News & Top StoriesIn India, BYD Seal Prices Beat Out All Premium EV Competitors!
BYD Seal Car: The introduction of the BYD Seal electric sedan has caused a stir in India’s luxury electric car market. After making its debut at Auto Expo 2023, the Seal has now been made available for purchase throughout the nation at a very affordable price. You should be aware that the BYD Seal is a quite well-equipped model before we talk about the figures. The highest variation has a dual-motor arrangement and is powerful enough to complete the 0-100 kmph race in less than 4 seconds. This is how its prices break down by variant about its closest competitors and substitutes.
BYD Seal Prices Compared to Competitors
| BYD Seal | Kia EV6 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Volvo XC40 Recharge | BMW i4 |
| Dynamic – Rs 41 lakh | ||||
| Premium – Rs 45.50 lakh | Rs 46.05 lakh | |||
| Performance AWD – Rs 53 lakh | P8 AWD – Rs 57.90 lakh | |||
| GT Line – Rs 60.95 lakh | ||||
| GT Line AWD – Rs 65.95 lakh |
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is undercut by Rs 5 lakh by the BYD Seal base model. Even with its highest specification, performance-focused variant, the sporty XC40 Recharge (with AWD) is over Rs 5 lakh more expensive than the dual-motor BYD Seal. Most astonishingly, though, is that the top-spec BYD Seal costs around Rs 20 lakh less than the BMW i4, the next best premium electric sedan available in India.
Battery, Range, and Performance: BYD Seal
These are the BYD Seal’s variant-specific powertrain parameters in case you’re thinking about making it your next high-end EV. The electric sedan
| Seal Dynamic Range | Seal Premium Range | Seal Performance | |
| Battery size | 61.44 kWh | 82.56 kWh | 82.56 kWh |
| Drivetrain | Single motor (RWD) | Single motor (RWD) | Dual motor (AWD) |
| Power | 204 PS | 313 PS | 530 PS |
| Torque | 310 Nm | 360 Nm | 670 Nm |
| Claimed Range | 510 km | 650 km | 580 km |
Overview of Features
The BYD Seal is a high-end product with a lot of comfort and technology to offer. It has a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, a 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system, dual-zone climate control, and a panoramic glass top.
It also has a lot of safety features, earning an EV safety rating of five stars from Euro NCAP (2023). Nine airbags, a 360-degree camera, and a variety of advanced driver assistance technologies are included on the India-spec BYD Seal (ADAS).
Is It Worth It?
Although BYD’s competitive pricing for its flagship model in India has impressed us, we haven’t had a chance to test drive the Seal electric sedan. So check back to CarDekho in the upcoming weeks for our first drive review and additional BYD Seal-related content.
Also Read: Hyundai Venue Will Cost Rs.10 Lakh For A New Executive Variant
News & Top StoriesHyundai Venue Will Cost Rs.10 Lakh for a New Executive Variant
- Hyundai Venue: The Venue SUV’s mid-spec S and S(O) variants are positioned between the new Executive version.
- has a similar appearance to the S(O) model but is devoid of connected LED taillights and LED headlights.
- It has adjustable headrests and a 2-step reclining mechanism for the back seats.
- has a TPMS, six airbags, a manual AC unit with rear vents, and an 8-inch touchscreen.
- The S(O) model has new amenities such as a sunroof and interior lights for the front passengers.
- The S(O) DCT currently costs Rs 11.86 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), while the Venue S(O) MT is priced at Rs 10.75 lakh.
The newly released Executive model, which costs Rs 10 lakh, has made the Hyundai Venue’s turbo-petrol drivetrain more accessible. The Venue’s turbo versions began with the mid-spec S(O) model, which retailed for Rs 10.40 lakh before this variant was introduced.
Exact Information Regarding The Executive Variant Location
The Venue Executive shares exterior design cues with the S(O) variation that comes after it. Roof rails, 16-inch wheels with stylish wheel covers, and a new “Executive” emblem on the tailgate are all included. However, it lacks the S(O) variant’s linked LED taillights. The S(O) has LED projector units with LED DRLs and cornering lamps, whereas the Venue Executive has auto-halogen headlights.
The interior highlights of the Venue Executive include a front center armrest with storage, 60:40 split-folding rear seats, adjustable headrests for every passenger, and a rear seat that can recline in two steps. The height-adjustable driver seat found on the S(O) model is absent from the Venue Executive, though. A rear parking camera is also absent.
Features inside
Hyundai fitted the Venue Executive with a semi-digital driver display, steering-mounted controls, cruise control, manual air conditioning with rear vents, and a rear wiper and washer in addition to an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone connectivity.
Six airbags, an electronic stability control (ESC), a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and three-point seatbelts for every passenger make up its safety net.
Updates to the S(O) Variant: Additional Features
Hyundai has added two further options to the S(O) turbo variants: a sunroof and interior lighting for the front passengers. The S(O) DCT now costs Rs 11.86 lakh, while the S(O) MT is priced at Rs 10.75 lakh with these feature improvements.
Venue Information for Turbo-petrol
The new Venue Executive version is only available with a 6-speed manual gearbox and a 1-liter turbo-petrol engine (120 PS/172 Nm). In contrast, the S(O) version also has a 7-speed DCT (dual-clutch automatic transmission) as an option.
Two other engine options are also offered for the Hyundai subcompact SUV: a 1.5-liter diesel engine (116 PS/250 Nm) and a 1.2-liter naturally aspirated (N/A) petrol engine (83 PS/114 Nm). The latter has a 6-speed MT, while the former is coupled to a 5-speed MT.
Pricing Range and Competitors
The cost of the Hyundai Venue ranges from Rs 7.94 lakh to Rs 13.48 lakh. Its rivals include the Maruti Fronx crossover, Nissan Magnite, Mahindra XUV300, Renault Kiger, Maruti Brezza, Kia Sonet, and Tata Nexon.
Also Read: Tata Nexon Dark Vs Hyundai Venue Knight Edition: An Analysis Of Design Disparities
News & Top StoriesTata Nexon Dark vs Hyundai Venue Knight Edition: An Analysis of Design Disparities
Tata vs Hyundai: Following its second significant midlife redesign in September 2023, the Tata Nexon is currently back in stock in the Dark edition. Not all sub-4 million Indian SUVs come equipped with an all-black exterior from the factory, though, like the Nexon. Additionally, the blacked-out Hyundai Venue was unveiled in August 2023 under the name “Knight Edition.” Tata vs Hyundai
Although both of these blacked-out subcompact SUVs have a more commanding image on the road, let’s see how they differ visually
Fron
The split-LED headlamp configuration of the Nexon Dark is a feature of its facelifted appearance. The silver skid plate has also been painted black, matching the black treatment applied to all of the bumper’s chrome accents. You can see the dark black finish of the ‘Hyundai’ emblem and the grille on the Venue’s fascia. It also features brass bumper inserts, a black skid plate finish, and a smoked look in the headlights.
Side
The Tata SUV can be seen in profile with its 16-inch black alloy wheels, its ORVM housings completely blacked out, and its front fenders adorned with ‘#Dark’ insignia. The Venue Knight Edition, on the other hand, has red brake calipers, roof rails, and ORVMs in addition to black alloy wheels with brass inlays.
Rear
The Nexon Dark’s bumper and the “Nexon” nameplate are both black-finished on the back. Along with the “Knight” emblem, Hyundai has also given a similar finish to the rear of the SUV’s “Venue” badge and its logo. Additionally, the Hyundai SUV’s bumper has brass embellishments.
Cabin
The interior of both of these SUVs is completely black to match the overall motif of their special versions. The headrests of the Nexon are branded “Dark,” and the carmaker’s tri-arrow design is embroidered on the black leatherette upholstery. The Venue Knight Edition features black seat fabric with brass accents as well as brass-colored inlays throughout the interior. The inside features 3D designer carpets and a metal pedal finish for a sportier, more upscale appearance.
Features Lists
The Venue Knight Edition is also loaded with amenities such as an 8-inch touchscreen, a sunroof, wireless phone charging, auto-dimming IRVM, and dual-camera dashcam: the latter two being the new additions on the special edition. Hyundai is offering safety features like six airbags, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).
Detailed Powertrain Options
Nexon Dark
| Specification | 1.2-litre turbo-petrol | 1.5-litre diesel |
| Power | 120 PS | 115 PS |
| Torque | 170 Nm | 260 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT, 6-speed AMT, 7-speed DCT* | 6-speed MT, 6-speed AMT |
DCT: dual-clutch automated gearbox
Venue Knight Edition
| Specification | 1.2-litre N/A Petrol | 1-litre Turbo-petrol |
| Power | 83 PS | 120 PS |
| Torque | 114 Nm | 172 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT | 6-speed iMT*, 7-speed DCT |
price And Competitors
The Hyundai Venue Knight Edition is priced between Rs 10.13 lakh and Rs 13.48 lakh, while the Tata Nexon Dark is priced between Rs 11.45 lakh and Rs 13.85 lakh. The Nissan Magnite Red Edition and the Kia Sonet X-Line are their only direct competitors. Other competitors of the Mahindra XUV300, Maruti Brezza, Renault Kiger, and Maruti Fronx crossover are the Tata-Hyundai sub-4m SUVs.
News & Top StoriesRear-wheel drive variants account for half of Mahindra Thar’s sales
- Approximately half of the 6,000 Thars that Mahindra sells each month are rear-wheel drive (RWD) models.
- The 1.5-liter diesel and 2-liter turbo-petrol engines are available for these RWD versions.
- Mahindra can only produce a restricted number of 1.5-liter diesel engines at this time.
- The rear-wheel drive versions may have longer waiting times as a result of this restriction.
In India, the most popular lifestyle off-road vehicle is the Mahindra Thar. Mahindra opened up the market for this off-road competent SUV last year by lowering the cost of models with rear-wheel drive. It was disclosed at a recent investor meeting that these rear-wheel drives Thar models account for almost half of the vehicle’s sales.
Statement from Mahindra
In response to a question regarding production capacity, Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director and CEO (Auto & Farm Sector), Mahindra & Mahindra, said during the investor meeting: “On Thar we have roughly out of the current sales that we do, which is about 6,000-odd a month, roughly half is four-wheel drive and the balance is two-wheel drive” The two-wheel drive is what many reservations are for.
One of Mahindra’s best-selling models in the nation is the Thar, with models with rear-wheel drive accounting for about half of sales. This might be because these versions are more reasonably priced, making this tough-looking off-road vehicle more accessible. Additionally, it appears that only around half of the Thar’s purchasers are interested in off-roading seriously and are instead purchasing the vehicle for its appearance, road presence, and performance.
Time Waits for Thar Rear-wheel Drive
The rear-wheel-drive Thar wait times are not going to decrease anytime soon, despite Mahindra’s best efforts to keep them at a reasonable level. The Indian automaker has been increasing production across the board, but capacity problems with the engines further complicate matters for the Thar RWD versions. During the same investor meeting, Rajesh Jejurikar added, “We are not able to ramp up two-wheel drive production right now because the assembly line and manufacturing-related capacities beyond 3,000 are not there, only the engine-related capacity is.
The 1.5-liter engine, which transitions from rear-wheel drive to two-wheel drive, has a very specific capacity, so that will increase with time. Hence, that is the particular limitation on our ability to raise the Thar two-wheel drive’s volume.
The Mahindra Thar’s primary assembly and manufacturing capacities are centered on its 2-liter turbo-petrol and 2.2-liter diesel engines, both of which have been available from the vehicle’s 2020 introduction. Mahindra has not yet altered its manufacturing process, which will take time, and this new 1.5-liter diesel engine was only introduced last year exclusively for the Thar’s rear-wheel drive versions. Up until then, the waiting times for the rear-wheel-drive versions might go much longer because of this engine’s restricted production capacity.
Details of the Thar Engine Options
| Engine | 2-litre turbo-petrol | 2.2-litre diesel engine | 1.5-litre diesel engine |
| Power | 152 PS | 132 PS | 118 PS |
| Torque | 300 Nm | 300 Nm | 300 Nm |
| Transmission | 6MT/6AT | 6MT/6AT | 6MT |
| Drivetrain | RWD/4WD | 4WD | RWD |
The 1.5-liter diesel engine (118 PS/300 Nm) and the 2-liter turbo-petrol engine (152 PS/300 Nm) are the available engines for this rear-wheel drive model. For the turbo-petrol engine, a 6-speed manual and an automatic transmission are available, whereas the diesel engine only has a 6-speed manual gearbox.
There are two engine options for the four-wheel-drive versions: a 2.2-liter diesel (132 PS/300 Nm) and a turbo-petrol engine. Options for the transmission for both of these engines include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic.
Features and Safety of Thar
A 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control, manual air conditioning, steering-mounted controls, dual front airbags, hill descent control, traction control, rear parking sensors, and ISOFIX child seat anchors are all standard on the Mahindra Thar. It also has wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
A larger, five-door Thar with additional options such as a sunroof, dual-zone air conditioning, and a computerized driver’s display is also being developed. It is anticipated to make its debut in 2024’s second half.
Price and Rivals of Thar
The Mahindra Thar is available for purchase for between Rs 11.25 lakh and Rs 17.60 lakh (ex-showroom), with the rear-wheel-drive versions costing between Rs 11.25 lakh and Rs 14 lakh. The Maruti Jimny and the Force Gurkha are rivals to the Mahindra Thar, however, only 4WD versions of each vehicle are available.
Also Read: Tata Outperforms Hyundai Once More, Gaining Ground In February 2024 Sales
News & Top StoriesTata Outperforms Hyundai Once More, Gaining Ground in February 2024 Sales
Hyundai Creta Car: You may have noticed that Tata Motors, which is typically ranked third on brand-wise sales charts, has been closing the gap on Hyundai, which has held the second-place position for decades if you have been paying careful attention to Indian auto sales in recent years. In terms of monthly sales over the past few years, the Indian automaker has even surpassed the massive Korean company a few times. This is only the fourth time in history that it has occurred in February 2024 vehicle sales.
Hyundai vs. Tata: Sales Comparison for February 24
| Brands | Year-on-year | Month-on-month | ||
| February 2024 | February 2023 | February 2024 | January 2024 | |
| Tata | 51,267 | 42,862 | 51,267 | 53,635 |
| Hyundai | 50,201 | 46,968 | 50,201 | 57,115 |
- Tata’s sales in February 2024 exceeded the Hyundai Creta Car by about a thousand vehicles.
- Year-over-year (YoY) sales for the Indian brand increased by about 20 percent.
- With around 7,000 units sold, Tata’s EV range accounted for a sizeable portion of its total automobile sales and climbed by 30% year over year.
- Conversely, in February 2024, Hyundai reported a YoY growth of over seven percent.
Reasons Behind Such High Sales Figures
Given that Tata is the nation’s top manufacturer of electric vehicles, it is evident from the figures above that their EVs contribute significantly to monthly sales. Recent releases such as the Punch EV and the redesigned Nexon EV have contributed to Tata’s advantage over its Korean competitor. The Nexon and Punch regularly appear on the list of the top 10 selling cars each month, demonstrating the high demand for even its internal combustion engine (ICE) range.
In contrast, Hyundai claims that it sold over 15,000 facelifted Cretas in total in February 2024—the greatest monthly sales statistic for the brand since it began in 2015. Exter and Venue together sell an average of well over 5,000 units month over month, making them another potent volume grabber for the Korean brand. Even if their figures are noteworthy, they are not as high as those of its Tata competitors, Punch and Nexon, respectively.
What Are The Two Brands’ Future Plans?
Tata has already introduced the Punch EV in January 2024, and for the remainder of the year, it has an electric SUV attack planned that will include the Curvv and Harrier EVs. Conversely, Hyundai is preparing for the March 11 debut of the Creta N Line. Hyundai is also anticipated to release the redesigned Alcazar and the Ioniq 6 in India in 2024.
We predict it won’t be long before the Indian automaker regularly holds the second-place position in Indian monthly car sales, given that both automakers are aiming to increase their production capabilities and Tata’s greater selection of mass-market SUV products.
Also Read: Jeep Compass 4X4 Diesel Automatic
News & Top StoriesQuicker Than The New 4X2 Version Is The Jeep Compass 4X4 Diesel Automatic
The American automaker’s entry-level Jeep Compass received new 4×2 (front-wheel drive) diesel automatic versions last year. Before now, the top-spec version of the diesel-auto combo could only be had with the four-wheel drivetrain. We recently tested this new, less expensive powerplant and compared its performance to that of the 4X4 diesel automatic Compass. The outcomes are as follows:
Quickening
| Tests | 2-litre Diesel AT 4X2 | 2-litre Diesel AT 4X4 |
| 0-100 kmph | 11.24 seconds | 10.89 seconds |
| Quarter Mile | 17.77 seconds @ 125.11 kmph | 17.99 seconds @ 122.65 kmph |
| Kickdown (20-80 kmph) | 7.3 seconds | 7.11 seconds |
The Compass 4×4 variant performed better in our acceleration tests, dropping gears for on-the-go acceleration and running a 0-100 kmph time. The new front-wheel-drive version, however, finished the quarter mile faster. It should be noted that both of these versions have the same 2-litre diesel engine, which produces 350 Nm and 170 PS, and a 9-speed automated transmission. The drivetrain is the only distinction between these two versions.
Braking
| Tests | 2-litre Diesel AT 4X2 | 2-litre Diesel AT 4X4 |
| 100-0 kmph | 42.86 metres | 40.84 metres |
| 80-0 kmph | 26.6 metres | 25.55 metres |
The four-wheel-drive model outperformed the other option even in our braking tests, exhibiting a shorter stopping distance in the 100-0 kmph and 80-0 kmph tests. These two models are mounted on 18-inch alloy wheels. Nevertheless, in the 100-0 kmph test and the 80-0 kmph test, the 4X4 variant’s stopping distance was less by more than 2 meters and more than 1 meter, respectively.
Price
The Jeep Compass is priced (ex-showroom) between Rs 20.69 lakh and Rs 32.27 lakh, with the 4×4 diesel automatic variant having the highest price tag. However, the 4X2 diesel automatic powertrain with the Longitude trim starts at Rs 26.69 lakh. Rivals of the Jeep Compass include the Volkswagen Tiguan, Citroen C5 Aircross, Hyundai Tucson, and Skoda Kodiaq.
Read More on: Hyundai Creta N Line