Automotive Review

Maruti Suzuki seems to have felt the heat from the latest upcoming compact SUVs in India, especially its prime rival, the Honda Mobilio. The manufacturer will introduce the facelifted model of the Ertiga soon. The Ertiga has been ruling the compact MPV segment since a long time now and the refreshed car is expected to be launched in early 2015.
Exterior
The cosmetic changes will come in the form of mild revisions to the exterior that will give it a fresh look setting it apart from the current avatar. From the test mules spotted it can be gauged that the most evident change is the new two-slat grille in place of the current four-slat one. This might get embellished in chrome to make the car look fresh in the face of the rivals. The front air intakes might also get modified with revisions to the bumper as well. Coming to the sides, the silhouette will remain the same but there will be an addition of electronically foldable OVRMs. Though, these might make it only to Vdi/Vxi and Zdi/Zxi trim.
Interior
We don’t think the company might make many changes to the interior and the cabin is expected to retain the same layout and upholstery from the current vehicle. Nevertheless, considering the latest push-button start feature in the latest Ciaz sedan and facelifted Swift hatchback, we believe that it would be good to see this feature on the Ertiga as well. Obviously only the top-end variants of the car will get it but a + variant might be brought in that will have a feature list very similar to that of the new Ciaz.
Engine and gearbox
Coming to the powertrain, we dont expect any changes there and the facelifted Ertiga is expected to continue to employ the 1.4-litre petrol engine and the 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine. While the former churns out 94bhp of power and 130Nm of torque, the latter produces 89bhp of power and 200Nm of torque. Both engines are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The CNG variant will also be continued to be offered.
Price and Competition
The 2015 model of the Ertiga might be priced in the range of Rs 5.82 lakh to Rs 8.6 lakh, slightly expensive than the current model. With the added features the refreshed vehicle will go up against the Honda Mobilio, Chevrolet Enjoy and the Nissan Evalia.

Sharp is the new cool seems to be mantra for VW and all the brands under its umbrella. This philosophy has found its way into the external and internal language of not just VW cars but all the other manufacturers as well. While it has left them looking very similar, what we have got are sharp and modern designs. One car that appears to reflect this well is the 2016 Skoda Superb which has now been seem sans camouflage. It is expected to be launched next summer which means that it will come to India by the end of 2015.
Exterior
The pictures reveal that the 2016 Skoda Superb is longer and wider than the current car. It has a design influenced by the Vision C concept which was unveiled earlier this year. However, what we can also see is that Skoda is keeping much of the overall design from the current car. The fascia gets a new bumper, revised Skoda proprietary grille and a larger hood which we suspect has been extended for a larger set of engines. The lines have now moved from slightly rounded to completely angular.
Moving over to the side, we can see that the car has retained a lot of the current car’s shape but the roof line has been lowered slightly. When we do a side to side comparison with the B8 Passat, the lines are very similar right down to the flare of wheel arches as well as the larger wheels.
The rear end looks slightly different from the Passat and more in line with the current car. The crease around the boot lid now appears to be more prominent and looks to be lacking the chrome strip at the bottom. However, this is likely to be case only for the European markets.
Interior
The Superb is expected to get the same cabin design and elements as the B8 Passat but with the obvious changes in fabric tones, badges and graphics for the touchscreen display. The cabin is expected to have lesser buttons in a bid to de-clutter the look. Standard features are expected to include-two zone climate control, touchscreen infotainment system, electric adjustment for front seats, rear AC vent and leather upholstery for top-spec models. We also believe that with this model Skoda may start offering a rear seat entertainment package.
Engine and gearbox
The Superb is expected to be offered with the same set of engines as the current car. On the petrol front, the engine will be the 1.8-TSI which produces 158bhp and 250Nm of torque while the diesel on the other hand is the 2.0-litre TDI which produces 138bhp and 320Nm of torque. Gearboxes are expected to include the six-speed MT, seven-speed AT both of which send power to the front wheels. Skoda is also expected to include an AWD option in the higher spec models.
Price and competition
The 2016 Superb is expected to be priced significantly higher than the current model as it is a completely new vehicle and comes fitted with a host of new technologies. When launched, it will rival the VW Passat, Honda Accord, Audi A3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLA.

The MPV segment is on a roll in India and it seems that everyone wants a piece of the action. The latest entrant is the Honda Mobilio which was launched in July and is currently turning out to be one of the major successes for the Japanese automaker. Renault will join the bandwagon with the Dacia designed Lodgy while Ford is expected to enter the fray with the B-MAX MPV. It is based on the Fiesta platform and shares much of its underpinnings and design with the sedan.
Exterior
The Ford B-MAX is underpinned by the Fiesta platform which means that it shares much of its external design with the sedan. It gets the same Aston Martin- esque -fascia right down to the shape of the headlights. However, by virtue of this being an MPV, it gets a slightly more raked bonnet which for obvious reasons is larger than its sedan counterpart.
The side profile once again resembles the Fiesta due to the flared wheel arches and forward sloping roofline. The rear roofline ends sharply at the D-pillar and then flows into the tail lamps. At the rear, Ford has given the B-MAX wrap around tail lamps and has divided the rear section into two parts through the use of prominent creases. The first section runs from the spoiler to the middle of the boot lid where the Ford logo is located while the second section runs from the number plate holder to the loading lip.
Interior
The interior gets the same design as the Ford Fiesta sedan and hatchback. This means a combination of grey and silver for most of the dashboard while the upholstery will be a lighter shade of grey. Standard features on the top- spec variant are expected to include 2-DIN music system, climate control, SYNC technology, second row AC vents, one touch seat folding for both second and third rows and finally a reversing camera.
Engine and gearbox
The B-MAX is likely to be introduced only with the 1.5-litre diesel engine that produces 93bhp and 203Nm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. If there is a petrol version, it will be the 1.5-litre four pot motor that produces 109bhp and 140Nm of torque. Europe also gets the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engined version but this is unlikely to be launched for the Indian market.
Price and competition
The B-MAX is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 6 lakh to Rs 10 lakh and will compete with the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Chevrolet Enjoy and the Honda Mobilio.