Refinance rates were mixed, but one key rate declined. Experts expect refi activity to go up as rates drop.

It's normal for your eyes to change as you age, but these four expert-approved tips can help improve your eye health.

Are you suffering from chronic back or joint pain? The Saatva Rx Mattress -- a premium pillow-top bed -- might offer an effective zonal solution. Here's more about it.

Enjoy a huge $340 off this portable power source while this deal lasts.

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Can't settle on a security cam? Arlo's latest Essential camera does it all for under $100.

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The deal that seems too good to be true probably is.

1. Google says Gems are ‘one of the most used Gemini Advanced features,’ adds file upload  9to5Google
2. Gemini Live is getting ready to chat with you about your files (APK teardown)  Android Authority
3. Google thinks attachments could be the perfect conversation starter for Gemini Live  Android Police
4. Google's Gemini AI may soon allow users to edit files using voice commands  The Times of India
5. Gemini Live could soon start messing around with your files  Android Central

1. GOP Rep. Valadao holds Central Valley, California, swing seat  POLITICO
2. Republican David Valadao wins re-election to US House in California's 22nd Congressional District  Fox News
3. Republican David Valadao secures California House wins  Newsweek

1. Democrat Dave Min keeps Katie Porter’s House seat blue  POLITICO
2. Democrat wins California House seat to replace Porter  The Hill
3. In California’s 47th congressional district, former Republican Assemblyman Scott Baugh concedes to Democrat Dave Min  The Mercury News

1. Trump Puts ‘First Buddy’ Elon Musk in Charge of Fake Gov’t Department  The Daily Beast
2. Why is Elon Musk becoming Donald Trump's efficiency adviser?  BBC.com
3. Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to lead Trump's Department of Government Efficiency  Fox News

(Telecompaper) France's leading TV channel TF1 said that viewers of its TF1+ streaming service can now access over 2,000 hours of additional content following a distribution partnership with Franco-German TV network Arte. As part of the agreement, the entire offering within the Arte.tv platform will be available...

(Telecompaper) Eutelsat Group announced a partnership with Clear Blue Technologies to work together on power-efficient broadband services for businesses and local networks in Africa. Eutelsat will integrate Clear Blue's products for off-grid energy infrastructure into its GEO Konnect and LEO OneWeb satellite platforms...

(Telecompaper) ...

(Telecompaper) European broadcaster RTL has trimmed its outlook for full-year results due to weakness in the German advertising market. RTL posted revenues for the first nine months of the year down 1.5 percent on an organic basis to EUR 4.2 billion and lowered its FY outlook to EUR 6.3 billion in sales, from a...

(Telecompaper) Thai operator AIS has introduced the Max streaming platform from Warner Bros. Discovery on the local market. Starting 19 November, AIS customers will be able to subscribe to Max packages and access entertainment content, including blockbuster movies and popular series. AIS will also enhance its...

(Telecompaper) MultiChoice says it will update its DStv Stream platform by letting viewers rewind live television channels by up to 24 hours and improving Watch from Start functionality and Cloud PVR Recordings, which it introduced on 12 November. The Cloud PVR Recording feature lets customers record live shows for viewing or re-watching within 30 days...

(Telecompaper) Rivada announced it has secured new spectrum rights to support its planned satellite constellation and services. In the past year Rivada secured market access for its Outernet constellation in 18 countries and on every continent, including the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Colombia and...

(Telecompaper) The Swedish streaming market is undergoing a "significant upswing" after a period of slower growth, according to consultancy Mediavision, with 600,000 new streaming subscriptions in the third quarter compared with Q3 2023. The main reason is the arrival of more affordable, ad-supported subscription...

Daily roundup by CSE and Down to Earth @COP27 by Avantika Goswami and Rohini Krishnamurthy, November 7, 2022 • UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that Loss and damage can no longer be swept

The made-in-India BSA Gold Star 650 has been available overseas for a couple of years but Classic Legends has now launched the bike in India. That gave us a chance to pit it against its closest competitor, the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and also to see how fuel efficient the engine is

BSA Gold Star 650 real world fuel efficiency

Our fuel efficiency tests are split into separate city and highway runs. The city run was conducted on a variety of roads in South Mumbai with everything from jam packed traffic under the JJ Flyover to faster, more flowing traffic down Marine drive. After covering over 40km, the bike returned 22.96kpl. With that completed, we then covered about 60 kilometres of highway riding while holding speeds of 70-80kph. In this test, the BSA Gold Star’s mileage increased to 29.14kpl. 

BSA Gold Star 650: fuel economy analysis

It is worth noting that while these numbers are a little lower than the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, the BSA actually proved to be slightly quicker in our performance tests, despite being tested in wet conditions. 

The Gold Star weighs slightly less than the Enfield, but its big single cannot match the RE’s smooth parallel twin engine when it comes to fuel efficiency, although it makes up for this with more low and midrange torque than any other made in India motorcycle.

Autocar India’s fuel efficiency testing

Our fuel efficiency testing routine starts off by first brimming the tank and ensuring that the bike is running the manufacturer's recommended tyre pressures. The bike is then ridden on fixed city and highway routes, where we maintain pre-decided average speeds that best mimic real-world scenarios for the bike in question. The payload on the bikes is kept constant by balancing rider weights and ballast, ensuring consistency across different vehicles and riders. At the end of the test cycle, the fuel tank is once again filled to the brim, giving us an accurate figure of how much fuel has been consumed, against the trip metre reading.

Also See: BSA Gold Star 650 vs Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 comparison review

BSA Gold Star 650 road test, review

Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z real world fuel efficiency

Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z: fuel economy analysis

Autocar India’s fuel efficiency testing

I own a 10-year-old Audi Q5 diesel, which is in mint condition even after 1.2 lakh kilometres. It has performed flawlessly, apart from one sensor issue that the dealership rectified. I’ve spent about Rs 60,000 on it recently, including four new tyres and some suspension bushes. It runs like new now, and I’m absolutely in love with it. I don’t travel to Delhi-NCR much, but I’m in two minds if I should hold on to it or sell it due to its age.

Bonny Singh, Ajmer

Autocar India says: Our advice is to hang on to it. 2.0 TDI engines are brilliant and you can’t get a new car with them anymore. There is a certain pleasure in driving a diesel SUV, so enjoy it while you can! If you don’t go to Delhi-NCR very much, you are not too inconvenienced either, and we don’t think a diesel ban on 10-year-old cars will be imposed in Rajasthan in the near future.

Also See:

Deep Drive Podcast: Is diesel a good choice?

Maruti Suzuki recently launched the new fourth-generation Dzire with prices ranging between Rs 6.79 lakh and Rs 10.14 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). It continues to be based on the Swift hatchback, shares the same platform and engine but sports a differentiated look. It even goes one up on the equipment front. The new Dzire is available in four trims – LXi, VXi, ZXi and ZXi+ – and we take a close look at all the features you get in each trim.

2024 Maruti Suzuki Dzire trims, variants explained

The Dzire is powered by the same Z12E engine as the Swift: 82hp, 112Nm, 3-cylinder naturally aspirated. It’s available with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard on all four trims; the AMT is available on all but the base trim. The new Dzire also gets a CNG powertrain right from launch, available on the mid-spec VXi and ZXi trims. Coupled with a 5-speed manual gearbox, the Dzire produces 69.75hp and 101.8Nm in CNG spec.

The new Dzire’s ARAI-rated fuel efficiency figure is 24.79kpl in manual form and 25.71kpl in AMT guise. Meanwhile, in CNG spec, the Dzire returns a claimed efficiency of 33.73km/kg.

New Maruti Dzire variant-wise features

Maruti Dzire LXi: Rs 6.79 lakh

Powertrain: petrol-MT

• Projector halogen headlights
• LED tail-lights
• 14-inch steel wheels without covers
• Shark fin antenna
• Black and beige dual-tone interior
• Fabric seat upholstery
• Adjustable front seat headrests
• Analogue instrument cluster with MID (multi-information display)
• All four power windows
• Auto up/down for the driver-side window
• Keyless entry
• Manual AC
• Tilt-adjustable steering wheel
• Six airbags
• Rear defogger
• 3-point seat belts with reminders for all seats
• Electronic stability program (ESP)
• Hill-hold assist
• ABS with EBD
• Reverse parking sensors

Maruti Dzire VXi: Rs 7.79 lakh–8.74 lakh

Powertrain: petrol-MT, petrol-AMT, CNG-MT

• 14-inch steel wheels with covers
• Chrome finish on the front grille
• Turn indicators on wing mirrors
• Body-coloured door handles and wing mirrors
• Electrically adjustable and foldable wing mirrors
• Silver insert on dashboard
• 7-inch touchscreen
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• 4 speakers
• Steering-mounted controls
• OTA updates
• Voice assistant
• USB and Bluetooth connectivity
• Height-adjustable driver’s seat
• Adjustable rear headrests
• Day/night inside rearview mirror (IRVM)
• Front roof lamp
• Rear centre armrest with cupholders
• Rear AC vents

Maruti Dzire ZXi: Rs 8.89 lakh–9.84 lakh

Powertrain: petrol-MT, petrol-AMT, CNG-MT

• Auto LED headlights
• LED daytime running lamps
• 15-inch single-tone alloy wheels
• Chrome window garnish
• Silver trim and faux wood insert on dashboard
• Push button start/stop
• Wireless phone charger
• Key-operated boot opening
• Auto AC
• 6 speakers (including 2 tweeters)
• Connected car tech
• Reverse parking camera
• TPMS

Maruti Dzire ZXi+: Rs 9.69 lakh–10.14 lakh

Powertrain: petrol-MT, petrol-AMT

• 15-inch dual-tone alloys
• LED front fog lamps
• Front footwell illumination
• Leatherette-wrapped steering wheel
• 9-inch touchscreen
• Arkamys-tuned sound system
• Single-pane sunroof
• Coloured MID on instrument console
• Cruise control
• Auto-fold wing mirrors on locking the car
• 360-degree camera

Bookings for the new Dzire are ongoing for a token amount of Rs 11,000, and the introductory prices will be applicable till December 31, 2024. The Dzire rivals the Hyundai Aura, the Tata Tigor and the Honda Amaze, with the Amaze also due to receive an all-new generation next month.

Also See:

Maruti Dzire new vs old: price, engine, features comparison

2024 Maruti Suzuki Dzire review: India's favourite sedan massively updated

Ahead of its November 27 reveal, Honda India has teased the upcoming electric scooter for the first time. The teaser briefly gives us a glimpse at the scooter’s headlight, under which there’s a Honda logo. 

1. Headlight on Honda electric scooter is a LED unit
2. Design of headlight seems new, not shared with overseas Honda EVs

Honda electric scooter: Will it be called the Activa electric? 

Very little is known about the Honda electric scooter, which will be shown to us soon. From the teaser, all that can be made out is that this headlight is not shared with any overseas Honda electric scooter, those being the EM1 e: and the CUV e:. While the former has a claimed range of 48km, the latter can cover ‘over 70km’ on a single charge. 

It remains to be seen if Honda will repurpose one of its international electric scooters, and if it does so, which one exactly. Some years ago, the company also filed a few patent applications, which show an entirely new product, one that borrows some components from the popular Activa. 

Also See: Honda showcases electric scooter, e-bike concepts at EICMA 2024

Toyota had introduced Festival Limited Edition variants of the Glanza, Taisor and Hyryder a couple of months ago, with free dealer-level accessories. Now, Toyota is offering the same accessories packages at a discounted price on the Glanza, Taisor and Hyryder as part of year-end benefits.  

1. Glanza and Taisor get dealer-level accessories at discounted price
2. Other exclusive year-end offers extend to over Rs 1 lakh

Toyota Special Limited-Edition variants: what’s new?

All three cars essentially come with dealer-level accessories such as chrome highlights for the grilles and bumpers, 3D door mats, door visors and full body covers. These accessories can be availed on all trims of the Glanza, on the lower-spec E, S and S+ trims of the Taisor, and on the S, G and V trims of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder. These, however, cannot be opted for with the CNG variants of any car.

The accessory package on the Glanza is available for Rs 17,381 (down from Rs 20,567); the one for the Taisor costs Rs 17,931 (down from Rs 20,160), while the Hyryder’s accessories package is listed for Rs 50,817 (no change from regular price). These prices are applicable till December 31, 2024.

Apart from these accessories, customers can also avail of other exclusive year-end offers worth over Rs 1 lakh, although Toyota has not specified the exact nature of these benefits. Toyota is likely to have extended these benefits in an effort to clear stocks before the year-end. 

Also See:

Kia Syros name confirmed for upcoming compact SUV

New Honda Amaze exterior design, interior previewed

The fourth-gen Maruti Dzire is quite a departure from its predecessors in a lot of ways. Through the generations, this compact sedan has been based on the Swift hatchback, sharing the same chassis and powertrain options, among many other bits. However, with the latest-gen, there are quite a few differences between the two models, which is why this is going to be an in-depth comparison, on paper, between the new Dzire and Swift.

New Maruti Dzire vs Swift design

As mentioned above, the new Dzire has a distinct design when compared to the Swift, sharing almost nothing with the hatchback. The compact sedan looks more premium with its Audi-esque styling in the front, a smoother roofline, and the notchy boot.

In terms of size, the new Dzire is 5mm taller and 135mm longer, with the latter explaining the compact sedan's ability to carry an additional 117 litres worth of luggage in the boot. Interestingly, the base versions of both models weigh the same 920kg, while the higher versions of the Dzire, especially the CNG-equipped variants, weigh up to 35kg more.

It should be noted that the Swift comes with three dual-tone exterior colours – Sizzling Red with Midnight Black, Luster Blue with Midnight Black and Pearl Arctic White with Midnight Black – and six monotone options. Meanwhile, the Dzire gets a total of seven exterior finishes with no dual-tone options.

New Maruti Dzire vs Swift interior

On the inside, the new Dzire and Swift are far more closely linked. In fact, they have nearly identical dash layouts, from the size and shape of the side AC vents to the centrally mounted floating touchscreen. However, the compact sedan’s cabin gets a brighter beige and grey finish compared to the hatchback’s all-black one. In addition, the chrome strip that runs the length of the Dzire’s dashboard gets a kink near the central AC vents, which also has a marginally different trapezoidal design.

Coming to the features on offer in their respective range-topping forms, the Dzire comes with a longer list. Kit available on the Dzire that's not available on the Swift is a powered sunroof and a 360-degree camera. The rest of the features are identical, from the rear AC vents and climate control system to the 9-inch touchscreen, analogue dials and coloured MID.

New Maruti Dzire vs Swift engine

True to form, the new Dzire and Swift share the same Z12E three-cylinder petrol engine. The 1.2-litre unit produces the same 82hp and 112Nm of torque on petrol, 69.75hp and 101.8Nm of CNG, and comes with 5-speed manual and AMT options. Interestingly, while the heavier Dzire in petrol form is marginally less frugal than the Swift, the Dzire CNG goes 0.88km further on a kilo of gas than its hatchback counterpart.

New Maruti Dzire vs Swift price

For now, prices of the Dzire start Rs 30,000 higher than the Swift, which isn’t too much of a difference. Dzire AMT variants cost about Rs 50,000 more than the equivalent Swift variant, with the range-topping compact sedan being priced Rs 69,000 higher. Meanwhile, prices for the Dzire CNG are about Rs 54,000-64,000 higher than the Swift CNG’s.

Do note that prices for the Dzire are introductory, and will increase from January 2025. On paper then, the new Dzire seems to be quite a proposition when compared to the Swift. For not too much more money, the Dzire offers a more mature aesthetic and a longer list of features, along with being the more frugal model in CNG form.

Also see:

New Maruti Dzire variant-wise features, trims and prices explained

Maruti Dzire new vs old: price, engine, features comparison

Maruti Swift long term review, 1,200km report

Having facelifted the Taycan line-up earlier this year, Porsche has now unveiled three new variants – the Taycan GTS sedan, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo and Taycan 4 sedan – thereby completing the range, which now comprises 16 variants in total. Porsche calls this new middle-rung GTS the “all-rounder” variant of the updated electric performance car.

1. Taycan GTS variants use a 97kWh battery with 690hp
2. Base Taycan sedan gets four-wheel drive for the first time

Porsche Taycan GTS: range and specs

Sitting between the 4S and the Turbo, the new Taycan GTS and GTS Sport Turismo variants are fitted with a 97kWh (usable) battery pack, which officially yields a range of 628km between charges – an improvement of about 120km.

It now packs up to 700hp (when using the Launch Control function), an increase of 102hp over the old GTS, thanks to a new rear electric motor that makes 108hp and 40Nm more, yet weighs 10kg less. As such, the GTS’s 0-100kph sprint time is reduced by 0.4 seconds to 3.3 seconds. Porsche said the GTS also gets a specific suspension setup with a “particularly sporty edge”, although agility-boosting rear-wheel steering and the trick Active Ride system are optional extras.

Porsche Taycan GTS: exterior and interior

Visually, it’s distinguished by the ‘Sport’ front end from the base model and the 4S, and its air inlets are painted in a contrasting high-gloss black. The wheels, measuring either 20-inch or 21-inch, are available exclusively in Anthracite Grey.

Inside, both GTS variants get 18-way adjustable bucket seats finished in the suede-like Race-Tex fabric, and the multi-function steering wheel from the range-topping Taycan Turbo GT is available as an option. These also receive a bespoke acceleration and deceleration soundtrack that’s said “to do justice to the exhilarating character of a GTS”.

Porsche Taycan 4: what’s new?

The Taycan’s base variant was so far only available in rear-wheel drive form, but the new Taycan 4 variant brings the all-wheel-drive configuration. In terms of performance, depending on whether it gets the standard Performance battery or the optional Performance Plus battery, the Taycan 4 can produce up to 408hp or 435hp when using Launch Control and has a certified range of up to 643km.

The Taycan 4 takes 4.4 seconds to go from 0 to 100kph, 0.1 seconds faster than its rear-wheel-drive model sibling. Porsche Traction Management (PTM) and Adaptive Air Suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) are fitted as standard on the Taycan 4.

All three models also benefit from the updates in terms of design and equipment, which Porsche introduced in the Taycan for the 2025 model year. All Taycan versions feature an even more extensive standard equipment list and come with the latest generation of the Porsche Driver Experience.

Also See:

Mercedes AMG C 63 S E Performance launched at Rs 1.95 crore

Bentley pushes electrification plans due to lower demand

F1 has announced a new 2025 season launch event where all 10 teams will unveil their livery on February 18, marking the start of the championship’s 75th anniversary year. Tickets will be available for fans to attend the event, which will be held at London’s The O2.

1. F1 2025 launch event tickets go on sale on November 15
2. All 20 drivers will be present

F1 2025 season launch tickets, livestream

All 10 F1 teams will be unveiling their 2025 season liveries at the event. An official statement shared by F1 says the event will also feature interviews with key figures from the sport – including the drivers and team principals – as well as entertainment segments and special guest presenters.

The event will take place on February 18 from 8pm-10pm GMT (1:30am-3:30am IST) and ticket prices range from £58 to £113 (around Rs 6,200-12,000). Tickets go on sale on Friday, November 15.

For fans who can’t attend the event in person, there will also be a livestream. Further details on this will be revealed in the coming weeks.

“For the first time we will bring together our fans, all 20 superstars of our sport and some very special guests to officially kick off our new season and mark our 75th year of racing,” said Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula 1.

“With 2025 set to be a classic season following all the drama so far for 2024, this is a fantastic opportunity for fans of all ages to experience up-close the incredible entertainment spectacle that is Formula 1.”

Will teams show their real cars?

It is very unlikely that teams will showcase their final 2025 contenders at the event.

2025 F1 pre-season testing will take place from February 26-28 in Bahrain. Given that most teams will not want to give away any major secrets ahead of this, we can expect the launch event to largely feature show cars simply sporting the new liveries. But this has already been the case for several years now, with majority of the teams opting to share cleverly concealed renders or displaying show cars during their individual launch events.

What about traditional F1 launches?

This replaces the standard pre-season build-up where teams usually hold their own launch events across several weeks. However, F1 hasn’t confirmed whether this will be a permanent addition. For now, it’s simply been billed as a special event to celebrate the championship’s 75th anniversary.

Also see:

F1 2024: Verstappen wins Brazil GP from P17 on grid

I’ve been stuck on a motorcycle on a high-altitude pass before. I’ve been in -40deg Celsius at the Arctic circle a few years ago, and I’ve even woken up on a sack of flour in a dingy dhaba in the middle of a snowstorm and cried because it was so cold. So I like to think that I am pretty qualified for this crazy ride that Royal Enfield has planned.

This time, there is one crucial difference. All my previous such adventures have been for a day at the worst and an hour at best. This time, they say it will be nine sustained days of teeth chatter and no, my amma won’t be able to come save me when I’ve had enough.

I quickly pack Rs 7,000 worth (in excess baggage) of warm clothes and riding gear and buy enough thermals to own a controlling stake in Decathlon. This is not the usual cold-weather adventure, it can go very wrong. Also sending chills down my spine is when Royal Enfield delays the start of the trip by a couple of days because they want us to be in Kaza for the heaviest snowfall of the season. Hang on a minute! Don’t normal people try to avoid bad weather? I quickly make another trip to Decathlon and arrive at the starting point with my best frosty smile pasted on.

The start point is in Shimla and I’m told there will be seven slightly modified Royal Enfield Himalayan Sleets waiting for us. We will then attempt to ride to Kaza in Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh, via the only route that is open/maybe open at this time of the year. The e-mail from Royal Enfield promises minus polar bear temperatures, lots of black ice on the road and a small side note that tells us that a hot bath at the end of a cold ride will be impossible once we cross over into Spiti Valley. Am I nervous? You bet I am. I know from past experience that snow and ice are the most difficult surfaces to ride a motorcycle on. You need to be fit because every inch of progress on zero-traction surfaces like these is like clawing back victory from the icy fingers of winter. The problem with snow and ice is that they have this ability to make you go from full CS Santosh control to sliding on your donkey ass in exactly 0.1 milliseconds. Oh well, like Vijay Parmar (India’s Thierry Sabine for those not in the know) said, I asked for this.

GLOBAL WARMING

So far, that e-mail has failed to live up to its veiled threat. The sun is out but it is cold and for once, I seem to be wearing the right warm riding gear. That changes slightly when we get to the high point on the road. The first sign I get is when my toes start freezing. Painfully. The frosty bite of winter is seeping in through my boots and woollen socks and robbing my toes of feel.

I am also a very clever fellow obviously, because, in my bid to take a few photographs at the helipad at Nako, I’ve exposed my fingers to the knife-edged wind that is blowing through the place. I now have frozen toes and fingers. I look back now and thank god I didn’t feel the need to answer nature’s call at that point.

I quickly stuff my hands into the rain mitts that have been fitted on the Sleets and turn on the heated grips to 80 percent heat. It takes a while for the grips to warm up and in that while, every clutch pull and every two-finger front brake application is agony. A few kilometres up, there is ice on the road at Malling Nallah – the crossover into Spiti. We finally seem to be leaving the everyday comforts we take for granted behind.

I’m told we can forget about heated hotel rooms and running water. From now on, the water I brush my teeth with is so icy it scalds, and every time I smile at the face of adversity, my dry lips crack painfully. No amount of slathered Burt’s Bees helps (Vaseline does a better job, though), and anyone using anything other than a BSNL network can forget about their daily social media updates. I am surprised that the usual signs of AMS – the slower thought process, slight nausea, the mild headaches – aren’t hitting me. Vijay Parmar tells me that because it is so cold right now, the air up here is denser. We are, in effect, breathing like a K&N cold air filter. How cool is that!

That night at a homestay in Tabo, we huddle around a bukhari sipping on soup and rum. I learn certain rules of a mountain home chief, of which is that if you leave the room for whatever reason, you close the door behind you and when you come back, you bring two logs of wood from the pile outside to keep the fire going. I step out and stare in wonder at the diamond carpet high above me before my rapidly depleting body heat forces me under three blankets, a down jacket and uneasy sleep. There is still no sign of snow.

WE WILL GO AND FIND IT THEN

Apparently, when it snows, it isn’t as cold as when it is not snowing. Either that or you are working so hard to get the bike through deep snow that you forget how cold it is. I think it is the latter because I’ve been struggling to ride up a slope covered in one-and-a-half feet of snow. We stopped before attempting the climb to that little village in Pin Valley National Park and fitted snow chains, but even that is not helping. The bike is bogging down and I’m having to walk it up the slope – engine on, first gear, clutch out, revs up. At 12,000ft, this little exercise that I execute so easily in Idukki’s mud is making me curse the cigarette I had with my chai earlier that morning. And then, the snowy patch hardens into a sheet of ice that runs across our temporary ski slope – it is a stream that froze and drops over the edge into a short but promisingly painful trip to the river below. I freeze but that’s the wrong thing to do. Ice is like an oil slick with a sprinkling of banana peel on it, so you want to ride the bike like you are walking on a slippery bathroom floor – no sudden movements or panicking allowed. In fact, you shouldn’t even think because in the time it takes to think, you will land your ass on a cold hard surface. Because it is a short stretch of ice, you ride up to it as slowly as you can, pull the clutch in and let the bike simply roll over the treacherously slick surface. The deep snow at the other side seems like a Velcro patch after that. I can feel my heart beating furiously, my mouth is dry and I find myself breathing like a locomotive. I take a few sips from my hydration pack, find a place where the side-stand won’t sink into the ground and watch in guilty glee as the others behind me struggle up the same slope in a mix of heavy breathing and flying snow.     

Pin Valley is beautiful at this time of year. We haven’t seen a soul all morning; I haven’t seen snow this white ever and the razor-sharp peaks of the Himalayas etched against that cobalt blue sky makes me briefly think that all this talk about global warming is nonsense. But it isn’t. The slopes on the south side are devoid of snow because well, it hasn’t snowed. Phuentshok, our host for the night in Tabo tells us it hasn’t snowed here since November and that this place should be under a ton of snow by now. It is a scary thought.

THE POND

What I love about the Himalayan is that it is so easy to manage off-road. It has good ground clearance like every dual-sport bike should have, but the seat isn’t high off the ground like every other dual-sport bike’s is. This means I can get my feet on the ground comfortably and that means I am way more confident on it than I am on my Triumph Tiger back home. On the dirt/gravel sections, as we head to Kaza later that evening, I find myself doing speeds I wouldn’t dare do on a bigger motorcycle. That the Himalayan has very modest power means I have that poor engine on its throttle stop most of the time. I won’t lie though. I did wish many times that it had a bit more power, but then again, I will tell you that the bike is fun because it is unintimidating.

Now, because we are supposed to be buried in snow today and because it still hasn’t snowed, we decide to head higher up from the 12,000ft valley floor towards Kibber. We find a small pond that’s frozen over. I decide I am very clever again and fit the snow chains on my bike without gloves on. Cold air, cold metal, no feeling in the fingers. I ride nervously out onto the broad basin of the pond and promptly have the bike wash out from under me. Me falling breaks the ice (figuratively, not literally) and I am soon surrounded by six other bikes all hooning around the relatively broad basin of white. We drag raced on it, went sliding across the ice on our collective asses multiple times, tried our hands at flat tracking – it was an incredible high. It is cold but we’ve forgotten how cold it is and everyone’s face mirrors the same feeling – up there in the cold at 14,000ft with no one but us watching, freedom kicked in. Moments like this make me glad to be alive.

WHITEOUT

Through the ride, I’ve learned that there are different kinds of snow that you ride on. There’s deep snow which is an absolute workout to ride through, there’s ice covered by a thin layer of snow that is treacherous to ride on and there’s the third kind – the kind we get on the last day of the ride out from Kalpa.

Ironically, we’ve had to leave Spiti Valley to get proper snowfall and overnight at Kalpa, a ton of the stuff has come down and turned the landscape fairy-tale white. The third kind of snow is now what we have to ride on and, to my delight, I discover that it is the most enjoyable sort. The road down to Reckong Peo is tarmac and on it is a few inches of snow. It is here that the snow chains work their best because they find enough traction on those few inches and there’s grip underneath. The residents of Kalpa stay in their warm houses as we ride down that road surrounded by tall pine trees and crisp, clean air. I learn to use the power and slide the rear wheel around hairpins; I learn that this kind of snow lets you take liberties, and I am genuinely sad that from here to Shimla and beyond is now a long road back to normal life.

That night, as we sit around a table and share war stories, I realise what a kickass ride this has been. The struggle through the snow, the heart-in-the-mouth moments over ice, the biting cold, the billion stars on a pitch-black night and the incredibly close relationships you build with total strangers when you sit around a warm fire in the middle of nowhere is what made this trip for me. The chaps from Royal Enfield tell me that this ride was a ‘testing the waters’ kind of ride and they plan to include it in next year’s ride calendar, which in turn means we were guinea pigs. If this is what being a guinea pig feels like, sign me up for the next one, please.

BIKE PREP

A few minor modifications were all that was necessary to get these Himalayan Sleets ready for the snow ride. The engine oil was changed to fully synthetic 5W-40 grade to battle the expected below-freezing temperatures, and the drive chain had to be cleaned and lubricated almost every day because regular chain lubes don’t last long in these temperatures. Also, the foot peg rubbers were removed so our boots would grip them better. Then, of course, there were the Mizuno snow chains without which traversing the snow and ice stretches would have been very difficult.

For our comfort, Royal Enfield fitted the bikes with rain mitts as well as heated grips from a company called Oxford. That’s it. That was all that was needed.

RIDER PREP

You are going to ride through extreme temperatures, and if you get your riding gear wrong, it will ruin your ride. Here’s what I used to stay warm:

• SOL SS-1 ADV helmet
• Scott Recoil XI goggles
• Alpinestars Touring winter balaclava
• Royal Enfield Darcha all-weather jacket with rain and warm liners
• Triumph Navigator gloves
• Royal Enfield Darcha pants with rain liner
• Two layers of Decathlon thermal inner wear
• Decathlon woollen socks
• Sidi On Road Gore-Tex boots (worked brilliantly off-road)
• Decathlon 2-litre hydration pack

Also, remember to try on all your gear to make sure they fit well before the ride. Discovering your boots don’t have space for the extra thickness of the woollen socks, a night before the ride, can be a bummer.

OUSEPH CHACKO

To our readers outside of Mumbai, we apologise. Let there be no doubt, we had an absolute blast last month letting a Lamborghini V10 sing its greatest hits through the acoustic chamber that is India’s first undersea tunnel – part of Mumbai’s Coastal Road project. But we concede that some of you who don’t live here, engineering feat aside, might have wondered what all the fuss was about. Allow us to explain.

In other big metros, huge road infra is not unusual; heck, the average service road in Delhi is wider than parts of our Western Express Highway. For us Mumbaikars, then, a big new road is nothing short of a revelation. The reason is simple – Mumbai is a collection of islands, conjoined artificially, that snakes southward in a roughly peninsular shape parallel to mainland India. And it’s narrow, dense and heavily built up, which is why we can’t have wide roads or endless flyovers. The Coastal Road project posits the solution of transplanting the highway alongside the city, in the Arabian Sea no less; and for the 2km stretch we drove last month, underneath it.

For now, the only part of this ambitious new project open to the public is the southernmost section, connecting the hub suburb of Worli to the Princess Street junction at Marine Drive, just before the busy business district of Nariman Point. Eventually, the Coastal Road will join up to the northern suburbs as well, but even this small patch is said to have eased up congestion considerably on this final leg of the officegoer’s commute. But just how much has it eased up?

It’s Nikhil’s first time on the new road and suffice it to say, the sheer magnitude makes it a little distracting. The two-lane on-ramp takes a cautiously wide and gentle curve, and moments later comes a sight none of us have ever seen before. It’s our familiar city from an entirely different angle and perspective, and not since the Bandra-Worli Sea Link opened 14 years ago have we been hit with such a sense of novelty. He’s also having to remind himself that the speed limit has gone up to 80kph, which was thus far unheard of in the heart of the city, and possible thanks to the 3-lane width of this new road.

Moments later, he’s soaring past the NSCI stadium and Mahalaxmi Race Course on his left, and water-locked Haji Ali Dargah is below him on the right. This is proving to be less a race, and more an exercise in time travel. All around, one can see new on-and-off ramps ribboning into view and joining up with the main road, the impact of which is only amplified by the sea all around. Even at this early stage of development, you can see the new walking promenade and parks being built alongside, which should add some greenery to this monument in concrete.

Next thing you know, the final off-ramp to Breach Candy (and several other affluent SoBo neighbourhoods) flits by, and in the distance, the mouth of the tunnel appears. That can’t be right. Nikhil checks his watch in disbelief, and indeed, it’s only 9:55am. Five minutes from Worli to Breach Candy! Yes, there’s a bit of traffic now as all the tributaries have joined the river, but it’s hardly what you’d call bumper-to-bumper.

The speed limit drop from 80 to 60 in the tunnel feels agonising, especially when we saw what a Lambo unleashed felt like just last month. But then, as they hop onto Marine Drive where the old and new roads meet, the traffic is back! The final 2km is the same as it ever was – a crawl past Wankhede and Brabourne stadiums into the crowded business district and our destination. Still, it must be better than the classic route, right?

Well, no actually. Having broken off from the Tucson at Worli, the Comet and I are buzzing down past the Nehru Science Centre, with only a few meandering cabbies slowing us down. I drive past the second on-ramp to the new road that I’m tempted to take, but of course, I can’t. From this angle, too, seeing the ‘spaghetti junction’ of ramps over the bay is an astonishing sight; the horizon I’ve grown up with is altered forever. But even amidst the wonder, I can’t help but realise, I’m making good time. It’s at the popular Heera Panna shopping centre junction that I realise my biggest downfall will be stop lights, and every moment sitting still reminds me that the new road is signal free.

Instead, I find him still in discussion with the photographers and crew, preparing them for the money shot of my arrival – something they thought wouldn’t happen for a while longer. I see visible bewilderment as I park alongside the Tucson and step outside. “Did you also take the Coastal Road?” Nikhil asks. Surely it wasn’t that close; 15 minutes apart? 12?

Also see:

Howling through the Mumbai Coastal Road Tunnel in a Lamborghini Huracan Video

Driving on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link video

Exactly 25 years ago, in September 1999, Autocar India started its innings with the new Ford Ikon on the cover. A world exclusive, the story showcased Ford’s new sedan for India, powered by the powerful and responsive 1.6-litre Rocam engine. The car was a delight to drive, the engine was super responsive, and this set the tone for the future of Ford in India. The even bigger story, though, was that this was Ford’s first new car after the Mahindra-Ford JV had been dissolved.

Fast forward 25 years and Ford India is set to make a comeback after its planned Mahindra alliance was aborted. Talk about history repeating itself. And the Ford that is likely to go on sale first is the 2024 Everest. Previously known as the Endeavour in India, Ford’s new Everest is an SUV that is much missed here. A more sophisticated rival to Toyota’s Fortuner, Ford’s big SUV always rode better, drove better and was more luxurious and comfortable inside.

The plan

Now, with the closest place we could get our hands on Ford’s Everest being Nepal, and Ford almost certain to retain the Everest name in India (for the first time), we just had to try and drive the Everest up to where we could see Mt Everest. You can catch a glimpse of the famous mountain from the top of a hill not too far from Kathmandu, called Nagarkot. Getting to Nagarkot, however, involves a long ascent where you climb almost a kilometre, and once up, there’s no guarantee we’ll be able to see Sagarmatha or ‘head of the sky’ as Mt Everest is called in Nepali. The mountain is around 110km away and appears as a small peak between two closer (so ‘taller’ looking) peaks. And that’s not it; with monsoon clouds bouncing off the high Himalayas and collecting at their base at this time of  year, we’ll need a gap in the high clouds to see it. 

Familiar but different

Nepal initially feels very familiar. There are plenty of Tatas, Mahindras and Marutis present and the drivers in Nepal seem to have graduated from the same driving schools as drivers in India. Bikes slip though every gap, drivers here practice the same ‘cut, thrust and parry’ and not even monks practice defensive driving. 

Coming face to face with the new Everest at the Go Ford dealership gives me some succour. It looks even more imposing and larger. And around the side, it gives me the impression of being larger than even the Endeavour we had in India. Marginally longer and built on a 40mm longer wheelbase, the real reason it looks bigger, however, is that this big body-on-frame SUV is now even more block like.

The nose is wider and more square and the ‘C’-shaped LEDs that frame the headlight clusters accentuate the width. The flat bonnet is also full of cuts and creases, the chrome bars that flank the Ford logo give the bluff cowl a modern look and what also adds muscle are the mildly flared fenders. In profile, the big 20-inch wheels help give this big SUV a solid, planted look, and I really like the ‘tough’ two-tone design of the alloys. The bi-turbo badge below the fender tells us this diesel has two turbos placed in series. Go back further and the widened rear fenders help give the Everest a nice wide stance from the rear as well. The cabin isn’t too tall, it’s nicely tucked in from the lower body and what really catches my eye are the clear tail-lights that light up bright red. I even like the manner in which the word Everest has been boldly emblazoned across the rear. 

Endeavour, expidition

It’s afternoon by the time we leave Kathmandu. The traffic hasn’t gotten any better and slipping this massive supertanker into the stream of traffic proves to be tricky. The arterial roads we initially traverse are narrow and full of parked vehicles, so I really have to inch forward carefully. Visibility from the driver’s seat is good, and the light and very accurate steering makes it easy to place the Everest; important in a vehicle of this bulk. The steering doesn’t quite seem to have the heft of the earlier Endeavour, but the Everest’s steering is quicker at low speeds. That, along with the relative lack of effort to twirl it, sort of makes this bulky SUV feel a bit easier to manage. 

As we leave the confines of the city and get onto faster roads, I notice that the ride is very comfortable. It isn’t just the bump absorption, that SUVs like this one normally ace it’s also the refinement, the flat ride and the relative lack of secondary movement associated with a body-on-frame SUV like this. Ride isn’t pillow soft, but the manner in which the Everest absorbs a section of bad road – silently, smoothly and without any hint of heave-ho – makes it both comfortable to sit in and effortless to drive. I just don’t need to slow down unless the holes are particularly large and deep. And the Everest also feels very stable at speed. It even feels more planted the faster you go; Ford’s big boy really does give you plenty of confidence to press on.

The climb

Once we turn off for Nagarkot, we transition onto some wide ghat roads that sweep around in a nice flow. Leading us ever upwards, the wide sweepers are well paved for the most part. Since there’s practically no traffic, I can really enjoy the drive up. The big takeaway here is that the Everest feels light on its feet and ever ready to change direction. 

And it isn’t just the quick steering, it’s a combination of factors. One key contributor has to be Ford’s superb body control and poise. Almost always comfortable in a corner, it feels well balanced and ever willing to alter its line. This is a clear step up on the last-gen Endeavour sold in our market and the confidence it delivers from behind the wheel means you always feel relaxed and enjoy going quicker. Wish the brakes had more bite though. The only time you ‘feel’ the weight of the Everest is when you have to get relatively hard on the brakes. More initial bite and better pedal feel needed here for sure.  

Half way through our one kilometre or so climb, we run into what feels like a mini cloudburst. Rivulets of water stream down the ghats and we have to clamber over some small rocks that have run down along with the water and silt. The Everest just takes everything in its stride, casually hopping over everything. 

As we carry on our way up the mountain, now looking down on the weather below, what I also realise is that the bi-turbo engine contributes significantly to the Everest’s  effortless nature. Incidentally, the engine’s still made in India, and it’s smooth, refined and always on the boil. Refinement, in fact, is so good, it feels like a new generation of engine. And what I especially like is how quickly it responds to a tap on the throttle. With 210hp and 500Nm of torque, it clearly can deliver the goods at higher engine speeds. And here, too, there is no hesitation. There are no flat spots and no surges over practically the entire rev range. And that’s despite the engine being driven by a pair of turbos in sequence; something that’s difficult to do. Not sure how seamlessly this engine will transition from its current EU IV state of tune to our BS VI equivalent, though.

Even the 10-speed automatic gearbox feels more responsive and intuitive. It still shifts up too early when you lift off the throttle to cruise and only comes a gear down, instead of two, when you tap the throttle. Still, the gearbox works better with this bi-turbo engine as the small turbo spins easily providing sufficient boost at low engine speeds. What irks is that there are no paddles on the steering wheel, only fiddly plus and minus buttons on the gear lever; odd on an otherwise well-specified SUV. What’s cool, however, is how the electrically driven gear selector returns on its own to P if you open the door or even switch the car off in D; remember to try it.  

Looking out, looking in

We only reach the top of Nagarkot at sundown. Our weather app says there should be a small window the next morning, especially when it comes to medium clouds, and that’s just what we are hoping for.

The next morning, though, it all seems pointless – we are enveloped in cloud. So we begin to shoot the exterior; details, highlights and some bits inside the cabin that are well lit. Then, just as we are about to give up hope, a sliver of light opens out, with the gap getting larger every minute. Soon, we can see many peaks close to us and some of the high Himalayas in the distance. We quickly look in the direction of the Everest using our GPS and train our cameras on the dark peak; it’s often the one with the least snow on it because of the high winds. But now, the clouds are back – in batches – drawing a veil of white over the range on and off. Clouds bubbling up from below as the earth heats up. More gaps open later and we see what we think is the Everest.

But the clouds cover it again, and with nothing to do but wait, I decide to take a closer look at the cabin. There’s loads to like here and my attention is initially drawn to how it feels like there’s a bit more space inside. This Everest feels wider and there appears to be more driver space. This version also gets powered and cooled front seats that are big and comfortable even on long drives. 

What I am drawn to next is the 12-inch Tesla-like screen with its portrait orientation and sharp details. Apple CarPlay works nicely here and what’s neat is that you can scale up Apple CarPlay at the touch of a button. The screen runs Ford’s Sync 4A software and what’s also Tesla-like here is that you get a digital sketchpad; for when you are waiting and the kids are bored. It’s only software, so why not. You also get a 360-degree camera and, as earlier, a valet mode.

The Everest also gets a full suite of ADAS functions, with pre-collision assist and automatic emergency braking. The version we are driving has 4X2, 4X4 and 4-low modes, accessible via a dial. In addition, you can select various off-road modes: tow (which is new), slippery, mud and ruts, and sand. Do this and the display even pops up and tells you how the four-wheel-drive system is being optimised with locking diffs, à la Range Rover.

The touchscreen has fan and temperature controls, but there is also a set of physical air-con control knobs and buttons.

Narrow door pockets apart, storage and stowage are also decent. The square elbow box is huge, the twin gloveboxes manage a good amount of room between them and there are full-sized cup holders and a tray to keep knick knacks below the central console. The black on black dash, however, looks more utilitarian than upmarket, and plastic quality in and around the central console is only ordinary. Ford will certainly need a more upmarket version of the Everest for the Indian market. And while the digital instrument panel proffers up some great graphics, the ‘digital’ tachometer and small temperature, fuel and oil pressure gauges on the instrument panel need to be more legible. Come on Ford, this is easy.

Space in the second row of the Everest is also improved. Legroom and even headroom are more than sufficient, and as the cabin is wider, there seems to be more space in general. The seat is set a bit low, so the seating position is a bit knees-up. You can, however, slide the second-row bench forwards or back and the backrest can be reclined as well. You also get a blower control in the back as well as a regular plug point, so you can charge or power even laptops.

There’s also a bit more room in the third row, especially after optimising and adjusting the space used for the first and second row. Getting in isn’t easy, but once you are in, short journeys are sort of manageable. 

What the Everest also gets, even three rows up, is a fair amount of boot space. You can stack around four pieces of hand baggage in the back or even two big bags. The third row seats can be folded electrically (up and down) for more space.

Up where it belongs

Ford’s new Everest is a full-size SUV that ticks almost every single checkbox. And it is a long list. Big, bold, spacious, comfortable and well-equipped, the new Everest is a large-sized body-on-frame SUV that delivers a solid build, real off-road ability and is practical. It is also refined, sophisticated, easy, effortless and enjoyable to drive. It drives so well, in fact, that it feels like it’s built on a monocoque chassis. 

Then there’s the bi-turbo diesel, which is smooth, punchy and responsive. You do miss having paddle shifters, and Ford needs to look at a more upmarket version of the Everest, with a higher quality dash (in particular). But, be in no doubt Ford, when you eventually decide to make a return, this is the SUV to do it with. 

FORD’S COMEBACK

When will Ford return to India? This is a question that is difficult to answer. What we can tell you, however, is that Ford has held on to its plant in Chennai and is currently working on a plan to make a comeback. And from what we hear, the Everest is part of that plan. Ford is likely to assemble the car here in India, just as it did earlier, and it is also likely to use the Sanand-made diesel engine. There’s even a bi-turbo 3.0 V6 diesel that makes 250hp and 600Nm of torque if Ford wants to get the Everest in as an import, and that sure will get the attention of SUV lovers.

Also see:

Bill Ford pays tribute to Ratan Tata, clarifies 'Detroit meeting' stories

Ford confirms restart of manufacturing in India

Ford Everest Tremor with off-road upgrades revealed

The bike you see here is emissions-compliant, ABS-enabled, and saree guard-equipped, which means it can be registered for road use in our country. That’s a big deal because no Japanese manufacturer has yet attempted to sell one of its road-legal dual sport motorcycles in India, and for that reason alone, Kawasaki deserves your praise. But does it also deserve your money? And how much should you be willing to spend on this motorcycle? 

Kawasaki KLX230 design, underpinnings, seat height

What goes in the KLX’s favour is that it’s the real deal. This is a proper, purpose-built dual-sport motorcycle with a perimeter chassis, 21-inch/18-inch wheels, and exactly the sort of uncompromising ergonomics and bodywork you’d want to see. Long-travel suspension with 240mm/250mm of front/rear travel and 265mm of ground clearance are impressive numbers that make for a wonderful pairing with a low 139kg kerb weight.

With an authentic dirt bike form factor must come a tall seat, and the KLX’s stands at a towering 880mm. That’s a frightful number for a market that’s deeply sensitive to tall seats, but bear in mind that this bike is much slimmer than your regular motorcycle, which makes reaching the ground a little easier than the number suggests. Some of my colleagues, who were about 5’7” tall, found themselves on tip-toes but able to manage.

Another side effect of the slim proportions is a tiny 7.6-litre fuel tank, but the KLX’s mellow engine should help stretch the fuel range decently far. The simple air-cooled, 2-valve, 233cc single-cylinder motor sends a humble 18.1hp and 18.3Nm to the rear wheel via a 6-speed gearbox.

Those numbers may sound quite underwhelming, but in an off-road scenario, the performance is more than enough to keep you engaged without being intimidating. First gear is very short, and I found myself in second and third most of the time. A small dab of the light clutch lever gives you a decent kick of power if you need to raise the front wheel over a crest, and there’s enough juice to slide the rear wheel around in the first few gears as well. At the same time, the power also felt completely trustworthy, with no threats of the bike snapping out of control. This is just the sort of performance that a newer off-road rider would enjoy on their journey towards becoming more skilled.

Kawasaki KLX230 off-road ability

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to try the KLX out on the road, so how it functions as a street bike remains to be seen, but a few safe assumptions can be made. The first is that it won’t be very comfortable for long durations with that thin seat, and the engine probably isn’t geared for easy high-speed cruising either. That being said, the motor feels impressively refined, even when hammering it at redlining speeds off-road.

The MRF tyres that Kawasaki India has equipped this bike with were quite decent on dry, muddy terrain, but you’ll want something more off-road appropriate to properly exploit the bike. While the KLX is designed to look like one of Kawasaki’s angry KX motocross racers, it’s actually quite a gentle thing. The non-adjustable suspension is absorptive and can take in some pretty big hits, but it’s also on the soft side, which makes it easier for less-skilled riders to read the terrain underneath. The braking works well off-road, and you can deactivate the ABS (front and rear) with the push of a button. What I also like is that, despite this being a relatively small bike in Kawasaki’s off-road line-up, it’s still a physically large machine and will fit bigger riders as well.

By definition, this is a simple, lightweight motorcycle, so don’t expect much in the way of features. That being said, it’s not all bad. It gets a good-looking LED headlamp and a clean LCD that includes ‘luxuries’ like a clock, a fuel gauge, and even Bluetooth compatibility. Jokes aside, the only thing some folks might miss in the display is a gear position indicator.

Kawasaki KLX230 verdict and expected price

To sum up, I am not as good an off-road rider as I’d like to be, and this is exactly the sort of bike I’d like to spend some time on in the process of getting better. The fact that Kawasaki is going through the pains of bringing this bike to our market alone deserves your appreciation. However, if you’ve been following our news on this bike over the past few months, you’ll have noticed that we reported Kawasaki was working on localising the KLX for our market and that its target price would be around Rs 2 lakh, which would make it a fantastic rival to the Hero Xpulse. 

However, the localisation process is still underway, and Kawasaki has decided to bring the bike here as a CKD import for the time being. That means the price will not be as tempting as we hoped, at least not at the start. We were given to understand at the launch event that a price between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, ex-showroom, is fair to expect, which is not bad but not great either. We’ll know for sure when Kawasaki formally reveals the price at the India Bike Week in early December.

There are two ways to look at this. The first is that it means the KLX will cost very close to the likes of the Himalayan 450, which will undoubtedly be a turn-off for many. The other perspective is that you’ll finally be able to get your hands on a road-legal, quality Japanese dual-sport for a realistic sum of money, and that will undoubtedly be music to some ears.

With the way things currently stand, I believe that this bike will find takers, even if it will be quite niche. However, I also believe that Kawasaki would find more success if they brought in the KLX 230 S as well, which is essentially the same motorcycle with reduced suspension travel and a more palatable 845mm seat height.

Nevertheless, what’s without doubt is that we’re lucky to finally have the option of a bike like this, and I’m looking forward to spending more time with it.

Also See: Kawasaki KLX230 video review

It’s hard not to get carried away when riding on mountain roads in Southern California. Maybe it's the crisp, cool high-altitude air that tricks you into feeling relaxed, even when the speeds are anything but. We certainly got carried away in the twisties during our first ride aboard the new Royal Enfield Bear 650, and it wasn’t entirely to do with that cool mountain air. Confused? Understandable. After all, why should a scrambler-ised version of the already hefty and not very sharp Interceptor be egging us on in the corners? Well, as it turns out, the Bear is much more than just a scrambler-ised Interceptor.

Royal Enfield Bear 650: design, features

Sure, many of the changes have been made with the intent of making the Bear better suited to off-roading. You’ve now got an upside-down fork (in place of the Interceptor’s conventional unit) offering more travel – up from 110mm to 130mm. It’s a similar story at the rear, too; the Bear sticks with a twin shock setup, but travel has grown from 88mm to 115mm. As a result, seat height and ground clearance have also increased, and now stand at 830mm and 184mm, respectively.

But to accommodate the new suspension components and adapt the bike to its more off-road-focused role, Royal Enfield has had to strengthen the frame in multiple areas. It’s the same basic frame as the Interceptor, but it has now been braced in various areas to add strength and stiffness, and the sub-frame has been revised as well. The end result is a chassis that feels noticeably stiffer than the Interceptor’s. Attacking corners hard, the Bear does feels hinged in the middle, and the sort of mid-corner bumps that would have the Interceptor wobbling and wallowing all over the place are simply shrugged off.

There’s great feedback and you really have the confidence to keep carrying more speed into a corner, and leaning further and further, despite the more off-road centric 19in/17in wheel on offer. This is also, in no small part, down to the excellent new tyres wrapped around those wheels – you’re unlikely to have heard of the MRF Nylorex tyres before and that’s because they’re a new dual-purpose model that have been developed specifically for this motorcycle. Despite the blocky pattern, the grip, profile and predictably on the road were superb, and there were no complaints when on tarmac.

Part of the Bear’s playfulness in the twisties can also be attributed to the suspension setup. The front fork strikes a nice balance between comfort and performance, but the shocks feel rather firm and unforgiving. This was the case across riders of different weights, even at the minimum preload setting. On the largely excellent Californian tarmac, it wasn’t a deal-breaker, but the firm edge could be felt, and rough patches translated to my backside without sufficient mitigation. How this setup fares on the less than perfect roads back home is something we’ll have to find out in due course.

Royal Enfield Bear 650: performance, ergonomics

Many of the numbers are bigger with the new Bear, and while most of that is good, one big number that’s got some people a little apprehensive is the seat height. Yes, 830mm is definitely on the taller side – I’m not very tall, only 5’8”, which means I can’t flat-foot both feet. That said, it isn’t unmanageable either, and with a little bit of forward planning, you can comfortably pick either one side to flat-foot. It also helps that the footpegs are now a little further forward, so they don’t foul your shins as much.

The other change to the riding position is the handlebar, which is wider and a little further away from you. The wider part is nice, it gives you more leverage over the bike, which I like. The further away part, I’m not such a fan of – it’s a bit more of a forward reach than I’d like, and if you’re short like me, then this could become a point of fatigue over long rides.

On the upside, this is now a lighter motorcycle than the model it’s based on. Moving to this new 2-into-1 exhaust setup has helped shed a bunch of weight, though some of that has been added back through the suspension and the frame strengthening. Nevertheless, it is still 2kg lighter than the Interceptor. However, at 216kg, still a fairly hefty motorcycle. You only really feel this at low speeds and when paddling about, and once you’re on the move, the Bear masks its weight rather well. The new exhaust has done more than just trimming the weight – it’s also allowed RE to squeeze out some more torque from the motor; it now produces 56.5Nm vs the 52Nm we’ve seen from it so far.

So the engine feels a little more punchy now, while still remaining the pleasant, fairly refined, characterful motor that we’ve fallen in love with over the last 6 years. The new exhaust has slightly changed the sound, though. It exits a little closer to you and doesn’t run quite as far back as the twin-pipe designs, which is one of the factors at play. Overall, it’s a little more braap-y and raspy, as opposed to the more sweet-sounding twin pipe 650s. I think this suits the character of the Bear rather well.

Royal Enfield Bear 650: off-road performance

Now, we come to the big question of off-road performance. We didn’t have a great deal of opportunity to ride the Bear off-road – we only got a short spin up and down a fairly simple gravel track. But the feeling is that this is definitely more of a soft-roader than a hardcore off-roader. The suspension can absorb some hits, up to a point, and these new tyres seem to work well off-road.

The rear ABS can also be turned off. So yes, you can have some fun off-road. But the weight makes its presence felt, and the ergos are halfway between on-road and off-road, so this is not a bike you’d want to push very hard when the tarmac runs out. But you won’t have to turn around either.

Turning off that rear ABS is done through a fully-digital TFT display –  this is the first Royal Enfield 650 to get one, and it’s the same unit you’ll find on the Himalayan. Which means, you also get features like Bluetooth connectivity and Google Maps integration. It’s also the first RE 650 to get full-LED lighting. The only other noteworthy feature is a USB charging port, but as is the case with all REs now, there is a comprehensive list of accessories that covers the usual suspects, like touring mirrors and a touring seat, as well as more scrambler-specific items like a sump guard and a headlight grille.

Royal Enfield Bear 650: Verdict

The final piece of the puzzle is the price – and starting at Rs 3.39 lakh (ex-showroom, Chennai) and going up to Rs 3.59 lakh (ex-showroom, Chennai), the Bear sits between the Interceptor and GT on one end and the Shotgun and Super Meteor on the other. Having ridden it around California, it feels like the most versatile and competent RE 650 today. It can cruise, it can tour, it can commute, you can corner pretty hard – it’s a great road bike – and it’s got some off-road ability as well. But how much of a pain the firm suspension setup will be back home in India is something we’ll only be able to tell you a little further down the road. Test rides and deliveries begin on November 10, so it shouldn’t be too long before we find out.

Also See: Royal Enfield Bear 650 video review

The bike you see here is emissions-compliant, ABS-enabled, and saree guard-equipped, which means it can be registered for road use in our country. That’s a big deal because no Japanese manufacturer has yet attempted to sell one of its road-legal dual sport motorcycles in India, and for that reason alone, Kawasaki deserves your praise. But does it also deserve your money? And how much should you be willing to spend on this motorcycle? 

Kawasaki KLX230 design, underpinnings, seat height

What goes in the KLX’s favour is that it’s the real deal. This is a proper, purpose-built dual-sport motorcycle with a perimeter chassis, 21-inch/18-inch wheels, and exactly the sort of uncompromising ergonomics and bodywork you’d want to see. Long-travel suspension with 240mm/250mm of front/rear travel and 265mm of ground clearance are impressive numbers that make for a wonderful pairing with a low 139kg kerb weight.

With an authentic dirt bike form factor must come a tall seat, and the KLX’s stands at a towering 880mm. That’s a frightful number for a market that’s deeply sensitive to tall seats, but bear in mind that this bike is much slimmer than your regular motorcycle, which makes reaching the ground a little easier than the number suggests. Some of my colleagues, who were about 5’7” tall, found themselves on tip-toes but able to manage.

Another side effect of the slim proportions is a tiny 7.6-litre fuel tank, but the KLX’s mellow engine should help stretch the fuel range decently far. The simple air-cooled, 2-valve, 233cc single-cylinder motor sends a humble 18.1hp and 18.3Nm to the rear wheel via a 6-speed gearbox.

Those numbers may sound quite underwhelming, but in an off-road scenario, the performance is more than enough to keep you engaged without being intimidating. First gear is very short, and I found myself in second and third most of the time. A small dab of the light clutch lever gives you a decent kick of power if you need to raise the front wheel over a crest, and there’s enough juice to slide the rear wheel around in the first few gears as well. At the same time, the power also felt completely trustworthy, with no threats of the bike snapping out of control. This is just the sort of performance that a newer off-road rider would enjoy on their journey towards becoming more skilled.

Kawasaki KLX230 off-road ability

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to try the KLX out on the road, so how it functions as a street bike remains to be seen, but a few safe assumptions can be made. The first is that it won’t be very comfortable for long durations with that thin seat, and the engine probably isn’t geared for easy high-speed cruising either. That being said, the motor feels impressively refined, even when hammering it at redlining speeds off-road.

The MRF tyres that Kawasaki India has equipped this bike with were quite decent on dry, muddy terrain, but you’ll want something more off-road appropriate to properly exploit the bike. While the KLX is designed to look like one of Kawasaki’s angry KX motocross racers, it’s actually quite a gentle thing. The non-adjustable suspension is absorptive and can take in some pretty big hits, but it’s also on the soft side, which makes it easier for less-skilled riders to read the terrain underneath. The braking works well off-road, and you can deactivate the ABS (front and rear) with the push of a button. What I also like is that, despite this being a relatively small bike in Kawasaki’s off-road line-up, it’s still a physically large machine and will fit bigger riders as well.

By definition, this is a simple, lightweight motorcycle, so don’t expect much in the way of features. That being said, it’s not all bad. It gets a good-looking LED headlamp and a clean LCD that includes ‘luxuries’ like a clock, a fuel gauge, and even Bluetooth compatibility. Jokes aside, the only thing some folks might miss in the display is a gear position indicator.

Kawasaki KLX230 verdict and expected price

To sum up, I am not as good an off-road rider as I’d like to be, and this is exactly the sort of bike I’d like to spend some time on in the process of getting better. The fact that Kawasaki is going through the pains of bringing this bike to our market alone deserves your appreciation. However, if you’ve been following our news on this bike over the past few months, you’ll have noticed that we reported Kawasaki was working on localising the KLX for our market and that its target price would be around Rs 2 lakh, which would make it a fantastic rival to the Hero Xpulse. 

However, the localisation process is still underway, and Kawasaki has decided to bring the bike here as a CKD import for the time being. That means the price will not be as tempting as we hoped, at least not at the start. We were given to understand at the launch event that a price between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, ex-showroom, is fair to expect, which is not bad but not great either. We’ll know for sure when Kawasaki formally reveals the price at the India Bike Week in early December.

There are two ways to look at this. The first is that it means the KLX will cost very close to the likes of the Himalayan 450, which will undoubtedly be a turn-off for many. The other perspective is that you’ll finally be able to get your hands on a road-legal, quality Japanese dual-sport for a realistic sum of money, and that will undoubtedly be music to some ears.

With the way things currently stand, I believe that this bike will find takers, even if it will be quite niche. However, I also believe that Kawasaki would find more success if they brought in the KLX 230 S as well, which is essentially the same motorcycle with reduced suspension travel and a more palatable 845mm seat height.

Nevertheless, what’s without doubt is that we’re lucky to finally have the option of a bike like this, and I’m looking forward to spending more time with it.

Also See: Kawasaki KLX230 video review

It’s hard not to get carried away when riding on mountain roads in Southern California. Maybe it's the crisp, cool high-altitude air that tricks you into feeling relaxed, even when the speeds are anything but. We certainly got carried away in the twisties during our first ride aboard the new Royal Enfield Bear 650, and it wasn’t entirely to do with that cool mountain air. Confused? Understandable. After all, why should a scrambler-ised version of the already hefty and not very sharp Interceptor be egging us on in the corners? Well, as it turns out, the Bear is much more than just a scrambler-ised Interceptor.

Royal Enfield Bear 650: design, features

Sure, many of the changes have been made with the intent of making the Bear better suited to off-roading. You’ve now got an upside-down fork (in place of the Interceptor’s conventional unit) offering more travel – up from 110mm to 130mm. It’s a similar story at the rear, too; the Bear sticks with a twin shock setup, but travel has grown from 88mm to 115mm. As a result, seat height and ground clearance have also increased, and now stand at 830mm and 184mm, respectively.

But to accommodate the new suspension components and adapt the bike to its more off-road-focused role, Royal Enfield has had to strengthen the frame in multiple areas. It’s the same basic frame as the Interceptor, but it has now been braced in various areas to add strength and stiffness, and the sub-frame has been revised as well. The end result is a chassis that feels noticeably stiffer than the Interceptor’s. Attacking corners hard, the Bear does feels hinged in the middle, and the sort of mid-corner bumps that would have the Interceptor wobbling and wallowing all over the place are simply shrugged off.

There’s great feedback and you really have the confidence to keep carrying more speed into a corner, and leaning further and further, despite the more off-road centric 19in/17in wheel on offer. This is also, in no small part, down to the excellent new tyres wrapped around those wheels – you’re unlikely to have heard of the MRF Nylorex tyres before and that’s because they’re a new dual-purpose model that have been developed specifically for this motorcycle. Despite the blocky pattern, the grip, profile and predictably on the road were superb, and there were no complaints when on tarmac.

Part of the Bear’s playfulness in the twisties can also be attributed to the suspension setup. The front fork strikes a nice balance between comfort and performance, but the shocks feel rather firm and unforgiving. This was the case across riders of different weights, even at the minimum preload setting. On the largely excellent Californian tarmac, it wasn’t a deal-breaker, but the firm edge could be felt, and rough patches translated to my backside without sufficient mitigation. How this setup fares on the less than perfect roads back home is something we’ll have to find out in due course.

Royal Enfield Bear 650: performance, ergonomics

Many of the numbers are bigger with the new Bear, and while most of that is good, one big number that’s got some people a little apprehensive is the seat height. Yes, 830mm is definitely on the taller side – I’m not very tall, only 5’8”, which means I can’t flat-foot both feet. That said, it isn’t unmanageable either, and with a little bit of forward planning, you can comfortably pick either one side to flat-foot. It also helps that the footpegs are now a little further forward, so they don’t foul your shins as much.

The other change to the riding position is the handlebar, which is wider and a little further away from you. The wider part is nice, it gives you more leverage over the bike, which I like. The further away part, I’m not such a fan of – it’s a bit more of a forward reach than I’d like, and if you’re short like me, then this could become a point of fatigue over long rides.

On the upside, this is now a lighter motorcycle than the model it’s based on. Moving to this new 2-into-1 exhaust setup has helped shed a bunch of weight, though some of that has been added back through the suspension and the frame strengthening. Nevertheless, it is still 2kg lighter than the Interceptor. However, at 216kg, still a fairly hefty motorcycle. You only really feel this at low speeds and when paddling about, and once you’re on the move, the Bear masks its weight rather well. The new exhaust has done more than just trimming the weight – it’s also allowed RE to squeeze out some more torque from the motor; it now produces 56.5Nm vs the 52Nm we’ve seen from it so far.

So the engine feels a little more punchy now, while still remaining the pleasant, fairly refined, characterful motor that we’ve fallen in love with over the last 6 years. The new exhaust has slightly changed the sound, though. It exits a little closer to you and doesn’t run quite as far back as the twin-pipe designs, which is one of the factors at play. Overall, it’s a little more braap-y and raspy, as opposed to the more sweet-sounding twin pipe 650s. I think this suits the character of the Bear rather well.

Royal Enfield Bear 650: off-road performance

Now, we come to the big question of off-road performance. We didn’t have a great deal of opportunity to ride the Bear off-road – we only got a short spin up and down a fairly simple gravel track. But the feeling is that this is definitely more of a soft-roader than a hardcore off-roader. The suspension can absorb some hits, up to a point, and these new tyres seem to work well off-road.

The rear ABS can also be turned off. So yes, you can have some fun off-road. But the weight makes its presence felt, and the ergos are halfway between on-road and off-road, so this is not a bike you’d want to push very hard when the tarmac runs out. But you won’t have to turn around either.

Turning off that rear ABS is done through a fully-digital TFT display –  this is the first Royal Enfield 650 to get one, and it’s the same unit you’ll find on the Himalayan. Which means, you also get features like Bluetooth connectivity and Google Maps integration. It’s also the first RE 650 to get full-LED lighting. The only other noteworthy feature is a USB charging port, but as is the case with all REs now, there is a comprehensive list of accessories that covers the usual suspects, like touring mirrors and a touring seat, as well as more scrambler-specific items like a sump guard and a headlight grille.

Royal Enfield Bear 650: Verdict

The final piece of the puzzle is the price – and starting at Rs 3.39 lakh (ex-showroom, Chennai) and going up to Rs 3.59 lakh (ex-showroom, Chennai), the Bear sits between the Interceptor and GT on one end and the Shotgun and Super Meteor on the other. Having ridden it around California, it feels like the most versatile and competent RE 650 today. It can cruise, it can tour, it can commute, you can corner pretty hard – it’s a great road bike – and it’s got some off-road ability as well. But how much of a pain the firm suspension setup will be back home in India is something we’ll only be able to tell you a little further down the road. Test rides and deliveries begin on November 10, so it shouldn’t be too long before we find out.

Also See: Royal Enfield Bear 650 video review

Also see: Royal Enfield Bear 650 review: Bullish on the Bear

EICMA 2024 was packed to the gills with new products showcased by a number of major manufacturers. Here are all the important models that were shown there and will be coming to India.

Aprilia

When Aprilia came out with the RS 457 last year, it was only a matter of time before the Tuono 457 came out. This year, Aprilia finally revealed the small twin-cylinder Tuono and it is what we expected it to be, an upright RS 457. Where Aprilia has diverted from its own recipe, is in the fact that the Tuono 457’s headlight is different from the RS. We expect the Tuono 457 to come to India sometime early next year and it will be made at Aprilia’s Baramati plant. Expect it to be priced a little lower than the RS 457, which is currently priced at Rs 4.10 lakh.

Aprilia also showcased its big bike line-up with the new Tuareg Rally as well as updating the Tuono 660, RS 660, Tuono V4 and RSV4 models for 2025. We expect these bikes to be launched in India come next year.

Also See: Aprilia Tuono 457 breaks cover at EICMA 2024

BMW

The Concept F 450 GS from BMW previews a new road-legal ADV from the Bavarian brand, with the production version slated to arrive in 2025. This is widely expected to be the second engine-platform that the TVS-BMW partnership yields. As such, we can expect competitive pricing due to local manufacturing when the BMW F 450 GS goes from concept to reality. After the adventure-tourer, a roadster and even a sportbike could join both brands’ line-up.

Also See: BMW Concept F 450 GS previews future small-capacity ADV

Ducati

The first models to be powered by Ducati’s new liquid-cooled, 890cc, 90-degree, V-twin are the 2025 Panigale V2 and Streetfighter V2. At 120hp, peak power has gone down significantly from the 150+hp that the Superquadro-powered bikes make; these new V2 bikes are also substantially lighter. Styling changes, on the other hand, are evolutionary not revolutionary and we expect these new models to be launched in India sometime in 2025.

Also See: New Ducati Panigale V2, Streetfighter V2 revealed at EICMA 2024

Hero

Hero showed four new models at EICMA, three ICE bikes and one electric scooter. Arguably, the most exciting of the lot is the Xpulse 210, which uses the Karizma XMR’s motor and repurposes it into an adventure bike. Hero also debuted a new 250cc motor which will power two bikes – the Xtreme 250R and the Karizma XMR 250. All three bikes are expected to come to India next year.

Hero also showcased a new electric scooter called the Vida Z, with which it will lead its charge into the European market. 

Also See: Hero Xpulse 210 revealed at EICMA 2024

Honda

Honda also showcased a new electric scooter called the CUV e:, which will go into production next year. The CUV e: has two removable batteries and a range of ‘over 70km’. It remains to be seen if this model comes to India or its architecture is adapted for the Indian electric scooter from Big Red.

Alongside the CUV, Honda also updated the Transalp XL750 and Hornet CB750 models with a new front design, revised suspension damping settings and a couple of new colours. Since the Transalp is already sold here, we expect this updated model to come to India soon enough. 

Also See: Honda showcases electric scooter, e-bike concepts at EICMA 2024

KTM

The 390 Adventure R, 390 Enduro R and 390 SMC R were all shown at EICMA and are made by Bajaj. We expect at least the Adventure to be launched in India, if not all three. KTM recently overhauled its entire big bike line-up with new additions to both the 990 and 1390 families, and it is also working on getting its big bikes to India, so expect some of the premium Austrian bikes to come, too.

Also See: KTM 390 Adventure R, 390 Enduro R image gallery

Royal Enfield

Royal Enfield recently launched the Bear 650. It also showed the new Classic 650 Twin at the show, with an India launch expected in February 2025. Alongside its petrol models, the company also debuted its new EV brand, called Flying Flea, which showcased the C6 electric bike.

Also See: Royal Enfield Classic 650 Twin review: All-Time Classic?

Which of these bikes are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments section below.

Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z real world fuel efficiency

Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z: fuel economy analysis

Autocar India’s fuel efficiency testing

I own a 10-year-old Audi Q5 diesel, which is in mint condition even after 1.2 lakh kilometres. It has performed flawlessly, apart from one sensor issue that the dealership rectified. I’ve spent about Rs 60,000 on it recently, including four new tyres and some suspension bushes. It runs like new now, and I’m absolutely in love with it. I don’t travel to Delhi-NCR much, but I’m in two minds if I should hold on to it or sell it due to its age.

Bonny Singh, Ajmer

Autocar India says: Our advice is to hang on to it. 2.0 TDI engines are brilliant and you can’t get a new car with them anymore. There is a certain pleasure in driving a diesel SUV, so enjoy it while you can! If you don’t go to Delhi-NCR very much, you are not too inconvenienced either, and we don’t think a diesel ban on 10-year-old cars will be imposed in Rajasthan in the near future.

Also See:

Deep Drive Podcast: Is diesel a good choice?

With prices for the new Maruti Suzuki Dzire revealed – they start at Rs 6.79 lakh and go up to Rs 10.14 lakh – it’s time to see exactly what the new model offers over its predecessor. The generation change brings more than a few design changes outside and inside, far more equipment and an even more frugal engine. Let’s dive in.

Maruti Dzire new vs old design

While the overall silhouette is more or less the same, with the sloping roofline and almost typical three-box design, the new Dzire sports a much more mature-looking face. Unlike its predecessor, there’s almost nothing that links the new Dzire to its hatchback counterpart.

Slim, angular LED headlights have replaced the projector units (that came with LED daytime running lamps). The new black grille hexagonal grille is bigger than before; it has six horizontal slats, with the highest one featuring a piano black and chrome finish and a prominent Suzuki logo in the centre. There is a bit of space between the headlights and the fog lamps, which, on higher-spec variants, will be LED units.

New 15-inch alloy wheels, along with reshaped front and rear fenders, help the Dzire look fresh, and at the rear, there are new squarish tail-lights with horizontal, tri-arrow-shaped LED light signatures. There’s an almost prominent boot spoiler, and the lower part of the rear bumper has a sporty-looking diffuser-like design.

Compared to the outgoing model, the new Dzire has nearly identical dimensions, though it is 10mm taller at 1,525mm, has a slightly larger boot and is also about 30-40kg heavier, depending on the variant. Additionally, the new Dzire is available in seven exterior finishes, of which Alluring Blue, Gallant Red and Nutmeg Brown colours were not available with the older car.

Maruti Dzire new vs old interior

While the fourth-gen Dzire shares quite a lot with the Swift on the inside, it’s quite a change compared to the outgoing compact sedan. The dashboard has a more sophisticated, textured and layered look, with a floating touchscreen taking centre stage. The instrument cluster also gets new dials and a new MID. There are vastly different controls for the auto AC and redesigned AC vents.

The biggest changes inside the cabin are to the Dzire’s features list, which is quite a bit longer than its predecessor’s. There’s the larger 9-inch touchscreen, a segment-first powered sunroof and a 360-degree camera, along with cruise control, a wireless charger and the Suzuki Connect in-car connectivity suite.

As for safety, the new Dzire has the distinction of being the first Maruti to get a 5-star Global NCAP crash test rating. Unlike its predecessor, which managed a 2-star GNCAP rating, all variants of the newer model get six airbags as standard. The other bits, such as ABS, ESP, ISOFIX anchors and hill-hold assist continue.

Maruti Dzire new vs old engine

Under the new Dzire’s bonnet is the new Z12E petrol engine that debuted in the Swift. The older model had the K-Series DualJet engine, which was a four-cylinder 1.2-litre unit producing 90hp and 113Nm of torque. When seen in the light of the new engine’s outputs – 82hp and 112Nm – the older model was more powerful. The 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT gearbox options are still available.

On the other hand, the new three-cylinder 1.2-litre Z Series engine is far more frugal than its predecessor. The new Dzire is rated at 24.79kpl in manual form and 25.71kpl in AMT guise, which is an increase of 2.38kpl and 3.1kpl over the outgoing model.

As is usually the case with Maruti’s line-up, the new Dzire also gets CNG-powered variants. The same 1.2-litre engine makes 69.75hp and 101.8Nm in the CNG version and delivers 33.73km/kg, which is an increase of 2.61km/kg over the third-gen Dzire.

Maruti Dzire new vs old price

Considering the number of changes, the Rs 22,000 more you pay for the new entry-level Dzire over its predecessor seems justified. Similarly, the Rs 75,000 extra for the top-spec version would also make sense, given the number of premium features now available in the compact sedan. Do note that the new Dzire’s prices are introductory and will increase from January 2025 onwards. 

All prices, ex-showroom, India

Also see:

2024 Maruti Suzuki Dzire review: India's favourite sedan massively updated

New Maruti Dzire launched at Rs 6.79 lakh

Third-gen Maruti Dzire will continue to be sold as Tour S

Maruti Suzuki recently launched the new fourth-generation Dzire with prices ranging between Rs 6.79 lakh and Rs 10.14 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). It continues to be based on the Swift hatchback, shares the same platform and engine but sports a differentiated look. It even goes one up on the equipment front. The new Dzire is available in four trims – LXi, VXi, ZXi and ZXi+ – and we take a close look at all the features you get in each trim.

2024 Maruti Suzuki Dzire trims, variants explained

The Dzire is powered by the same Z12E engine as the Swift: 82hp, 112Nm, 3-cylinder naturally aspirated. It’s available with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard on all four trims; the AMT is available on all but the base trim. The new Dzire also gets a CNG powertrain right from launch, available on the mid-spec VXi and ZXi trims. Coupled with a 5-speed manual gearbox, the Dzire produces 69.75hp and 101.8Nm in CNG spec.

The new Dzire’s ARAI-rated fuel efficiency figure is 24.79kpl in manual form and 25.71kpl in AMT guise. Meanwhile, in CNG spec, the Dzire returns a claimed efficiency of 33.73km/kg.

New Maruti Dzire variant-wise features

Maruti Dzire LXi: Rs 6.79 lakh

Powertrain: petrol-MT

• Projector halogen headlights
• LED tail-lights
• 14-inch steel wheels without covers
• Shark fin antenna
• Black and beige dual-tone interior
• Fabric seat upholstery
• Adjustable front seat headrests
• Analogue instrument cluster with MID (multi-information display)
• All four power windows
• Auto up/down for the driver-side window
• Keyless entry
• Manual AC
• Tilt-adjustable steering wheel
• Six airbags
• Rear defogger
• 3-point seat belts with reminders for all seats
• Electronic stability program (ESP)
• Hill-hold assist
• ABS with EBD
• Reverse parking sensors

Maruti Dzire VXi: Rs 7.79 lakh–8.74 lakh

Powertrain: petrol-MT, petrol-AMT, CNG-MT

• 14-inch steel wheels with covers
• Chrome finish on the front grille
• Turn indicators on wing mirrors
• Body-coloured door handles and wing mirrors
• Electrically adjustable and foldable wing mirrors
• Silver insert on dashboard
• 7-inch touchscreen
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• 4 speakers
• Steering-mounted controls
• OTA updates
• Voice assistant
• USB and Bluetooth connectivity
• Height-adjustable driver’s seat
• Adjustable rear headrests
• Day/night inside rearview mirror (IRVM)
• Front roof lamp
• Rear centre armrest with cupholders
• Rear AC vents

Maruti Dzire ZXi: Rs 8.89 lakh–9.84 lakh

Powertrain: petrol-MT, petrol-AMT, CNG-MT

• Auto LED headlights
• LED daytime running lamps
• 15-inch single-tone alloy wheels
• Chrome window garnish
• Silver trim and faux wood insert on dashboard
• Push button start/stop
• Wireless phone charger
• Key-operated boot opening
• Auto AC
• 6 speakers (including 2 tweeters)
• Connected car tech
• Reverse parking camera
• TPMS

Maruti Dzire ZXi+: Rs 9.69 lakh–10.14 lakh

Powertrain: petrol-MT, petrol-AMT

• 15-inch dual-tone alloys
• LED front fog lamps
• Front footwell illumination
• Leatherette-wrapped steering wheel
• 9-inch touchscreen
• Arkamys-tuned sound system
• Single-pane sunroof
• Coloured MID on instrument console
• Cruise control
• Auto-fold wing mirrors on locking the car
• 360-degree camera

Bookings for the new Dzire are ongoing for a token amount of Rs 11,000, and the introductory prices will be applicable till December 31, 2024. The Dzire rivals the Hyundai Aura, the Tata Tigor and the Honda Amaze, with the Amaze also due to receive an all-new generation next month.

Also See:

Maruti Dzire new vs old: price, engine, features comparison

2024 Maruti Suzuki Dzire review: India's favourite sedan massively updated

The fourth-gen Maruti Dzire is quite a departure from its predecessors in a lot of ways. Through the generations, this compact sedan has been based on the Swift hatchback, sharing the same chassis and powertrain options, among many other bits. However, with the latest-gen, there are quite a few differences between the two models, which is why this is going to be an in-depth comparison, on paper, between the new Dzire and Swift.

New Maruti Dzire vs Swift design

As mentioned above, the new Dzire has a distinct design when compared to the Swift, sharing almost nothing with the hatchback. The compact sedan looks more premium with its Audi-esque styling in the front, a smoother roofline, and the notchy boot.

In terms of size, the new Dzire is 5mm taller and 135mm longer, with the latter explaining the compact sedan's ability to carry an additional 117 litres worth of luggage in the boot. Interestingly, the base versions of both models weigh the same 920kg, while the higher versions of the Dzire, especially the CNG-equipped variants, weigh up to 35kg more.

It should be noted that the Swift comes with three dual-tone exterior colours – Sizzling Red with Midnight Black, Luster Blue with Midnight Black and Pearl Arctic White with Midnight Black – and six monotone options. Meanwhile, the Dzire gets a total of seven exterior finishes with no dual-tone options.

New Maruti Dzire vs Swift interior

On the inside, the new Dzire and Swift are far more closely linked. In fact, they have nearly identical dash layouts, from the size and shape of the side AC vents to the centrally mounted floating touchscreen. However, the compact sedan’s cabin gets a brighter beige and grey finish compared to the hatchback’s all-black one. In addition, the chrome strip that runs the length of the Dzire’s dashboard gets a kink near the central AC vents, which also has a marginally different trapezoidal design.

Coming to the features on offer in their respective range-topping forms, the Dzire comes with a longer list. Kit available on the Dzire that's not available on the Swift is a powered sunroof and a 360-degree camera. The rest of the features are identical, from the rear AC vents and climate control system to the 9-inch touchscreen, analogue dials and coloured MID.

New Maruti Dzire vs Swift engine

True to form, the new Dzire and Swift share the same Z12E three-cylinder petrol engine. The 1.2-litre unit produces the same 82hp and 112Nm of torque on petrol, 69.75hp and 101.8Nm of CNG, and comes with 5-speed manual and AMT options. Interestingly, while the heavier Dzire in petrol form is marginally less frugal than the Swift, the Dzire CNG goes 0.88km further on a kilo of gas than its hatchback counterpart.

New Maruti Dzire vs Swift price

For now, prices of the Dzire start Rs 30,000 higher than the Swift, which isn’t too much of a difference. Dzire AMT variants cost about Rs 50,000 more than the equivalent Swift variant, with the range-topping compact sedan being priced Rs 69,000 higher. Meanwhile, prices for the Dzire CNG are about Rs 54,000-64,000 higher than the Swift CNG’s.

Do note that prices for the Dzire are introductory, and will increase from January 2025. On paper then, the new Dzire seems to be quite a proposition when compared to the Swift. For not too much more money, the Dzire offers a more mature aesthetic and a longer list of features, along with being the more frugal model in CNG form.

Also see:

New Maruti Dzire variant-wise features, trims and prices explained

Maruti Dzire new vs old: price, engine, features comparison

Maruti Swift long term review, 1,200km report

Exactly 25 years ago, in September 1999, Autocar India started its innings with the new Ford Ikon on the cover. A world exclusive, the story showcased Ford’s new sedan for India, powered by the powerful and responsive 1.6-litre Rocam engine. The car was a delight to drive, the engine was super responsive, and this set the tone for the future of Ford in India. The even bigger story, though, was that this was Ford’s first new car after the Mahindra-Ford JV had been dissolved.

Fast forward 25 years and Ford India is set to make a comeback after its planned Mahindra alliance was aborted. Talk about history repeating itself. And the Ford that is likely to go on sale first is the 2024 Everest. Previously known as the Endeavour in India, Ford’s new Everest is an SUV that is much missed here. A more sophisticated rival to Toyota’s Fortuner, Ford’s big SUV always rode better, drove better and was more luxurious and comfortable inside.

The plan

Now, with the closest place we could get our hands on Ford’s Everest being Nepal, and Ford almost certain to retain the Everest name in India (for the first time), we just had to try and drive the Everest up to where we could see Mt Everest. You can catch a glimpse of the famous mountain from the top of a hill not too far from Kathmandu, called Nagarkot. Getting to Nagarkot, however, involves a long ascent where you climb almost a kilometre, and once up, there’s no guarantee we’ll be able to see Sagarmatha or ‘head of the sky’ as Mt Everest is called in Nepali. The mountain is around 110km away and appears as a small peak between two closer (so ‘taller’ looking) peaks. And that’s not it; with monsoon clouds bouncing off the high Himalayas and collecting at their base at this time of  year, we’ll need a gap in the high clouds to see it. 

Familiar but different

Nepal initially feels very familiar. There are plenty of Tatas, Mahindras and Marutis present and the drivers in Nepal seem to have graduated from the same driving schools as drivers in India. Bikes slip though every gap, drivers here practice the same ‘cut, thrust and parry’ and not even monks practice defensive driving. 

Coming face to face with the new Everest at the Go Ford dealership gives me some succour. It looks even more imposing and larger. And around the side, it gives me the impression of being larger than even the Endeavour we had in India. Marginally longer and built on a 40mm longer wheelbase, the real reason it looks bigger, however, is that this big body-on-frame SUV is now even more block like.

The nose is wider and more square and the ‘C’-shaped LEDs that frame the headlight clusters accentuate the width. The flat bonnet is also full of cuts and creases, the chrome bars that flank the Ford logo give the bluff cowl a modern look and what also adds muscle are the mildly flared fenders. In profile, the big 20-inch wheels help give this big SUV a solid, planted look, and I really like the ‘tough’ two-tone design of the alloys. The bi-turbo badge below the fender tells us this diesel has two turbos placed in series. Go back further and the widened rear fenders help give the Everest a nice wide stance from the rear as well. The cabin isn’t too tall, it’s nicely tucked in from the lower body and what really catches my eye are the clear tail-lights that light up bright red. I even like the manner in which the word Everest has been boldly emblazoned across the rear. 

Endeavour, expidition

It’s afternoon by the time we leave Kathmandu. The traffic hasn’t gotten any better and slipping this massive supertanker into the stream of traffic proves to be tricky. The arterial roads we initially traverse are narrow and full of parked vehicles, so I really have to inch forward carefully. Visibility from the driver’s seat is good, and the light and very accurate steering makes it easy to place the Everest; important in a vehicle of this bulk. The steering doesn’t quite seem to have the heft of the earlier Endeavour, but the Everest’s steering is quicker at low speeds. That, along with the relative lack of effort to twirl it, sort of makes this bulky SUV feel a bit easier to manage. 

As we leave the confines of the city and get onto faster roads, I notice that the ride is very comfortable. It isn’t just the bump absorption, that SUVs like this one normally ace it’s also the refinement, the flat ride and the relative lack of secondary movement associated with a body-on-frame SUV like this. Ride isn’t pillow soft, but the manner in which the Everest absorbs a section of bad road – silently, smoothly and without any hint of heave-ho – makes it both comfortable to sit in and effortless to drive. I just don’t need to slow down unless the holes are particularly large and deep. And the Everest also feels very stable at speed. It even feels more planted the faster you go; Ford’s big boy really does give you plenty of confidence to press on.

The climb

Once we turn off for Nagarkot, we transition onto some wide ghat roads that sweep around in a nice flow. Leading us ever upwards, the wide sweepers are well paved for the most part. Since there’s practically no traffic, I can really enjoy the drive up. The big takeaway here is that the Everest feels light on its feet and ever ready to change direction. 

And it isn’t just the quick steering, it’s a combination of factors. One key contributor has to be Ford’s superb body control and poise. Almost always comfortable in a corner, it feels well balanced and ever willing to alter its line. This is a clear step up on the last-gen Endeavour sold in our market and the confidence it delivers from behind the wheel means you always feel relaxed and enjoy going quicker. Wish the brakes had more bite though. The only time you ‘feel’ the weight of the Everest is when you have to get relatively hard on the brakes. More initial bite and better pedal feel needed here for sure.  

Half way through our one kilometre or so climb, we run into what feels like a mini cloudburst. Rivulets of water stream down the ghats and we have to clamber over some small rocks that have run down along with the water and silt. The Everest just takes everything in its stride, casually hopping over everything. 

As we carry on our way up the mountain, now looking down on the weather below, what I also realise is that the bi-turbo engine contributes significantly to the Everest’s  effortless nature. Incidentally, the engine’s still made in India, and it’s smooth, refined and always on the boil. Refinement, in fact, is so good, it feels like a new generation of engine. And what I especially like is how quickly it responds to a tap on the throttle. With 210hp and 500Nm of torque, it clearly can deliver the goods at higher engine speeds. And here, too, there is no hesitation. There are no flat spots and no surges over practically the entire rev range. And that’s despite the engine being driven by a pair of turbos in sequence; something that’s difficult to do. Not sure how seamlessly this engine will transition from its current EU IV state of tune to our BS VI equivalent, though.

Even the 10-speed automatic gearbox feels more responsive and intuitive. It still shifts up too early when you lift off the throttle to cruise and only comes a gear down, instead of two, when you tap the throttle. Still, the gearbox works better with this bi-turbo engine as the small turbo spins easily providing sufficient boost at low engine speeds. What irks is that there are no paddles on the steering wheel, only fiddly plus and minus buttons on the gear lever; odd on an otherwise well-specified SUV. What’s cool, however, is how the electrically driven gear selector returns on its own to P if you open the door or even switch the car off in D; remember to try it.  

Looking out, looking in

We only reach the top of Nagarkot at sundown. Our weather app says there should be a small window the next morning, especially when it comes to medium clouds, and that’s just what we are hoping for.

The next morning, though, it all seems pointless – we are enveloped in cloud. So we begin to shoot the exterior; details, highlights and some bits inside the cabin that are well lit. Then, just as we are about to give up hope, a sliver of light opens out, with the gap getting larger every minute. Soon, we can see many peaks close to us and some of the high Himalayas in the distance. We quickly look in the direction of the Everest using our GPS and train our cameras on the dark peak; it’s often the one with the least snow on it because of the high winds. But now, the clouds are back – in batches – drawing a veil of white over the range on and off. Clouds bubbling up from below as the earth heats up. More gaps open later and we see what we think is the Everest.

But the clouds cover it again, and with nothing to do but wait, I decide to take a closer look at the cabin. There’s loads to like here and my attention is initially drawn to how it feels like there’s a bit more space inside. This Everest feels wider and there appears to be more driver space. This version also gets powered and cooled front seats that are big and comfortable even on long drives. 

What I am drawn to next is the 12-inch Tesla-like screen with its portrait orientation and sharp details. Apple CarPlay works nicely here and what’s neat is that you can scale up Apple CarPlay at the touch of a button. The screen runs Ford’s Sync 4A software and what’s also Tesla-like here is that you get a digital sketchpad; for when you are waiting and the kids are bored. It’s only software, so why not. You also get a 360-degree camera and, as earlier, a valet mode.

The Everest also gets a full suite of ADAS functions, with pre-collision assist and automatic emergency braking. The version we are driving has 4X2, 4X4 and 4-low modes, accessible via a dial. In addition, you can select various off-road modes: tow (which is new), slippery, mud and ruts, and sand. Do this and the display even pops up and tells you how the four-wheel-drive system is being optimised with locking diffs, à la Range Rover.

The touchscreen has fan and temperature controls, but there is also a set of physical air-con control knobs and buttons.

Narrow door pockets apart, storage and stowage are also decent. The square elbow box is huge, the twin gloveboxes manage a good amount of room between them and there are full-sized cup holders and a tray to keep knick knacks below the central console. The black on black dash, however, looks more utilitarian than upmarket, and plastic quality in and around the central console is only ordinary. Ford will certainly need a more upmarket version of the Everest for the Indian market. And while the digital instrument panel proffers up some great graphics, the ‘digital’ tachometer and small temperature, fuel and oil pressure gauges on the instrument panel need to be more legible. Come on Ford, this is easy.

Space in the second row of the Everest is also improved. Legroom and even headroom are more than sufficient, and as the cabin is wider, there seems to be more space in general. The seat is set a bit low, so the seating position is a bit knees-up. You can, however, slide the second-row bench forwards or back and the backrest can be reclined as well. You also get a blower control in the back as well as a regular plug point, so you can charge or power even laptops.

There’s also a bit more room in the third row, especially after optimising and adjusting the space used for the first and second row. Getting in isn’t easy, but once you are in, short journeys are sort of manageable. 

What the Everest also gets, even three rows up, is a fair amount of boot space. You can stack around four pieces of hand baggage in the back or even two big bags. The third row seats can be folded electrically (up and down) for more space.

Up where it belongs

Ford’s new Everest is a full-size SUV that ticks almost every single checkbox. And it is a long list. Big, bold, spacious, comfortable and well-equipped, the new Everest is a large-sized body-on-frame SUV that delivers a solid build, real off-road ability and is practical. It is also refined, sophisticated, easy, effortless and enjoyable to drive. It drives so well, in fact, that it feels like it’s built on a monocoque chassis. 

Then there’s the bi-turbo diesel, which is smooth, punchy and responsive. You do miss having paddle shifters, and Ford needs to look at a more upmarket version of the Everest, with a higher quality dash (in particular). But, be in no doubt Ford, when you eventually decide to make a return, this is the SUV to do it with. 

FORD’S COMEBACK

When will Ford return to India? This is a question that is difficult to answer. What we can tell you, however, is that Ford has held on to its plant in Chennai and is currently working on a plan to make a comeback. And from what we hear, the Everest is part of that plan. Ford is likely to assemble the car here in India, just as it did earlier, and it is also likely to use the Sanand-made diesel engine. There’s even a bi-turbo 3.0 V6 diesel that makes 250hp and 600Nm of torque if Ford wants to get the Everest in as an import, and that sure will get the attention of SUV lovers.

Also see:

Bill Ford pays tribute to Ratan Tata, clarifies 'Detroit meeting' stories

Ford confirms restart of manufacturing in India

Ford Everest Tremor with off-road upgrades revealed

Ahead of its November 27 reveal, Honda India has teased the upcoming electric scooter for the first time. The teaser briefly gives us a glimpse at the scooter’s headlight, under which there’s a Honda logo. 

1. Headlight on Honda electric scooter is a LED unit
2. Design of headlight seems new, not shared with overseas Honda EVs

Honda electric scooter: Will it be called the Activa electric? 

Very little is known about the Honda electric scooter, which will be shown to us soon. From the teaser, all that can be made out is that this headlight is not shared with any overseas Honda electric scooter, those being the EM1 e: and the CUV e:. While the former has a claimed range of 48km, the latter can cover ‘over 70km’ on a single charge. 

It remains to be seen if Honda will repurpose one of its international electric scooters, and if it does so, which one exactly. Some years ago, the company also filed a few patent applications, which show an entirely new product, one that borrows some components from the popular Activa. 

Also See: Honda showcases electric scooter, e-bike concepts at EICMA 2024

Toyota had introduced Festival Limited Edition variants of the Glanza, Taisor and Hyryder a couple of months ago, with free dealer-level accessories. Now, Toyota is offering the same accessories packages at a discounted price on the Glanza, Taisor and Hyryder as part of year-end benefits.  

1. Glanza and Taisor get dealer-level accessories at discounted price
2. Other exclusive year-end offers extend to over Rs 1 lakh

Toyota Special Limited-Edition variants: what’s new?

All three cars essentially come with dealer-level accessories such as chrome highlights for the grilles and bumpers, 3D door mats, door visors and full body covers. These accessories can be availed on all trims of the Glanza, on the lower-spec E, S and S+ trims of the Taisor, and on the S, G and V trims of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder. These, however, cannot be opted for with the CNG variants of any car.

The accessory package on the Glanza is available for Rs 17,381 (down from Rs 20,567); the one for the Taisor costs Rs 17,931 (down from Rs 20,160), while the Hyryder’s accessories package is listed for Rs 50,817 (no change from regular price). These prices are applicable till December 31, 2024.

Apart from these accessories, customers can also avail of other exclusive year-end offers worth over Rs 1 lakh, although Toyota has not specified the exact nature of these benefits. Toyota is likely to have extended these benefits in an effort to clear stocks before the year-end. 

Also See:

Kia Syros name confirmed for upcoming compact SUV

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