Tag: Review:

2019 Honda Insight first drive review

Loknath Das

HIGHS Sensible interior design Competent driving dynamics Another great Honda infotainment system LOWS Engine noise No Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on base model Not quite as fuel efficient as rivals The Toyota Prius may have been the world’s first modern production hybrid, but Honda beat Toyota to the punch in the United States when it launched the first-generation Insight here in 1999. That quirky two-seater was more science experiment than practical car and it was followed by a forgettable second-generation model that more closely copied the best-selling Toyota. But now the Insight is…

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2018 Mercedes-Benz C-class facelift review, test drive

Loknath Das

What is it? It’s been four whole years since this generation of C-class has been around, but it doesn’t feel that long, since the car, for the most part, has aged so well. Sure, newer rivals have taken the game forward, particularly in the technology and infotainment departments, but it’s the classic design and solid luxury values that have kept the C desirable. An update, however, is rarely a bad thing, and that’s what we will be getting, in India, in October 2018. We’ve been driving the mid-cycle refresh of…

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Vivo X21 Review

Loknath Das

HIGHLIGHTS The Vivo X21 has an in-display fingerprint scanner It is powered by the Snapdragon 660 SoC and has 6GB of RAM It runs Funtouch OS 4 on top of Android 8.1 Oreo Smartphones are evolving at a rapid pace and we now have better processors, cameras, and construction materials being used at every price level. Recently, we have also seen a lot of innovation when it comes to device security. Apple introduced FaceID last year with the iPhone X (Review) which replaced a fingerprint sensor with a TrueDepth camera. FaceID involves an infrared camera and a flood…

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Moto G6 Review

Loknath Das

HIGHLIGHTS The Moto G6 is priced starting at Rs. 13,999 in India It has a curved glass back and looks extremely premium The software is clean and fluid, but the cameras are average at best After a rather lean period, Motorola India has kicked off its 2018 innings with the launch of the Moto G6 and Moto G6 Play. The Lenovo-owned company has refreshed the design language of its budget-minded G series and has equipped both smartphones with tall 18:9 displays, which have already become ubiquitous. We have the Moto G6 in for review, which…

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New Ford EcoSport S review: More than just a makeover

Loknath Das

HIGHLIGHTS The Ford EcoSport S gets sportier exterior elements Interior also gets orange accents and new features Re-introduces the award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine to the EcoSport EcoSport S does look more aggressive compared to its Titanium+ trim CHENNAI: The SUV segment is one of the hottest categories in the Indian auto market these days. And that’s perhaps why manufacturers are trying to lure more buyers with affordable compact SUV offerings with some extra bells and whistles thrown in. One such offering is the new top-spec variant of the Ford EcoSport, christened…

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2018 Hyundai i20 CVT review, test drive

Loknath Das

What is it? Earlier this year, Hyundai launched the facelift of the i20 premium hatchback at the Auto Expo. Before the launch of the facelift, the i20 was available with a 1.4-litre petrol engine paired to a four-speed torque converter gearbox. The other engine options included a 1.2-litre petrol with a five-speed manual transmission and a 1.4-litre diesel with a six-speed manual gearbox. However, with the recent facelift, Hyundai decided to discontinue the 100hp 1.4-litre petrol engine and carry on with the smaller 1.2-litre petrol and introduced a CVT automatic…

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2018 Audi A6 review, test drive

Loknath Das

What is it? First it was the E-class in 2016, then the 5-series in 2017, and finally this year, it’s the A6 that has moved onto its next generation. The new car will most likely be the last Audi to be built using the MLB Evo platform, as the carmaker plans to adopt Porsche’s MSB platform; however, that’s still a big leap ahead. The A6 is a massively important car for Audi. In India, however, the car moved away from the action in the last few years and the competition…

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2018 Volvo XC40 India review, test drive

Loknath Das

Until a few years ago, Volvo was associated with making clinical cars that stood out only in terms of safety. However, one look at its current line-up and it’s evident that the design language has taken a complete U-turn. So, while safety still remains the brand’s top focus, modern Volvos now are a lot more desirable. Just months after its international launch, Volvo has brought to our shores the all-new XC40 – its newest compact SUV that’s funky, stylish and feature-rich, and it’s here with all guns blazing to take…

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Ford EcoSport Detailed Expert Review

Loknath Das

The Ford EcoSport in this updated avatar is just a few months old and in that time, it has been surfing all the right waves to keep the excitement levels high. But wanting to up the ante further, Ford has now introduced an EcoSport S as part of the range. There’s some visual upgrades inside and outside and under the hood besides two power plant options. The diesel is the familiar 1.5-litre TDCi unit while the other one is the 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost engine which finally makes a comeback for this iteration…

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Hyundai Creta facelift review, test drive

Loknath Das

What is it? Since its launch in 2015, the Hyundai Creta has caught the fancy of Indian buyers. It’s been a big seller from day one, and given how well the Creta has been doing, Hyundai was understandably not in a tearing hurry to launch the facelifted Creta in India. But here it is. The Creta gets a visual makeover, more features and minute changes to its mechanicals. As before, it’s available with a 1.4-litre diesel, and 1.6 petrol and diesel engines, both with manual and automatic gearbox options. With…

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