Monday, November 21, 2016

TATA's FULLY LOADED SUV HEXA

 
 
 

 
 
 
 

TATA    HEXA

 

THE REAL SUV                 
Tata Hexa EXPECTED LAUNCH 
January 2017
   The latest SUV from Tata is based on the Aria and lends a fresh lease of life to the otherwise not so popular people mover.
   The Hexa is a new SUV measuring 4,764mm in length, 1,895mm in length and 1,780mm in height. The vehicle has a long wheelbase of 2,850mm. The car's fascia boasts of newly designed projector headlamps, a honeycomb grille and new bumper with fog lamps. The horizontal chrome slat under the grille extends towards the headlamps and the honeycomb pattern can also be seen on the front chin.
   Coming to the sides, the newly designed 19-inch alloy wheels can be seen. Though the overall design is similar to the Aria, the Hexa gets a sporty design language which is continued at the rear as well. The rear bumper, with dual exhaust tips, gets a dual-tone paint scheme with a new shape for the reflectors. The tail lamps are restyled and come with LED units. A new spoiler can also be seen at the back.

    Inside the car, Tata has gone all black with silver coloured accents to give the interior a premium feel. It gets automatic climate control with a separate zone AC for the rear and third row passengers. The cabin is roomy and looks like the third row should be able to allow full-size adults to sit comfortably. The top-spec car will get leather upholstery, steering mounted controls for the infotainment system, electrically adjustable and retractable outside rear view mirrors. The audio system gets a display screen and seems to be sourced from the Zest.

On the safety front, it will get two airbags at least along with parking sensors and possibly a rear view camera with guidance. Driver aids like ABS with EBD and ESP will be available. The Hexa also gets driving modes where you can choose between Comfort, Dynamic and Rough Road modes or just leave it in Auto for it to choose the optimum option.

   Under the hood, you will have the Varicor 400 – a 2.2-litre turbocharged four cylinder diesel engine – that develops 154bhp of power and 400Nm of torque. The Hexa may well turn out to be the most powerful SUV in its segment and will get a six-speed manual transmission. The Hexa may also get the all-wheel-drive option like the Aria.
While we do not have any details on the variant list and their equipment levels, we know for a fact that the Hexa has been built to compete with the Toyota Innova and the Mahindra XUV500. With the Innova Crysta coming into picture, the dynamics of the segment have taken an interesting turn. We expect Tata to price the Hexa competitively between Rs 13 lakh to Rs 18 lakh.


 

Friday, October 14, 2016

Ashok Leyland Guru Intermediate Commercial Vehicle

Ashok Leyland  Guru


    Hinduja Group flagship company Ashok Leyland unveiled four new vehicles at the 2016 Auto Expo earlier this year. The new Sunshine school bus and Guru ICV launched this month.The features highest payload capacity in its segment with the ability to carry higher volume of cargo on each trip. It sits on aluminum alloy wheels and aluminum body load fitments. It is powered by an H Series CRD engine offering best in class mileage while lower maintenance costs, longer service intervals and low lube consumption is guaranteed. Guru ICV also ensures better on board comfort, safety and convenience and enhanced productivity.
The Guru ICV is meant to plug the gaps in Ashok Leyland’s product range. “We traditionally have a lesser market share in the ICV segment. To strengthen this, we are launching the Sunshine bus and Guru in an attempt to fill the gaps in this key product segment. This will further improve our market share in the segment,” added Dasari.
Ashok Leyland has traditionally been strong in the medium bus market. According to industry estimates, the school bus segment accounts for nearly 20,000 units annually and is growing rapidly, while the medium bus market comprises nearly half of the school bus segment. With the new Sunshine, Ashok Leyland wants to up the ante in the segment. 
In the ICV cargo segment, the company has the Ecomet range and the Boss constitutes the premium segment. However, in the value IVC segment which makes up almost half of the 30,000 unit-strong ICV segment, Ashok Leyland has only a basic presence. Now, this will change with the launch of the Guru.
The Guru, with the lowest kerb weight, offers the highest payload capability in its segment, a load body that offers the maximum volumetric capacity and can carry a higher volume of cargo on every trip. Its key features include aluminium alloy wheels and aluminium load body fitments. The H-Series CRS engine is claimed to offer best-in-class mileage, while the FIP system helps lower maintenance costs. Other highlights include better service intervals and lower lube consumption which, combined with best-in-class warranty and affordable AMC, ensure lower lifetime operating costs.
As the commercial vehicle industry is expected to post double-digit growth in FY2016-17 on the back of an improving government spend on infrastructure as also a better monsoon, manufacturers like Ashok Leyland are looking to strengthen their portfolio with new product launches.

 Ashok Leyland has handed over the keys to its first Intermediate Commercial Vehicle (ICV) - Guru to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab. Equipped with the latest H Series engine with UPCRS system, it is a next generation light truck.

Speaking on the occasion, Anuj Kathuria, President, Global Trucks, Ashok Leyland said, “We are honoured to present the very first ‘Guru’ truck to SGPC, an organization in India responsible for the upkeep of gurdwaras. Ashok Leyland has always focused on making products which are an amalgamation of intelligent design and smart technology."

He further added, "The Guru truck too lives up to this philosophy and we are sure that with its increased endurance and other segment leading features, it will help SGPC in its various logistical needs.”

According to Shree Avtar Singh Makkar, President, SGPC, “We are happy to receive the first ‘Guru’ truck from Ashok Leyland. Ashok Leyland has always been inclined towards extending help for the common good and we are sure with this product, we at SGPC will be able further improve our services to all the devotees who visit the gurdwara.”


Ashok Leyland Sunshine

 


    Ashok Leyland Sunshine school bus will be initially launched in Andhra Pradesh in early June after which it will make its way to other markets across the country.
Ashok Leyland Sunshine school bus has been designed by a team of 80 engineers who have ensured special focus on safety and comfort of school children. The bus itself is built on a new platform. It receives i-ALERT tracking software which will allow parents to keep continuous track of children’s locations on real time basis.
Ashok Leyland Sunshine bus is rollover compliant and frontal crash protected while interiors are designed with comfortable Happy Seats, best in class ventilation and wide door and lower steps allowing easy entry and exit for children.
Engine model
4 cylinder CRS diesel engine
Emission
BS3, BS4 with EGR

Engine power
75 kW (100 HP) @ 2400 rpm
Max. Torque
320 Nm @ 1200 - 2200 rpm

Clutch
Diaphragm (Hydraulic actuated)
Gearbox
5 speed

Front axle
Forged I section reverse elliot type
Rear axle
Hypoid fully floating single speed

Suspension
Parabolic
Fuel tank
60 litres

Steering
Hydraulic assisted power steering
Wheels & tyres
7.5 x 16 - 16 PR

Brakes
Full air drum brakes with ABS
Electrical
12V
 


 

KWID FROM RENAULT MINI DUSTER

  

The Renault Kwid was showcased as a concept at the 2014 Auto Expo and launched the production car in October 2015. The Kwid carried the essence of the concept of being a super compact SUV and with its size and aggressive pricing, was positioned amongst the compact hatchbacks.

The high level of localisation makes the Kwid highly affordable. This has been built on a new CMF-A platform that has been built with high localisation. The Kwid hence, has turned out to be the highest selling car in the Renault line-up.
 
    The Renault Kwid competes with the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 and the Hyundai Eon. The Datsun Go could also be considered as a competition to this product. The newly introduced Kwid 1.0-litre will compete with Alto K10, Wagon R, Eon 1.0-litre and Chevrolet Spark.
Further to this, read Renault Kwid Road Test details by our expert.
Exterior
    Renault Kwid has been designed from ground up. This is a new small hatchback that competes with the heavyweight. The Kwid is a hatchback but it has a ground clearance of 180mm and then there is also the black body cladding that makes it look muscular and stylish too. The black honeycomb grille even has large headlamps that makes it look rugged. The black cladding, black mirrors and the black cladding make the profile look like a real SUV. The Kwid’s 2422m wheelbase, highest in its class, ensures a spacious cabin and a 300-litre boot.
Interior

    The Renault Kwid is based on a new platform and even the interiors are all new. The design is simple with a new Renault steering wheel, digital instrument cluster that looks funky. The Kwid has a simple centre console with round AC vents and a touchscreen system with GPS. This is only the RXT variant that gets these features.
 
    The interior space for both the rows is the best in class. The front and even the rear seat spacing is the best in its class. The boot too is the largest in this segment as it can swallow a luggage of up to 300 litres. The Renault Kwid doesn’t get a lot of safety features and this hatchback misses out on the ABS as well. The driver airbag is available only on the top of the line RXT variant.
Engine and Transmission
The Renault Kwid comes with an 800cc three-cylinder engine that produces about 54bhp of maximum and 72Nm of peak torque. This is an all new engine that has been designed for better performance and fuel efficiency. This 800cc engine comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission and it is a front wheel drive. Renault has also introduced the 1.0-litre SCe engine in the Kwid which produces 67bhp of power and 91Nm of torque mated to a similar five-speed manual gearbox. The Kwid is slated to get and AMT before the end of 2016.
Mileage
The 799 cc Petrol - powered variant delivers a fuel economy of 23 kmpl in city and 25 kmpl on highways

 
   For years together, we were glued to the nation’s heroic car maker Maruti Suzuki as the cars they made catered to the needs of masses. However, when it came to want more, one simply had no option but to shell out extra and upgrade to a higher segment. Now that is not the ideal solution. And here is where Renault’s little red riding hood comes into the picture.

     As dreamy as it might sound, the Renault Kwid is not just a budget hatch but a macho and angry looking crossover, made to exist and scare the clichéd offerings crawling on present day roads. Feature list includes a satellite navigation system, touchscreen infotainment unit, trip computer and many more along with the claim of best in class of mileage of 25.17 kmpl. We take it around the lazy streets of Goa for our first drive report. 

Exterior


    The excitement levels that arise by seeing budget hatchbacks is same as seeing two slices of plain bread kept on a white plate. They appear a result of design engineer’s boredom and desperation. One can’t really blame them completely especially as the brief is to make something that fulfils the basic requirements of an automobile.

     The Renault Kwid, happily, doesn’t evoke any of that. Dimensionally, it belongs to its class but design wise it is not anything we have ever seen in the segment. With its SUV inspired styling and a much modern design, it will strike a quick rapport with both the vibrant young as well as the sanely matured. Not an exaggeration to say, this one also proved to be a looker as we kept answering the curious beings all over.
A dark chain linked grille holds the bold Renault logo on the front with slender clear lens headlamps to the side. To add some razzmatazz, there is chrome detailing done inside the headlamps. Move behind and you would see the muscular contours curving below the grille. The fog lamp housing also gets swanky matte surround; affixed to the bumper.

    The front hood has multiple characteristic lines to make it look more appealing and the same can be felt with the steeply designed windscreen. The strong shoulder line flows from the muscular wheel arch in the front before parting way and moving up towards the C-pillar. The efforts taken to make the Kwid look distinct from other offerings can be seen with intricate detailing done on the side such as scooped door handle pockets, boxy fuel lid shape and other contour lines on the side profile.
The ORVMs are done in contrasting black and need to be manually adjusted from outside. The matte cladding running over squarish wheel arches on the front and rear doesn’t look out of sync and instead blend nicely with the overall arrangement. The tall ground clearance of 180mm makes it sound relevant to the SUV inspiration and is also a best in class feature.

   The French have a way with the rear and that is for obvious reasons. On the Kwid too, it looks delicate and petite with those well rounded tail lamps and a voluptuous tail gate which definitely has a reason for its shape but looks impressive at the same time. The have made the gate tidy by limiting the labels on it, even the variant name is displayed on the rear window line. The cladding on the rear starts at a higher point and concludes the profile with the registration plate placed on the lower section and a well positioned exhaust pipe tucked underneath.
 

Interior
   Get inside the Renault Kwid and you realise that this isn’t a normal matchbox of a cabin which might demand you to take a quick gymming session or even get your head minus from the body. The spaciousness of the cabin is the first thing that one notices followed by the rich list of options and features.
 
    The front seats come with high quality fabrics and also offer effective lumbar support. The under thigh, though, misses on the essential cushioning but can be pardoned as the seats feel fairly comfortable. The legroom and headroom are impressive, however, the shoulder room is a tad tight, and perhaps we being on the healthier side felt it more. The rear occupants too enjoy as much comfort with decent amounts of legroom and kneeroom. It is just the flat bottom seats which will leave the occupants at a state of discomfort especially on longer routes. Importantly, it scores a lot more than its rivals as it has the longest wheelbase and is also taller and wider than the competition.
   The steering wheel is apt in size with sufficient amount of support for that sudden manoeuvre. It is the instrumental cluster of the Kwid wherein the gizmoness is felt for real. The digital layout displays primarily the speed in big block numbers followed by distance to empty, average fuel consumption, instantaneous mileage, average speed, tripmeter and also fuel left in the tank. If that’s not all and you need some more guidance while driving, there is a gear shift indicator too. Everything packed in that tiny cluster and then there is more.

      Since we were nestled in the RxT variant, which is the top of the line option, it comes with a 7-inch touchscreen system with voice assist satellite navigation system, Bluetooth telephone connectivity and other host of entertainment options. Yes, you read that right, the Renault Kwid offers all of that. So the next time you plan to boast of the features in your premium hatch, think of the Kwid.
There are numerous smart storage options inside the cabin. On the dashboard, there is a triple zone storage option with the top zone offering 5L of space with a pocket for a litre class container in it. In fact, it came in handy to stow my DSLR camera. The exposed middle zone offers 3.4L of space while the bottom zone has 5.5L. The front central console too has pockets to keep mundane essentials. The door pockets can hold a litre class container each in addition to the space offered. What really makes a statement is the large and generous boot area, which is the best in class at 300L more than Alto 800, Alto K10, Eon, WagonR, Celerio and even the Swift and i20 Active.

   The quality of trims and fit and finish plastics is very impressive especially as Renault had to run on a tight line to maintain its price. The dual tone interiors of ebony and grey look neat and paired with red inserts on fabrics look very fresh and young. The air-conditioner vents are unique in shape with solid blinds and chrome garnish. The piano black surround around the central unit looks upmarket.  Leaving a great finish on all of these is nice as they are visible to the eye but more importantly run a deeper look on the console edges, door hinges, carpet area corners and you will realise that the Kwid is a well finished product made with serious levels of workmanship. 

Performance
    Finally to the performance of Renault Kwid, which has been a popular concern among many prospective buyers of this hatch. To begin with, the Renault Kwid is essentially a city car with an occasional potential to map highways and long routes. It gets a brand new 3-cylinder 799cc motor that makes 53 bhp and 72 Nm of torque. At idling speed, the engine is extremely silent, unlike typical triple cylinder layouts.

It is a light weight engine and the reason for that is the use of aluminium in manufacturing of the cylinder block. The design of the motor has been optimized to make sure the losses are limited and the fuel efficiency is higher. Also, helping the motor act in the best way possible is the active 5-speed manual transmission.
Firstly, the motor doesn’t feel drowsy needing frequent slaps to wake up and make those horses run. Shift it to neutral and give it a gentle rev, it shows some good level of enthusiasm. Get it moving and you realise the first gear is very tall and that is because the smaller displacement of engine shouldn’t leave you lagging behind in traffic. It is only with additional shifts and more revs, things appear to settle down.

So this is no hot hatch. Yes, it does look angry and progressive but let not that distract you from sane style of driving as the Renault Kwid is essentially a city mapper. What I particularly liked about the motor is the fact that tackling traffic and catching up with others on the road wasn’t so difficult as I’d thought it to be. The revs add on to the confidence to be pushed further with the only annoying thing of the engine noise seeping inside the cabin. Can’t really complain much about it as that’s what a smaller displacement odd-cylinder configuration does.
Must say, the shift quality is impressive for a car of this segment as we did manage to torture it with great numbers of shift to make the engine rev at its peak and there was no sign of resist from the transmission unit; a boon for the city traveller where you otherwise end up building an arm like Arnold. Post dodging the city lights, we took it on the long stretches of straight road and on that too the motor continued to surprise us with its smooth power delivery.

Even though it is the largest in dimensions compared to its rivals, driving it in narrow lanes or manoeuvring through traffic is very easy. The light steering wheel makes all of that possible. It is only on highways where you feel the need of more feedback from the steering wheel. Supporting to the act are the 155 / 80 R13 tyres sourced from JK Tyre. Unless and until you are doing city speeds, going around shopping and more of the similar, these tyres do a decent job but the moment they are made to take a hard turn, there is a great level of discomfort with high levels of understeer.
But then crawling over uneven surfaces is not much of a challenge for this red boy as the Kwid gets a ground clearance of 180mm. This paired with MacPherson strut for front suspension and rear twist beam unit keep the body completely insulated from any uneven undulations on the road. They also do a fabulous jog of completely absorbing the disturbance. The NVH levels too are something to elaborate as no matter where we drove it, the ambience noise barely seeped inside the cabin and also there wasn’t any redundant noise felt.

It is a Renault at the end of the day and this is felt with the way the Kwid handles. There is a slight roll felt around corners at high speeds but the entire setup does a great job of maintaining its straight stance. Renault rightly claims that the Kwid mimics the Duster by offering similar level of driving dynamics, which has to be its salient feature. To make sure there isn’t much of drama when it comes to bringing the vehicle to a complete halt, it gets disc brakes in front and drum on the rear. Since there is no ABS offered for now, the tiny rubbers screech to glory during abrupt braking. We wish the brakes to be tad more effective. Overall, it leaves an amazing impression and is undoubtedly the best city car to drive in its segment. 
Specifications
MakeRenault
ModelKwid
FuelPetrol
VariantRxT
Engine Capacity799
Power in Bhp/RPM53 / 5678
Torque in Nm/RPM72 / 4386
Gears5-MT
Length mm3679
Width mm1579
Height mm1478
Wheel base mm2422
Kerb Weight in Kg660
Ground clearance mm180
Fuel tank capacity L28
Tyres155 / 80 R13
 
 

KWID FROM RENAULT MINI DUSTER

  

The Renault Kwid was showcased as a concept at the 2014 Auto Expo and launched the production car in October 2015. The Kwid carried the essence of the concept of being a super compact SUV and with its size and aggressive pricing, was positioned amongst the compact hatchbacks.

The high level of localisation makes the Kwid highly affordable. This has been built on a new CMF-A platform that has been built with high localisation. The Kwid hence, has turned out to be the highest selling car in the Renault line-up.
 
    The Renault Kwid competes with the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 and the Hyundai Eon. The Datsun Go could also be considered as a competition to this product. The newly introduced Kwid 1.0-litre will compete with Alto K10, Wagon R, Eon 1.0-litre and Chevrolet Spark.
Further to this, read Renault Kwid Road Test details by our expert.
Exterior
    Renault Kwid has been designed from ground up. This is a new small hatchback that competes with the heavyweight. The Kwid is a hatchback but it has a ground clearance of 180mm and then there is also the black body cladding that makes it look muscular and stylish too. The black honeycomb grille even has large headlamps that makes it look rugged. The black cladding, black mirrors and the black cladding make the profile look like a real SUV. The Kwid’s 2422m wheelbase, highest in its class, ensures a spacious cabin and a 300-litre boot.
Interior

    The Renault Kwid is based on a new platform and even the interiors are all new. The design is simple with a new Renault steering wheel, digital instrument cluster that looks funky. The Kwid has a simple centre console with round AC vents and a touchscreen system with GPS. This is only the RXT variant that gets these features.
 
    The interior space for both the rows is the best in class. The front and even the rear seat spacing is the best in its class. The boot too is the largest in this segment as it can swallow a luggage of up to 300 litres. The Renault Kwid doesn’t get a lot of safety features and this hatchback misses out on the ABS as well. The driver airbag is available only on the top of the line RXT variant.
Engine and Transmission
The Renault Kwid comes with an 800cc three-cylinder engine that produces about 54bhp of maximum and 72Nm of peak torque. This is an all new engine that has been designed for better performance and fuel efficiency. This 800cc engine comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission and it is a front wheel drive. Renault has also introduced the 1.0-litre SCe engine in the Kwid which produces 67bhp of power and 91Nm of torque mated to a similar five-speed manual gearbox. The Kwid is slated to get and AMT before the end of 2016.
Mileage
The 799 cc Petrol - powered variant delivers a fuel economy of 23 kmpl in city and 25 kmpl on highways

 
   For years together, we were glued to the nation’s heroic car maker Maruti Suzuki as the cars they made catered to the needs of masses. However, when it came to want more, one simply had no option but to shell out extra and upgrade to a higher segment. Now that is not the ideal solution. And here is where Renault’s little red riding hood comes into the picture.

     As dreamy as it might sound, the Renault Kwid is not just a budget hatch but a macho and angry looking crossover, made to exist and scare the clichéd offerings crawling on present day roads. Feature list includes a satellite navigation system, touchscreen infotainment unit, trip computer and many more along with the claim of best in class of mileage of 25.17 kmpl. We take it around the lazy streets of Goa for our first drive report. 

Exterior


    The excitement levels that arise by seeing budget hatchbacks is same as seeing two slices of plain bread kept on a white plate. They appear a result of design engineer’s boredom and desperation. One can’t really blame them completely especially as the brief is to make something that fulfils the basic requirements of an automobile.

     The Renault Kwid, happily, doesn’t evoke any of that. Dimensionally, it belongs to its class but design wise it is not anything we have ever seen in the segment. With its SUV inspired styling and a much modern design, it will strike a quick rapport with both the vibrant young as well as the sanely matured. Not an exaggeration to say, this one also proved to be a looker as we kept answering the curious beings all over.
A dark chain linked grille holds the bold Renault logo on the front with slender clear lens headlamps to the side. To add some razzmatazz, there is chrome detailing done inside the headlamps. Move behind and you would see the muscular contours curving below the grille. The fog lamp housing also gets swanky matte surround; affixed to the bumper.

    The front hood has multiple characteristic lines to make it look more appealing and the same can be felt with the steeply designed windscreen. The strong shoulder line flows from the muscular wheel arch in the front before parting way and moving up towards the C-pillar. The efforts taken to make the Kwid look distinct from other offerings can be seen with intricate detailing done on the side such as scooped door handle pockets, boxy fuel lid shape and other contour lines on the side profile.
The ORVMs are done in contrasting black and need to be manually adjusted from outside. The matte cladding running over squarish wheel arches on the front and rear doesn’t look out of sync and instead blend nicely with the overall arrangement. The tall ground clearance of 180mm makes it sound relevant to the SUV inspiration and is also a best in class feature.

   The French have a way with the rear and that is for obvious reasons. On the Kwid too, it looks delicate and petite with those well rounded tail lamps and a voluptuous tail gate which definitely has a reason for its shape but looks impressive at the same time. The have made the gate tidy by limiting the labels on it, even the variant name is displayed on the rear window line. The cladding on the rear starts at a higher point and concludes the profile with the registration plate placed on the lower section and a well positioned exhaust pipe tucked underneath.
 

Interior
   Get inside the Renault Kwid and you realise that this isn’t a normal matchbox of a cabin which might demand you to take a quick gymming session or even get your head minus from the body. The spaciousness of the cabin is the first thing that one notices followed by the rich list of options and features.
 
    The front seats come with high quality fabrics and also offer effective lumbar support. The under thigh, though, misses on the essential cushioning but can be pardoned as the seats feel fairly comfortable. The legroom and headroom are impressive, however, the shoulder room is a tad tight, and perhaps we being on the healthier side felt it more. The rear occupants too enjoy as much comfort with decent amounts of legroom and kneeroom. It is just the flat bottom seats which will leave the occupants at a state of discomfort especially on longer routes. Importantly, it scores a lot more than its rivals as it has the longest wheelbase and is also taller and wider than the competition.
   The steering wheel is apt in size with sufficient amount of support for that sudden manoeuvre. It is the instrumental cluster of the Kwid wherein the gizmoness is felt for real. The digital layout displays primarily the speed in big block numbers followed by distance to empty, average fuel consumption, instantaneous mileage, average speed, tripmeter and also fuel left in the tank. If that’s not all and you need some more guidance while driving, there is a gear shift indicator too. Everything packed in that tiny cluster and then there is more.

      Since we were nestled in the RxT variant, which is the top of the line option, it comes with a 7-inch touchscreen system with voice assist satellite navigation system, Bluetooth telephone connectivity and other host of entertainment options. Yes, you read that right, the Renault Kwid offers all of that. So the next time you plan to boast of the features in your premium hatch, think of the Kwid.
There are numerous smart storage options inside the cabin. On the dashboard, there is a triple zone storage option with the top zone offering 5L of space with a pocket for a litre class container in it. In fact, it came in handy to stow my DSLR camera. The exposed middle zone offers 3.4L of space while the bottom zone has 5.5L. The front central console too has pockets to keep mundane essentials. The door pockets can hold a litre class container each in addition to the space offered. What really makes a statement is the large and generous boot area, which is the best in class at 300L more than Alto 800, Alto K10, Eon, WagonR, Celerio and even the Swift and i20 Active.

   The quality of trims and fit and finish plastics is very impressive especially as Renault had to run on a tight line to maintain its price. The dual tone interiors of ebony and grey look neat and paired with red inserts on fabrics look very fresh and young. The air-conditioner vents are unique in shape with solid blinds and chrome garnish. The piano black surround around the central unit looks upmarket.  Leaving a great finish on all of these is nice as they are visible to the eye but more importantly run a deeper look on the console edges, door hinges, carpet area corners and you will realise that the Kwid is a well finished product made with serious levels of workmanship. 

Performance
    Finally to the performance of Renault Kwid, which has been a popular concern among many prospective buyers of this hatch. To begin with, the Renault Kwid is essentially a city car with an occasional potential to map highways and long routes. It gets a brand new 3-cylinder 799cc motor that makes 53 bhp and 72 Nm of torque. At idling speed, the engine is extremely silent, unlike typical triple cylinder layouts.

It is a light weight engine and the reason for that is the use of aluminium in manufacturing of the cylinder block. The design of the motor has been optimized to make sure the losses are limited and the fuel efficiency is higher. Also, helping the motor act in the best way possible is the active 5-speed manual transmission.
Firstly, the motor doesn’t feel drowsy needing frequent slaps to wake up and make those horses run. Shift it to neutral and give it a gentle rev, it shows some good level of enthusiasm. Get it moving and you realise the first gear is very tall and that is because the smaller displacement of engine shouldn’t leave you lagging behind in traffic. It is only with additional shifts and more revs, things appear to settle down.

So this is no hot hatch. Yes, it does look angry and progressive but let not that distract you from sane style of driving as the Renault Kwid is essentially a city mapper. What I particularly liked about the motor is the fact that tackling traffic and catching up with others on the road wasn’t so difficult as I’d thought it to be. The revs add on to the confidence to be pushed further with the only annoying thing of the engine noise seeping inside the cabin. Can’t really complain much about it as that’s what a smaller displacement odd-cylinder configuration does.
Must say, the shift quality is impressive for a car of this segment as we did manage to torture it with great numbers of shift to make the engine rev at its peak and there was no sign of resist from the transmission unit; a boon for the city traveller where you otherwise end up building an arm like Arnold. Post dodging the city lights, we took it on the long stretches of straight road and on that too the motor continued to surprise us with its smooth power delivery.

Even though it is the largest in dimensions compared to its rivals, driving it in narrow lanes or manoeuvring through traffic is very easy. The light steering wheel makes all of that possible. It is only on highways where you feel the need of more feedback from the steering wheel. Supporting to the act are the 155 / 80 R13 tyres sourced from JK Tyre. Unless and until you are doing city speeds, going around shopping and more of the similar, these tyres do a decent job but the moment they are made to take a hard turn, there is a great level of discomfort with high levels of understeer.
But then crawling over uneven surfaces is not much of a challenge for this red boy as the Kwid gets a ground clearance of 180mm. This paired with MacPherson strut for front suspension and rear twist beam unit keep the body completely insulated from any uneven undulations on the road. They also do a fabulous jog of completely absorbing the disturbance. The NVH levels too are something to elaborate as no matter where we drove it, the ambience noise barely seeped inside the cabin and also there wasn’t any redundant noise felt.

It is a Renault at the end of the day and this is felt with the way the Kwid handles. There is a slight roll felt around corners at high speeds but the entire setup does a great job of maintaining its straight stance. Renault rightly claims that the Kwid mimics the Duster by offering similar level of driving dynamics, which has to be its salient feature. To make sure there isn’t much of drama when it comes to bringing the vehicle to a complete halt, it gets disc brakes in front and drum on the rear. Since there is no ABS offered for now, the tiny rubbers screech to glory during abrupt braking. We wish the brakes to be tad more effective. Overall, it leaves an amazing impression and is undoubtedly the best city car to drive in its segment. 
Specifications
MakeRenault
ModelKwid
FuelPetrol
VariantRxT
Engine Capacity799
Power in Bhp/RPM53 / 5678
Torque in Nm/RPM72 / 4386
Gears5-MT
Length mm3679
Width mm1579
Height mm1478
Wheel base mm2422
Kerb Weight in Kg660
Ground clearance mm180
Fuel tank capacity L28
Tyres155 / 80 R13
 
 

TATA TIAGO sucess hatch model from TATA MOTORS

                              TATA TIAGO


The Tiago is Tata’s latest entry into the compact car segment. The new phase of Tata Motors began with the launch of the Zest where the Indian manufacturer has attempted to revamp the Tata image as a more modern and vibrant car maker.
The Tata Tiago is available in five trims - the XB, XE, XM, XT and the XZ. While the XE, XM, XT have been around in the Zest and the Bolt, the XB (base) and the XZ (top-spec) variants are newTata Tiago, a Hatchback has 16 versions available in India. Tiago has 8 Petrol cars and 8 Diesel cars. Tata Tiago comes in 6 colours, namely, Berry Red, Espresso Brown, Pearlescent White, Platinum Silver, Striker Blue, Sunburst Orange
Engine Transmission

The Tiago gets the 1.2-litre three cylinder Revotron engine that develops 84bhp of power at 6000rpm and 114Nm of torque. The 1.05-litre turbocharged diesel mill churns out 70bhp of power and 140Nm of torque from 1800rpm. Both the engines power the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. Driving modes - Eco and City are available on both the engines.
The Tiago hatchback follows Tata’s HorizonNext design language with a wide mesh grille and swept back headlamps that resemble the Tata family face seen in the Bolt and the Zest. Tata has done really well by making the Tiago look distinctly different than the Indica while retaining its heritage. The tail design is modern and fresh with the horizontal tail lamps. Body coloured bumpers are standard on the Tiago and so is the rear spoiler. Alloy wheels, wing mirrors with turn indicators, rear wash and wipe function are all available only on the top spec XZ variant

Specifications

VariantsFuel TypeEngine DescriptionMileagePower
CityRoad
1.05 Revotorq XB Diesel1047 cc 23.28 kmpl27.28 kmpl69bhp@4000rpm
1.05 Revotorq XE 1047 cc 23.28 kmpl27.28 kmpl69bhp@4000rpm
1.05 Revotorq XE Option 1047 cc 23.28 kmpl27.28 kmpl69bhp@4000rpm
1.05 Revotorq XM 1047 cc 23.28 kmpl27.28 kmpl69bhp@4000rpm
1.05 Revotorq XM Option 1047 cc 23.28 kmpl27.28 kmpl69bhp@4000rpm
1.05 Revotorq XT 1047 cc 23.28 kmpl27.28 kmpl69bhp@4000rpm
1.05 Revotorq XT Option 1047 cc 23.28 kmpl27.28 kmpl69bhp@4000rpm
1.05 Revotorq XZ WO Alloy 1047 cc 23.28 kmpl27.28 kmpl69bhp@4000rpm
1.05 Revotorq XZ 1047 cc 23.28 kmpl27.28 kmpl69bhp@4000rpm
1.2 Revotron XB Petrol1199 cc 19.24 kmpl23.84 kmpl84bhp@6000rpm
1.2 Revotron XE 1199 cc 19.24 kmpl23.84 kmpl84bhp@6000rpm
1.2 Revotron XE Option 1199 cc 19.24 kmpl23.84 kmpl84bhp@6000rpm
1.2 Revotron XM 1199 cc 19.24 kmpl23.84 kmpl84bhp@6000rpm
1.2 Revotron XM Option 1199 cc 19.24 kmpl23.84 kmpl84bhp@6000rpm
1.2 Revotron XT 1199 cc 19.24 kmpl23.84 kmpl84bhp@6000rpm
1.2 Revotron XT Option 1199 cc 19.24 kmpl23.84 kmpl84bhp@6000rpm
1.2 Revotron XZ WO Alloy 1199 cc 19.24 kmpl23.84 kmpl84bhp@6000rpm
1.2 Revotron XZ 1199 cc 19.24 kmpl23.84 kmpl84bhp@6000rpm



Tata Motors, India’s largest automobile manufacturer, has always depended on its commercial vehicle business to get the money in, while the personal vehicles line of business has never been its ‘A’ game. With the Tiago hatchback, the home-grown automaker introduced its new design language and claimed that its future products for the personal vehicles segment will be built with the same mantra. The Tiago was launched in April 2016 and, since then, it has clocked 50,000 bookings across the country. Now that is an impressive figure, especially for a brand like Tata Motors, which hasn’t seen these kind of figures in its bookings register ever


The Tata Tiago gets an independent front and semi-independent rear suspension set-up. The combination of added weight and finely tuned suspension gives the Tata Tiago a remarkable ride quality. We drove the car over various road surfaces in Goa and came back impressed. Keep in mind that this is a 5 lac rupee hatchback and you feel nice as a driver. It’s better than the Celerio but not as good as the Grand i10 though. Further, over broken tarmac, road and suspension noise intrudes into the cabin and was a tad too much for my liking. At triple digit speeds, there is a fair amount of wind noise too. But for daily urban usage, the Tiago scores high marks.