News & Top StoriesMitsubishi Is Returning To India, But Not In The Way You May Expect
Mitsubishi has now declared that it will return to the Indian automobile market in 2024, having left the country’s passenger car industry in the first half of 2020 following the implementation of BS6 emission regulations. One of the biggest multi-brand dealers in India, TVS Vehicle Mobility Solution (TVS VMS), has seen its share subscription rise to over thirty percent. Additionally, TVS VMS oversees the distribution of automobiles made by other automakers, including Honda, Mahindra, and Renault.
Specifics Of The Transaction
Mitsubishi is reportedly investing tens of millions of US dollars, according to numerous web publications. According to reports, Mitsubishi will dispatch staff members to the dealers after these transactions are approved by the appropriate regulatory bodies. The goal of this investment is to support Mitsubishi’s plan for developing all-encompassing mobility solutions for Japanese automakers in India, which include leasing and other automotive endeavors in addition to after-sales services and multi-brand sales. Utilizing digital technology and TVS VMS’s extensive customer base, it will be accomplished.
Will Mitsubishi Vehicles Reappear?
Though the Japanese automaker is getting back into the Indian market, there are currently no clear plans for Mitsubishi to reintroduce its vehicles there. There will be an emphasis on bringing EVs to India if Mitsubishi decides to use these new multi-brand outlets to introduce its lineup. Therefore, as of right now, we wouldn’t hold out for the Pajero Sport to return.
Mitsubishi will presumably handle the negotiations to boost the number of Japanese automobile brands and models. The goal of the new cooperation is to establish the prospect of Japanese automakers’ sub-brands opening up shop in India. Accordingly, automobiles from premium Nissan subbrands Infiniti and Mazda may make an appearance in India.
With this Mitsubishi agreement, which Japanese automobiles would you like to see available in India? Please tell us in the comments.
News & Top StoriesMahindra XUV300 Facelift: What to Anticipate
The Mahindra XUV300 has been available for purchase since 2019 in its current configuration, and a facelifted version is scheduled to be released shortly. It has been repeatedly spied on throughout testing, giving some indication of the improvements that the midlife update would contain. Here’s what to anticipate if you’ve been waiting for the XUV300 facelift
Modern Design Theory
For the redesigned XUV300, Mahindra will be using a new design language that will be consistent with its next line of Born Electric (BE) vehicles. Numerous spy photos that revealed fang-shaped LED DRLs up front and attached taillights, as seen on the BE.05 concept, have already confirmed this. Redesigned alloy wheels and adjusted bumpers are only a couple of the external modifications. Rather than being a completely new design, it is more of an extension of the Mahindra design that already exists.
A More Modern Cabin
Inside, the XUV300 will have a reworked dashboard with repositioned and redesigned central air conditioning vents, a new temperature control panel featuring rear air conditioning vents, and two new screens (one for instruments and one for infotainment). On the facelifted XUV300, Mahindra is even expected to give new seat upholstery.
New Set Of Features
As previously stated, the revised XUV400 EV is expected to give the 2024 XUV300 two new, larger digital displays (10.25 inches each) as well as a panoramic sunroof that ranks first in the segment. Push-button start/stop, cruise control, wireless phone charging, dual-zone air conditioning, and ventilated front seats are possible additional features.
Mahindra is anticipated to outfit it with advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) and a 360-degree camera as safety technology. Electronic stability control (ESC), a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and six airbags (as standard) could also be added to the redesigned SUV.
What Is It Going To Get Inside?
Mahindra most likely plans to provide the new XUV300 with the same choices for gasoline and diesel engines as the current model. Two of these are a 1.5-liter diesel engine (117 PS/300 Nm) and a 1.2-liter turbo-petrol engine (110 PS/200 Nm). Either a 6-speed AMT or a 6-speed manual transmission is available for both.
A T-GDi (direct-injection) turbo-petrol engine (130 PS/up to 250 Nm) is also an option for the XUV300. This engine is only compatible with a 6-speed manual transmission. We believe Mahindra may switch out the existing AMT for an automated torque converter unit.
Pricing, Rivals, and Anticipated Launch
The facelifted Mahindra XUV300 is expected to be on sale in March of this year. Pricing is anticipated to start at Rs 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom). The new XUV300 will rekindle competition from vehicles such as the Hyundai Venue, Maruti Brezza, Kia Sonet, and Tata Nexon.
News & Top StoriesWatch: How to Close the Tata Punch EV Charging Lid Correctly
The first electric vehicle to be built on Tata’s new Acti. The EV platform, the Tata Punch EV was introduced earlier this year and comes with a lot of features. It has a new range of up to 421 km, an EV-specific design incorporating Tata’s latest design elements over the standard Punch, and many other additional features. The charging flap at the front of Punch EV, which opens sideways, is one unique feature, though. You may be closing this flap incorrectly if you own a Punch EV; see how to do it correctly here.
The Correct Method for Shutting the Charging Flap
The charging flap opens in a novel way, as seen above: it pops up and glides to the side. Therefore, to close it, follow the same path back to its closed position. However, if you push or pull it from either edge while doing so, the charging flag may not close correctly. This problem will also be alerted to you on the instrument cluster by the Punch EV.
Therefore, you must grasp the flap from the center using the Tata logo to seal it securely and prevent the edge from protruding, and then follow the flap’s path back to the closing position. In this manner, the charging flap closes correctly and the sides line up exactly with the grille.
Engine and Transmission
The Punch EV has two different powertrain options, similar to other Tata EVs: a 25 kWh battery pack with an electric motor that produces 82 PS and 114 Nm, or a 35 kWh battery pack with an electric motor that produces 122 PS and 190 Nm. A claimed range of 315 km is provided by the smaller battery pack and 421 km by the larger one.
Features & Safety
With features like wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, an air purifier, ventilated front seats, and a single-pane sunroof, the Punch EV is well-equipped.
Six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, an electronic parking brake with auto hold, and a 360-degree camera with a blind view monitor are all included for passenger protection.
Price & Rivals
The Punch EV, which is directly competitive with the Citroen eC3, is priced by Tata between Rs 10.99 lakh and Rs 15.49 lakh (introductory, ex-showroom). In the interim, it functions as a high-end substitute for the Tata Tiago EV and MG Comet EV.
News & Top StoriesJanuary 2024 saw the Maruti Grand Vitara overtake the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos as the best-selling compact SUV
India saw sales of over 46,000 compact SUVs in January, with a growth rate of more than 12 percent month over month (MoM) for this segment. The Maruti Grand Vitara was the best-selling compact SUV in its class, with the Hyundai Creta coming in second. Let us now examine the sales figures for every small SUV in the previous month Maruti Grand Surpassed Hyundai.
| Compact SUVs & crossovers | |||||||
| January 2024 | December 2023 | MoM Growth | Market share current(%) | Market share (% last year) | YoY mkt share (%) | Average sales (6 months) | |
| Maruti Grand Vitara | 13438 | 6988 | 92.3 | 28.76 | 23.94 | 4.82 | 9732 |
| Hyundai Creta | 13212 | 9243 | 42.94 | 28.27 | 41.55 | -13.28 | 12458 |
| Kia Seltos | 6391 | 9957 | -35.81 | 13.67 | 28.93 | -15.26 | 10833 |
| Toyota Hyryder | 5543 | 4976 | 11.39 | 11.86 | 11.59 | 0.27 | 3880 |
| Honda Elevate | 4586 | 4376 | 4.79 | 9.81 | 0 | 9.81 | 3766 |
| Volkswagen Taigun | 1275 | 2456 | -48.08 | 2.72 | 4.02 | -1.3 | 1981 |
| Skoda Kushaq | 1082 | 2485 | -56.45 | 2.31 | 5.56 | -3.25 | 2317 |
| MG Astor | 966 | 821 | 17.66 | 2.06 | 2.64 | -0.58 | 868 |
| Citroen C3 Aircross | 231 | 339 | -31.85 | 0.49 | 0 | 0.49 | 98 |
| Total | 46724 | 41641 | 12.2 | 99.95 | |||
Principal Learnings
January 2024 saw nearly 13,400 Maruti Grand Vitaras sold, making it the best-selling compact SUV. Along with having the greatest market share in the class, the Grand Vitara has also shown the greatest MoM increase of 92% Maruti Grand Surpassed Hyundai.
- Hyundai’s Creta, which retailed 13,212 units in January, is the only SUV to surpass the 10,000 unit sales milestone, having previously only gone past the Grand Vitara. Even though monthly sales increased by almost 43%, Creta’s market share fell by more than 13% on an annual basis.
- Only about 6,400 people purchased Kia Seltos in January 2024, a decrease of almost 3,500 units from December 2023. Sales of the car rapidly declined. Compared to the previous six months’ average sales, its January 2024 sales were about 4,500 units lower.
- With more than 5,543 sold, the Toyota Hyryder, the stablemate of the Maruti Grand Vitara, ranked fourth in the sales chart. Over 11 percent gain in MoM was recorded by the Toyota SUV.
- Sales of the Honda Elevate saw a MoM gain of more than 4.5 percent in January 2024, with over 4,500 units sold. Honda’s all-new Elevate was introduced in September 2023, and as of right now, it has a 9.8% market share.
- In January 2024, sales of the Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq saw MoM losses of approximately 56% and 48%, respectively. Last month, the Taigun and Kushaq sold more than 2,300 units combined.
- MG Astor’s monthly sales have increased slightly, by about 18%, but they are still not enough to surpass 1,000 units sold.
- With 231 sales in January 2024, the Citroen C3 Aircross continues to be the least popular model in the segment.
News & Top StoriesFebruary 2024: A Comparison of the Waiting Periods for the Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Rumion, and Maruti XL6
Waiting Period Comparison: You probably have a few choices if you’re looking for a reasonably priced, roomy MPV, with the Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Rumion, and Maruti XL6 among them. The XL6 is the only model available with a 6-seater arrangement (with captain chairs in the middle row), while the Toyota Rumion is essentially a rebadged Maruti Ertiga (both 7-seater offers). If you purchase one in February 2024, though, which of the three can you bring home the earliest? Now let’s investigate.
| City | Maruti Ertiga | Toyota Rumion | Maruti XL6 |
| New Delhi | 2 months | 8 months | 1-2 months |
| Bengaluru | 2 months | 4-6 months | 1 week |
| Mumbai | 2 months | 14 months | 1-1.5 months |
| Hyderabad | 1.5-2 months | 10 months | 2-3 months |
| Pune | 2 months | 8-10 months | 0.5-1 month |
| Chennai | 2 months | 12 months | 0.5-1 month |
| Jaipur | 2.5 months | 8 months | 0.5 months |
| Ahmedabad | 1-2 months | 6-10 months | 2-2.5 months |
| Gurugram | 2 months | 10 months | No waiting |
| Lucknow | 2.5 months | 8 months | 1 month |
| Kolkata | 2 months | 10 months | 1 month |
| Thane | 2.5 months | 12-15 months | 1-1.5 months |
| Surat | 2 months | 12 months | No waiting |
| Ghaziabad | 2 months | 10 months | 0.5 months |
| Chandigarh | 1.5-2 months | 10-12 months | 1-1.5 months |
| Coimbatore | 2 months | 8 months | 1 month |
| Patna | 1-1.5 months | 12 months | 1-1.5 months |
| Faridabad | 2 months | 10-14 months | 1-2 months |
| Indore | 2.5 months | 15 months | 1 month |
| Noida | 1-2 months | 6-12 months | 1 month |
Key Takeaways
- Maruti Ertiga waiting times are two months on average, and in Jaipur, Lucknow, Thane, and Indore, they can reach up to 2.5 months.
- The Maruti XL6, the Nexa’s equivalent with a better cabin and more features, is easily accessible in Gurugram and Surat. Nevertheless, Hyderabadi customers will have to wait three months for the MPV to be delivered. The wait period is approximately one month on average Waiting Period Comparison.
- Out of the three, the Toyota Rumion has the longest wait time—more than a year—for customers in Mumbai, Chennai, Thane, Surat, Patna, and Indore. In Bengaluru, the wait time is the shortest at four months.
News & Top StoriesWhat Was Important In The Automobile Sector Last Week (February 12–16) is Listed Here.
Automobile Sector: During the middle of February, Tata revealed big price reductions for two of their best-selling EVs, and Renault and Skoda made some global debuts. In the same week, we saw the test mule for an impending Kia electric vehicle and Global NCAP revealed a new crash test result. Let us examine each of the week’s major highlights. (Automobile Sector)
Tata Tiago EV and Nexon EV Costs Drop
The Tiago EV and Nexon EV, two of Tata’s best-selling electric vehicles to date, saw large price reductions last week. Tata claims that by passing on the savings from lower battery pack costs to customers, these vehicles are now more reasonably priced.
Tata Nexon Achieves Another Five-Star Rating
In the Global NCAP crash test, the Tata Nexon was the first vehicle in India to receive a perfect 5-star safety rating back in 2018. The updated Tata Nexon has now received complete 5-star safety certifications in 2024, for both adult and kid safety.
Skoda Slavia Is Getting An Update
Based on the highest-spec Style variation, the Skoda Slavia receives yet another new Style edition. The outside and interior of this new limited edition Skoda Slavia have been given cosmetic upgrades, but the car has not undergone any mechanical improvements.
The India BYD Seal Launch Date Has Been Confirmed
At the 2023 Auto Expo in India, the BYD Seal, an all-electric sedan, made its debut. The carmaker has now confirmed the date of its India launch. The BYD e6 MPV and the BYD Atto 3 SUV are the company’s previous two offerings in India; the Seal will be its third.
Turkey Unveils Renault Duster
Last week, the third-generation Duster SUV—this time sporting the Renault emblem—was presented in Turkey. Worldwide, the new Renault Duster is available with a mild hybrid or a strong hybrid drivetrain, along with the option of all-wheel drive (AWD). Next year, it is anticipated to be released in India.
The New Variant of the Mahindra XUV700 has been Leaked
The Mahindra XUV700 may soon receive a new base-spec automatic petrol version. An online paper indicating the same thing appeared from the Transport Department, Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Click this link to learn more about it.
India’s Spied Kia EV9 Tests
In India, Kia intends to introduce the EV9, an all-electric full-size SUV. We recently saw an uncamouflaged test mule for the same in India. The front and rear designs of the Kia EV9 are seen in the spy photos.
Skoda Octavia Facelift Made Its Worldwide Debut
Skoda has updated the Octavia, which made its world premiere last week, for midlife. The external and interior designs of the new Octavia have been slightly modified. A variety of powertrain options are available, and the performance-focused RS version is now much more potent than before.
BMW 7 Series Security Launched In India
The BMW 7 Series security variant has arrived in our country. This BMW vehicle is resistant to bombs and gunfire. It is designed for high-risk people who require security from attacks of any kind, like CEOs, VIPs, high-ranking officials, and royals.