Toyota to pull the plugs off the Corolla Altis in India

Highlights:

• Maruti Suzuki may not launch the rebadged version of the Corolla Altis.

• Toyota may pull the plugs on this executive sedan owing to the new emission norms that will take place from next year.

According to some media reports, it has come into notice that, Toyota is in talks to pull out the plugs on its executive sedan- Corolla Altis. This move will most probably take into place after the BS-VI emission norms come into place from the 1st of April 2020.

As we all know that now Toyota and Suzuki are now sharing product and the first one to roll out is the Glanza that is based on the Baleno. In addition to this, there were also talks that Toyota will be building a Suzuki badged version of the Corolla Altis and it would be retailed at Maruti Suzuki’s premium Nexa outlets.

But as we look into the latest trends, many of the customers are now moving into the SUV segment. Due to this, there has been a subsequent fall in the sales of executive sedans.

Hence Suzuki is now doubting the performance of this model. If we have a look at the sales number for Corolla Altis, Skoda Octavia and the Hyundai Elantra there has been a fall by 30 per cent in the first half of 2019.

As of now, there has been no official statement from either of the automotive manufacturers on the future product range. We could expect more details to come forward in the future, so stay tuned to MyNewCar.

A teaser showcases the Jeep Compass Trailhawk (Automatic Transmission)

Highlights:

• Jeep releases its first teaser for the Compass Trailhawk edition.

• It will come with a BS-VI compliant engine and the much-awaited diesel automatic variant as well.

• Production for the Indian spec model has commenced and the launch could take place in a couple of months.

After such a long wait, Jeep India has finally released the first teaser for its upcoming and most anticipated Compass Trailhawk edition for the Indian market. If we compare the Compass Trailhawk variant with the other standard models, the former is much of an off-road focused trim.

The Trailhawk edition for the Compass is already available on sale in many of the international markets. As per some media reports, we also get to know that Jeep has already commenced with the production of the Indian-Spec models. Hence it is expected that Jeep will be launching it the coming months.

Jeep is providing the Compass Trailhawk with a ground clearance of 225mm and if we compare it to the standard variant there is an increase by 20mm. Aesthetically, the front and rear bumpers are redesigned which now gives a better approach and departure angles.

The tow hooks will be painted in red, whereas the bonnet will get a black anti-glare decal and a “Trail-Rated” badges as well. To help wade out in the water, the air intake is also on the higher set. Jeep has also provided this model with underside skid plates and all weather floor mattings.

Moving towards the cabin, there will most likely be some subtle interior tweaks. The seats and the cabin will hold the Trailhawk badging. For utmost comfort and making that highway runs comfortable, this model will be equipped with cruise control.

Other interior upgrades will include the addition of a new instrument cluster that will also get a colour multi-info display, a larger touchscreen infotainment unit and a panoramic sunroof as well.

In addition to the release of the first teaser, Jeep India has also confirmed that they will be launching their much-awaited diesel automatic transmission in the Compass Trailhawk Edition.

This automatic variant will also get a BS-VI compliant 2.0-litre diesel unit as well. According to the European Spec Compass, this engine can put out 170 bhp of power and 350Nm of twist and it will be matted with a 9-speed automatic gearbox.

As we mentioned that the Trailhawk edition is more off-road focused SUV, let's look into some of the offroad pedigree that it will be offered with. Jeep will be equipping this model with its hardcore Active Drive Low 4x4 System.

This a four-wheel drive system that offers a low range, rear locking differential, hill descent control and it also gets an additional Rock mode for its Selec-Terrain system. The other modes include Snow, Sport, Sand/Mud and Auto. 

It is expected that Jeep will launch this Compass Trailhawk in a couple of months and we also expect the bookings to be started in the coming month. In terms of pricing, it can be expected that Jeep will launch this model in the Rs 27 lakh price range. Till then stay tuned to MyNewCar to know further details.

Interior sketches of the Kia SP SUV revealed

Highlights:

• Kia motors unveil the official sketches of the SP2i.

• World debut of the production model will be held on the 20th of June 2019

• The model will most probably go on sale from the end of this year.

Some days ago, Kia had unveiled the exterior sketches of the SP2i SUV. And now they have officially unveiled the sketches of the interior for the same. These sketches give us a good idea about the shapes, sizes and some technical details of the cabin.

According to Kia Motors, the interior of this mid-size SUV has been designed keeping in mind of the youth and tech-savvy buyers. Moving to the sketches, the centre of the dashboard holds a large touchscreen infotainment uni.

This display also doubles up as a medium for the users to control and access other features.

The design in the cabin is true to the concept model that was unveiled. It gets a horizontal unit which houses a fully digital instrument cluster along with a large MID unit.

The dashboard and the interior trims get a black and brown dual tone finish. The SP2i will also use Sound Mood Lighting Technology that helps to alter the ambient lighting in the cabin according to the preference of the user.

The steering wheel, on the other hand, will be leather wrapped with loads of access to the different features.  For utmost comfort, it will also be equipped with automatic climate control and it will also boast of an electronic parking brake.

A central knob can also be seen which will help change into different driving modes. We can also expect features such as hill hold control, vehicle stability control, hill descent control and traction control.

Kia will be making the production-spec world debut of the SP2i on the 20th of June. We expect that this mid-size SUV will go on sale by the end of this year. MyNewCar expects that Kia Motors will retail the SP2i between the Rs 12 lakh to Rs 16 lakh (Ex-Showroom) price range.

Upcoming Mahindra Thar spied with a hard top

Highlights:

• The upcoming New Thar has been spotted testing for the second time.

• The images showcase a hardtop model with redesigned body panels and front and rear bumpers.

Some months ago we had reported that Mahindra is working on new generation Thar. It has been again spotted testing with heavy camouflage. A few months ago, it was spotted in the outskirts of Chennai.

This new generation Thar will be based on Mahindra and Mahindra's Gen3 chassis. This chassis will also be shared with new upcoming models as well.

These will include the new gen Scorpio and the New TUV 300 and they will also get a front suspension setup which will be suited for road use as it will feature less suspension travel.

In addition to this, the Thar will feature a wider track than the outgoing model and this time it won't get the independent rear suspension setup.

According to some media reports, we get to know that the Thar will get a removable hardtop for the first time. From the spy images, we can see that model which was spotted testing also has this removable hard top.

Aesthetically, the New Thar will get a newly designed body panel and redesigned front and rear bumpers. In addition to this, it will also feature a hardtop option and an all-new soft top. The wheel arches are muscular giving it a beefy look.

Moving towards the cabin, the interiors won't be getting many tweaks in terms of design but it will surely be more comfortable than the ongoing model. The new Thar will feature a large touchscreen unit or a 2DIN music system according to the variants. And it will also feature a dead centre dashboard unit.

Mahindra will be featuring the new Thar with the four-wheel drive system and a low range selector that will be manually operated. This new generation model will comply with the upcoming crash test norms and will also get a BS VI compliant 2.0-litre oil burner

With the launch of the new Thar, it will further lock its horn with the upcoming new generation Force Gurkha. Stay tuned to MyNewCar to know more about the upcoming New Thar.

News and image source: Autocar India