Tag: Review:

2020 Kia Soul EV Drive Review

Loknath Das

I haven’t driven a whole lot of electric cars in my life. But, the few that I have, have always been on top of their game. And expensive. And futuristic. No wonder I have never imagined owning one. The Kia Soul EV though, is different. It’s still on top of its game –which we will get to in a bit – but it’s also very mainstream. And, it doesn’t cost the earth. But, given that it costs twice as much as its petrol-powered twin, well we still won’t call it great value.…

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2019 Honda Civic India review, test drive

Loknath Das

WHAT IS IT? It is the Honda Civic; and for a car that once had such a strong fan following in India, not much more introduction is necessary. Only one generation of the Civic was sold in India – the eighth-gen model, between 2006 and 2012 – and it was so impressive that we even crowned it our 2007 Autocar India Car of the Year. It wasn’t just its deftly articulated blend of space, comfort, reliability, driving pleasure and premium feel that won us over, but also just how futuristic…

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Review: With the Project 8, Jaguar unleashes its most powerful sedan

Loknath Das

Add the phrase “SV Project 8” to the end of its name, and the mild-mannered XE is transformed into a wild-mannered four-door track car. The Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is all muscles, sporting vents, grilles, aero aids and a not-inconspicuous rear wing. –Jaguar By Larry Printz, Tribune News Service 11:11 AM You’d have to be a child to believe that Superman could change into a suit, throw on a pair of glasses and not be recognized. If it were really that easy to hide someone in plain site, those…

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Mini Cooper S Cabriolet Facelift Review

Loknath Das

There have always been cars that define countries. The sportscar madness of the 90s defines Japan, a big massive Mercedes-Benz defines Germany and the humble Maruti 800 defines what motoring has always been in India. The French have the 2CV, the Italians have the Fiat 500 and Americans have their muscle cars to fall back upon. And the British, well, they have the pokey little Mini! And while the new generation of the Mini Cooper has grown in size, it still is a lovely little small car. And now, the…

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Car Review: Last year for the high performance Cadillac ATS-V sedan

Loknath Das

WASHINGTON — Small luxury sedans are a tough sell these days, and the Cadillac ATS sedan is no different. So this year will be the last year for this fun-to-drive car. The ATS has a special version called the ATS-V, a sports car with four doors. What sets apart the V series ATS is a twin turbo V6 with 464 hp, and it really makes this small sedan fly. It might not sound as good an Alfa V6 but you can get into some serious trouble if you’re not careful.…

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Skoda Kodiaq review: better than the larger Toyota Fortuner and smaller Audi Q3?

Loknath Das

SUVs are the flavour of the season, no two ways about it. But surprisingly, this is not limited to mass-appeal segments like compact SUVs or 7-seater family options in the Rs 15-20 lakh bracket. Even the premium space is witnessing newer options and the latest entry in the Rs 30-40 lakh segment comes from Skoda. It’s their first try at a 7-seater full sized SUV and they seem to have got it right. Why? Read on… The Kodiaq looks smart. If you want muscles and bulk, look elsewhere. This one…

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2018 Audi Q5 Petrol Review

Loknath Das

There’s still a lot left to tell about the second generation Audi Q5. And one can say that there’s one more chapter added to the Q5’s tale. A chapter that’s probably predictable, none-the-less a story worth telling. It’s like my niece telling me the story of Harry Potter and me looking at her wanting to know more and acting as if I have never heard of such a person. Audi had made it quite clear that it is looking to shift its attention to petrol-powered cars and the balance will soon…

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2018 Mazda6 GT wagon new car review

Loknath Das

Turbo engine brings more performance. New model a lot quieter than old 6. Beautiful presented cabin. Boot not biggest in class. Rear seat room tight for three adults. New engine thirstier than non-turbo model. Evolution, not revolution appears to be the ethos at Mazda these days. And why not, as the Japanese brand is riding the crest of the wave – in Australia at least – with strong sales and an image that places it between mainstream rivals and the prestige elite. Enter the new Mazda6, which in theory is…

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2018 Audi Q5 petrol India review, test drive

Loknath Das

What is it? With petrol-powered cars making a comeback in the luxury segments, Audi announced a renewed focus on petrol cars in India, some time ago. Last year, India got the Q7 with a petrol engine; and now it’s the Q5 that the brand has made available with the petrol engine on offer. The engine in question is the same 2.0-litre turbo-petrol motor that produces a strong 252hp in the Q7. Interestingly, this Q5 45 TFSI-badged petrol makes 62hp more than the only Q5 on sale up until now –…

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Car review of new BMW X3 XDrive 20D: On-track, but not offbeat

Loknath Das

New BMW X3 XDrive 20D It’s love at first sight. The striking design language of the new BMW X3—featuring a bold front with a double kidney grille, adaptive LED headlights and fog-lamps, and the expressive rear that has LED tail-lights combined with a low-slung roof spoiler and exhaust tailpipes on both sides in chrome—attracts attention wherever it goes. The X3, in its third generation now, reflects a new, youthful BMW. What is the X3? It’s a premium midsize sports activity vehicle—BMW calls its SUV-shaped vehicles as SAV. It was first launched…

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