2012 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2.5 Test Drive report and Review

Even though Mitsubishi has lots of SUVs in the Indian market now,they haven't given up.The new Pajero Sport is yet another version of the Pajero and it is the fourth member of the Mitsubishi's SUV family in India.So when there is 3 other SUV's currently in the market,why did they launch a new one.The answer is simple.The real reason Pajero Sport exists is to take on competition like the Fortuner and  the Endeavour.It's all about delivering as much as SUV as you can on a budget.The Pajero Sport,importantly is a thoroughly modern,up-to-the minute,common rail diesel equipped SUV,something HM's Mitsubishi mountain goat,the Pajero,certainly isn't.Put simply,what Mitsubishi is trying to do is deliver a Montero-like package at a Pajero-like price;that's as close as you can get to a superfine recipe for success in India.

So hungry,in fact,that it's designers have lifted up the nose section right off the Pajero Evo rally car and grafted it directly onto the new Pajero Sport.The grille and the headlights are aligned in a single narrow band,the massive wheel arches on either side provide plenty of excitement and the gaping chasm below the bumper gives the SUV a tough,purposeful look.The cabin gets tighter and taper towards the rear,the taillights are attractive and the Sport sits so high on it's springs,it looks like it has been given a aftermarket suspension job.Overall proportions,however aren't great,as the stubby nose and the large cabin don't exactly gel.Mitsubishi's 'Super Select' transfer case allows you to shift from 2WD high to 4WD high on the move (even when you are cruising on 100 kmph),and you can uniquely lock the center diff in both 4WD low and 4WD high.

The Pajero Sport's 2.5 litre diesel engine may be smaller than it's competitors,but what it loses in capacity it more than makes up for in specific output.It's 176 bhp is very similar to the 168 bhp put out by the Toyota Fortuner's larger 3.0 litre engine and acceleration and performance are pretty similar as well.The Mitsubishi's Variable-Geometry turbo has been tuned with performance in mind and after a small amount of vibration and some initial lag,power is delivered in a strong and steady stream all the way from 1800 to 4500 rpm.The engine feels very smooth in mid-range,there is considerable punch when you keep your foot pinned down,and after 100kph,the Sport pulls away its rivals with effortless ease.

The Pajero Sport has a lot going for it.It has a strong diesel engine,a spacious and comfortable cabin,and  impressive levels of fit and finish.It is well specified and comes from a  long line of successful Mitsubishi SUV's.What might let it down though,is that at Rs.23.5 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi),it is 2.5 lakhs more than the new Toyota Fortuner,which means it is a contender,but a bit pricey one.It's handling may not be anywhere as sharp as we'd hoped and it can't be bought with an automatic yet,but looked at as an overall package,it's impressive enough to take on the best in it's class.

2012 Maruti Ertiga LUV-Test drive report and Specs

Maruti has launched a new breed of car,which they say,the LUV (Life Utility Vehicle),the Ertiga in India and this car is a pure new series of vehicle.With a length of 4265 mm,the Ertiga is a fair bit shorter than the MPV's in the market,namely the Toyota Innova,Mahindra Xylo and Tata Aria.The Ertiga gets the basic right.It has three rows of seat,can set seven and comes with the option of a petrol and diesel engine.Also,it's monocoque construction promises much in terms of car-like comfort and driving manners.

Styling at the front is typical Suzuki.The headlights that sweep back the A-pillars remind us of the new Swift and there is more than the hint of a Ritz in the front grille and the bonnet.Tail styling,though ordinary and conforms to the standard MPV design template.The overall design is pleasing but not what you would call eye-catching.

Under the skin,the Ertiga is based on the modified Swift platform.The wheelbase has been considerably lengthened to 2740mm,which makes it just a shade shorter than the Innova's and Xylo's.Interestingly the Ertiga weighs 170 kg more than a Swift.,thanks to the extensive use of light weight high-tensile steel in it's construction.Moreover,a ribbed roof and sturdier box-section steel has been used around the rear wheel arches to counter any loss of torsional stiffness as a result of lengthening the wheelbase.

Middle row occupants are really well taken care of with great legroom on offer.What's more,the middle row can be slid back a whooping 240mm,giving the Ertiga luxury saloon-rivaling levels of leg space which is simply fantastic.Even after adjusting these seats for the third row passengers,you have more than sufficient leg room.The seats themselves are comfortable,if a tad soft,and feature a well positioned center armrest.The flat seat and a near-flat floor bode well fore center passenger comfort.It's also easy to get in and out courtesy the large rear doors are ideal seat height.

Getting into the last row needs some contortion.The seating position is not 'knees-up' like other MPVs which is good,but the seat squab is a bit short and this compromises thigh support.Shoulder support is good and headroom is decent and,simply put,the cabin is far more usable than the Ertiga's exterior dimension would suggest.

The Ertiga will be sold four models for Petrol and three for Diesel.Save for the base petrol model,all the variants gets ABS and only the top end model gets passenger and driver airbags.Climate control is not available on any trim level,though middle-and top-spec cars do get twin air conditioners to help cool the large cabin.

Petrol Version (LXI,VXI,VXI ABS and ZXI)
Powering the Ertiga is a new 1.4 litre petrol motor from Suzuki's acclaimed K-series family of engines.Peak power output is 93.7 bhp @6000 rpm and torque is 13.26 kgm @4000 rpm.Refinement is impressive with a very quite idle.There is a good spread of power which makes the engine fit for both city and highway driving.Driveability is fairly good too,though the built up of power sometimes seem slightly slow,and this is especially true in the mid-range ,which is characteristic of smaller engines from the K-series family too.Also the engines tends to get quite vocal as you reverse harder.

Diesel Version (LDI,VDI,ZDI)
The other engine on offer is the 1.3 litre Fiat-sourced turbo-diesel that also does duty on the SX4.Peak power here is 88.8 bhp @4000 rpm while maximum torque is available at 1750 rpm.The engine feels comfortable and quite suited to relaxed cruising in the highway,but it is driving in the city that reveals the diesel motors Achilles' heels-turbo lag.This is something we have noticed and highlightened on the Multi-Jet engine right from its first application in the Fiat Linea.Maruti has shortened the gearing (compared to the SX4) to work around the lag under 2000 rpm,but even then the lack of power is very evident.

The Ertiga is large inside but not so large on the outside,which is sure to appeal to buyers who find the current crop of MPVs a bit too unwiedly and large.It's engine score well on refinement and driveability and is well on fuel efficiency.

Fuel Efficiency:Petrol- 12.3 - 16.02 kmpl,Diesel- 17.2 - 20.77 kmpl
Price:Rs.5,88,000 - Rs.8,44,000

New 2012 Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 V6 Diesel SUV-Test Drive report and Specs

Volkswagen has launched a new 2012 version of it's offroader,the Touareg.The new 2012 Touareg comes with a new design and new added features and have the official Volkswagen grille in the front,the one which we have seen in the new Passat,Jetta and the Vento.The new Touareg (code-name :7P5) shares VW's PL71 platform with the Audi Q7 and the Porsche Cayenne.Volkswagen is quite proud of the fact that,despite being bigger than the car it replaces,it weights at least 203 kg lesser!The new Touareg has grown-it is longer,wider and more importantly,has a 40mm longer wheelbase that substantially improves the cabin space.More impressive still is the Touareg's fundamental rigidity,which has risen by more than five percent,making it one of the stiffest in it's class.

In other markets Volkswagen offers a low-range transfer case and lockable differentials for serious off-roading,but Indian cars will have to make do with the regular all-wheel drive system and a special off-road program that activates hill-descent control and tweaks ABS,ESP,traction control and electronic differential lock settings.Not offering the full blown offroad kit is a good move.It will help keep costs down.Most owners won't venture too far off tarmac,and if they do,this standard Touareg is pretty good on the loose stuff anyway.

Under the hood,there is the 3.0 litre V6 (2967 cc) 4 valve DOHC Diesel engine which delivers a whooping 240 bhp @3800 rpm.The SUV is a All-Wheel-Drive with a 8 speed automatic transmission which delivers a smooth ride in highways and the AWD gives a decent control on the steering.When coming to the suspension,it has a Independent double wishbone ,air springs in the front and independent air-springs in the rear.The air springs reduce the impact when driven fastly through any humps or pits.The steering is a hydraulic one which have a turning radius of 11.9 m.Both the font and the rear wheel have ventilated disc brakes with ABS.

With just 240 bhp to haul,its 2135 kg kerb weight around,you would't expect the Touareg to be a modest performer at best.However in cars like this,it's the torque that counts and this is something the 3.0-litre V6 diesel dishes out in spades.Pair it with the eight-speed transmission and a reasonably chunky powerband and you have an SUV that performs like you expect to.

When you step on the heavily sprung throttle pedel,there's an initial pause before the nose gently rise and the Touareg defiles it's weight.Performance is strong and acceleration doesn't let up until you are well past 150 kph.Even then 200kph is a few seconds away and it feels entirely comfortable blitzing distances at this speed all day long.For the record,it hits 100 kph in an impressive 7.47 seconds (tested by AutoCar) and will cross the 200kph mark in under 40 seconds.

Thanks to the torque and the 8-speed gearbox,you can expect a reasonable 7.5 kmpl in the city.The tail cruising gears also help it achieve a decent 11.8 kmpl in the highway.

Price-Rs.52,40,700/-

2012 Mahindra Bolero m2Dicr v/s Tata Sumo Gold-Comparison

The all new 2012 Tata Sumo Gold v/s new 2012 Mahindra Bolero m2Dicr


Mahindra Bolero and the Tata Sumo are the only two yet available budget value for money SUV's in India.They two offer a great functionality and still priced at a good tag.When we say about the Sumo,it is big,spacious,powerful and got almost many good features like the Bolero.But the only thing which is still not up to the mark in the Sumo is that it's built quality hasn't improved much still.Tata has given a minor improvement in the quality of the plastics used,but the fit and finish is still not up to the mark.

Tata has made a significant change in the 2012 Sumo.In the front,it's styled like the Victa ,but there is a big 'Gold' badge above the grille.The new Sumo Gold has a 2956 cc CR4 engine which delivers a good 60-62 kw of power @3000 rpm.The huge engine delivers a good pick up and pulling.The higher the cubic capacity,the more the power and the fuel burning.The Sumo Gold has a 250 nm of torque @1600-2000 rpm.The engine has got a good torque and therefore it is peppy.On the same way,the Sumo Gold is also not bad in features.It has got power steering,four door power windows,front fog lamps,central locking,rear defogger,AC,CD player and other specs too.These features are available in the top end version i.e, Tata Sumo Gold GX.The Sumo Gold is available in both 7 seater and 9 seater.

The next guy is the new Bolero.As we all know,Bolero is the vehicle which made Mahindra to 'rise'  to bigger standards and now even Mahindra starts its's Scorpio production in the US.So Mahindra hasn't forgot to give it's beloved a major change.The new 2012 Bolero comes with a 2523 cc m2Dicr engine which is the same in the base model Scorpio.The engine delivers a decent 46.3 kw (63 bhp) of power @3200 rpm.The engine has got 195 nm of torque @1500-1800 rpm where that of the Sumo is 1600-2000.Therefore even the Sumo has more power it is not as peppy as the Bolero.But when it comes to power and pulling,the Sumo Gold wins.The new Bolero has a got a new digital driver information system.The fit and finish is also better than the Sumo but it is not as good as the old Bolero (the very first one,2002 model,where Mahindra built it like a 'tank').Also Mahindra has added a lot more features in the new Bolero.The new Bolero has got a added rear defogger along with a washer and wiper.There is also a rear AC vent so that the rear passengers do not need to suffocate..The other features include power steering,four door power windows,central locking along with remote,CD player with integrated stereo system,digital driver information system,rear defogger,rear washer and AC.When it comes to specs the Mahindra Bolero ZLX is better than the Sumo Gold.

The new 2012 Tata Sumo Gold is available at a price range of Rs.5,90,000 - Rs.7,40,000 while the new 2012 Mahindra Bolero is available at a price range of Rs.6,18,000-Rs.6,96,000

New Ford EcoSport production Version unveiled in 2012 Beiling Auto Show

Ford has unveiled it's new global production SUV,the new Ford EcoSport in the 2012 Beijing Auto Show held at Beijing.As seen on the picture,the EcoSport sticks to its concept body-style but now gets conventional headlamps and taillamps.Ford will showcase the new EcoSport at the Beijing Auto Show 2012.

The EcoSport is the latest 'One Ford' global product,a vehicle designed to help expand Ford's footprint in the world's fastest auto market,including India.It will be the second of eight products Ford plans to bring to India by mid-decade for which the company will invest US$ 2 billion in the development of the new vehicles.

Known internally as the B515,this next generation EcoSport is built on Ford's award winning global compact car platform,the B2E,which was developed with Mazda,which majors on weight saving torsional rigidity though the EcoSport shares plenty of bits with the Fiesta saloon under the skin.

What is certain is that the design all over definitely has SUV written all over it.The five door EcoSport gets chunky,technical styling,and a very space-efficient interior.A large trapezoidal front grille dominates the front end,while the front headlights are slimmer and more technical than on the Fiesta.

The lower front bumper and side sills get cladding,while there are also muscular wheel arches and a fixed spare wheel at the back to further emphasis its off-road intentions.The roof gets chrome rails and the rear side windows have the familiar Ford upwards kink in the windows line.

Ford will debut a 1.0 litre ,three cylinder direct injection turbo petrol motor in the EcoSport-a world debut-that will be capable of generating power similar to the bigger,1.6 litre motor.It will also deliver class leading fuel economy.The car will also get the 1.5 litre Diesel engine that currently does duty in the Fiesta.

The EcoSport,which cleverly combines the charm of an SUV,the frugality of small engines,cutting-edge styling and a very affordable price tag somewhere in the region of Rs.7-9 lakh,has the makings of a winner.At that price it will provide a genuine alternative to a midsize car or a premium hatchback.

The EcoSport's main competitors include the upcoming Renault Duster,Maruti's production version of the XA-Alpha SUV,and compact SUV from Volkswagen and Skoda Scout which will be unveiled in the future.

Nissan Sunny 2012 Review,Test Drive Report and Specs

The new Nissan Sunny is a great car,just like the advertisement,it is a 'caaaaaaaar'.The Sunny,in it's class,has the largest wheelbase and is the most spacious with a long legroom.The car looks great,it has got a look and performance.At the price range-Rs.5.78 lakh-Rs.8.88 lakh,there is no other saloon that matches the sheer space and equipment levels like the Nissan Sunny.

Design and Engineering
The Sunny is based on the V platform as the Micra.There is no annoying the Sunny is a big car and that's largely because of it's class leading 2600mm wheel base.The Sunny's generous dimensions and splashes of chrome give it a mature look,and from some angles,it looks like a mini Teana.However there are some awkward bits of styling too-like the rear,it has a massive and ungainly overhang.The flipside is that it houses a useful 490 litre boot.

The best thing about Nissan's V platform is its astonishingly light weight-the Sunny is a mere  1,207 kg on the scales.Key to this light weight is the inherent stiffness of the V platform and bits like the ribbed roof,which adds strength and eliminates the need for heavy roof reinforcements.Nissan has reduced the mass of the engine,the chassis is made with 20% fewer parts.The Indian car,like many competitors,is also not as stiff as in other markets due to our almost non-existent crash norms,and this has helped reduce weight further.

The Nissan Sunny uses Independently suspended McPherson struts up front and a non-independent torsion beam axle at the rear,with anti-roll bars at both ends.Braking is via ventilated discs in the front and drums at the rear,and steering is via an electrically assisted system.The XE and XL comes with smaller 14-inch steel rims,while the XV comes with 15-inch alloys.The India spec car also come with a rough road package that helps improve ground clearance.

Interiors
The Sunny's cabin is phenomenally spacious and Nissan proudly says that there is enough room for rear passengers to sit cross-legged.True as this may be,what it fails to mention is that thigh support isn't so generous.Sure you can use all that leg room to stretch out and get comfortable,but your thigh's are a  bit off the seat.The front seats are very generous,however,and finding a decent driving position is easy enough-all variants get tilt adjusted steering and the XL and the XV gets the driver height adjustment.

Features
The Sunny is well equipped,it's features are four door power windows,key less entry,central locking,electrically folding wing mirrors,climate control AC,a CD player,rear defogger.The second model XV isn't bad.It has got power windows,a CD player and all that safety kits.But it lacks alloy wheels.The XE is poorly equipped,it doesn't even has wheel caps and the hard,black interiors make it better suited for taxi duty.But even this low base model comes with ABS and a driver airbag!

Engine and specs(Petrol)
 Engine    1498 cc ,twin cam,4 cyl,16-valve
 Power     97 bhp @6000 rpm
 Mileage  City-15 kmpl, Highway-17 kmpl

Engine and Specs(Diesel)
 Engine   1461 cc,4 cyl,8-valve
 Power    86 bhp @3750 rpm
 Mileage City-16 kmpl, Highway-20 kmpl

Nissan Sunny Price List (Ex.Showroom,New Delhi)
 XE (Petrol)                   Rs.5,88,000
 XL (Petrol)                   Rs.6,98,000
 XV(Petrol)                    Rs.7,78,000

 XL(Diesel)                    Rs.7,98,000
 XV(Diesel)                    Rs.8,78,000

2012 Mahindra Thar 4WD CRDe with A/C and Engine Immobilizer

Mahindra and Mahindra at last launched the much awaited spec on the Thar,the Ac.The new 2012 Thar comes with an AC and also with Engine immobilizer as a security for your Thar.These two features will come as standard in the SUV.The Thar SUV is basically targeted on and off road car,and is knows for it's extremely splendid off road abilities.The highlight has resulted in not offering the SUV with good features.But for now who would love to ride this amazing SUV daily,even in the hot summer,it was very important to give the AC.

The new 2012 Mahindra Thar CRDe 4x4 comes with standard AC and Immobilizer with a prize of Rs.6.68 lakh.The AC and Immobilizer has increased the prize of the new Thar by Rs.85000.On the other hand,the DI variant of the Thar will continue with no added features since it is only focused on the rural areas.The new Thar with the AC and Immobilizer make it a complete SUV,with all the wanted features for an SUV,worth the price.

Mahindra Thar CRDe has a 2.5l common rail turbo direct injection engine,which is capable of generating a amazing power of 105 bhp along with 247 Nm of torque.The engine has been coupled with 5 speed manual gearbox with 4WD system triggered via Borg Warner manual transfer case.By the looks,Mahindra Thar could not be called a head-turner,but is immensely powerful and a perfect SUV for Indian terrains.Hence in a price range of Rs.6.68 lakh,this SUV is not bad at all.In the future we can hope for a hard top Thar with same specs.

Mahindra Scorpio mHawk 2.2 Micro Hybird-Detailed Review

After the liberalization in India,many new and new foreign cars and SUV's started production.From 2009 we have seen different models launched and still about 5 new models are being launched a month!These new foreign models have high end technology,good built quality,good performance etc.Many people think that only foreign vehicles are good and only they are capable.But this is wrong.The all new Mahindra Scorpio is a proof that,even our Indian cars can meet the 'goodies' like the foreign cars.So whats so special about all new Scorpio mHawk?

Ever since the first model has launched,the Scorpio only had national success.Mahindra never forget to keep that 'good quality thing' still.The new Scorpio is a lot better than the previous generation ones and also it is the best in class.The all new 2.2 litre mHawk engine is like a 'Hawk'.It delivers a good 120 bhp of power @4000 rpm still giving you 14 km/l.

Detailed Specs:

Capacities

 Seating         7

 Fuel Tank    60 litre

Engine

 Type                    Direct Injection mHawk

 Displacement     2179

 Power                 122 bhp @4000 rpm

 Torque                 290 Nm @1800 rpm

 No.of cylinders  4

 

Transmission

 Type                   Manual/Automatic

 No.of gear         5

 Clutch type        Hydraulically operated,single plate,dry type

 

Suspension

 Front                  Independent coil spring,Anti roll bar(2WD),Independent Torsion bar (4WD).

 Rear                   Independent torsion bar,multi link ,coil spring

Features

Main Features (VLX)

 Leather seats,AM/FM radio with 2-din music system,beige interiors,AC,Power Steering,Power windows,central locking with remote,engine immobilizer,cruise control,steering height adjustment ,Rear defogger,rear washer and wiper,remote fuel lid open.

Exterior

 Alloy wheels,Tubeless tyres,front fog lamps,roof rail,muscular bumpers,body graphics,air intake in hood,roof antenna.

Safety and Security

 ABS,EBD,Driver and Passenger Airbags,Rear Child Lock doors

 

Price Rs.12.63 lakhs Ex.Showroom