect the S-Cross, ‘Roll the dice and take your chances’. This could very well be the last straw for this crossover. Going by the current trend, the country’s most successful automobile manufacturer has…

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ARUP DAS
City City Bang Bang

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” No other mid-sized sedan epitomizes it better than the fifth generation Honda City.

Reams have been written about Honda City’s runaway success since its debut back in 1998 in India. Not one to rest on its laurels, Honda, continued to acquire feedback from its customers, toiled hard to better the City, and in every successive car that it introduced over the decades, it never ceased to amaze. No…

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RACHNA TYAGI
Crowning Glory

With the burden of great expectations and success, will the new Hyundai Creta thrive under pressure and become a segment leader like its predecessor or will the others also be making a mad dash for the crown?

The judgement was passed, obituaries were written, and the guillotine was readied for the first-generation Hyundai Creta as its crown was quickly passed on to a new rival without realizing that the second-generation avatar was on the horizon. As expected, the 2020 Creta took the market by storm, but no one could have scripted a…

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ARUP DAS
Even better than the real thing

The Apache RR310 may not have been a runaway success, but TVS claims that the 2020 avatar offers much more than the usual visual and BS-VI engine upgrades. Is this the real McCoy?

Ever since TVS launched the Apache RR310 in 2017, the manufacturer has upgraded the bike almost every year. In 2019, this flagship model received a slipper clutch and a new gloss black colour. As impressive and value-for-money as the RR310 is, sadly, it never managed to take the market by storm. But TVS is in…

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ARUP DAS
Evoque your senses

Not just luxury and sophistication, the new Range Rover Evoque, is big on power and performance too

The new Range Rover Evoque is luxurious, sophisticated, and a hoot to drive! The engineering and design teams who have spent millions of man hours designing and building the new Range Rover Evoque have ensured that it remains true to its core British values of restrained design while delivering wholeheartedly in terms of its capabilities…

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RACHNA TYAGI
TLC for GLC

Spacious, practical and comfortable with commendable off roading capabilities, the Mercedes-Benz GLC is both, brain and brawn

Ever since Mercedes-Benz entered India, 25 years ago, we have seen the luxury car manufacturer give us some of the finest set of wheels. The GLC, a much-loved SUV from their stables, is no different. Now, Mercedes-Benz has ensured that it has gotten even better; and with the newly introduced MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience), it…

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RACHNA TYAGI
Safety, Thy name is Volvo

We drove the new XC40 T4 R-Design (Petrol) and here’s what we think about itâ€¦

I have yet to meet a motoring enthusiast who hasn’t, at least once, chuckled at the half-witted Volvo jokes that do the rounds from time to time. Truth be told, it is in fact, Volvo, that has the last laugh as competitors struggle to keep pace with their safety innovations. Afterall, had it not been for…

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RACHNA TYAGI