Many cars were launched before the lockdown
Ourcountry’s march towards cleaner cars i n the form of BSVI compliant engines has been halted by something that we have seen only in the movies.
The spread of a deadly virus. As the country goes into a lockdown, all our cars are parked and I am hoping that we are not driving much, if at all. However, before the lockdown was initiated, a lot of companies launched new cars, updated the existing models to meet with the changed norms and discontinued various engines and variants. While we have a large number of these cars in our refreshed section, including the
Maruti-Suzuki Vitara Brezza, we also have quite a few new cars including perhaps the biggest launch of the year, the Hyundai Creta. Will the SUV king be able to replicate its success in a completely changed environment very different from the one in which it made its reputation?
The biggest threat to the Creta comes from its stablemate, the Kia Seltos as both run the same engines, the same underpinnings and largely similar equipment. The Seltos also has a design that is more universal than the Creta, the design of which is polarizing, to say the least. In an exclusive, we pit the diesel variants of the two cars against each other and with so many similarities, it may just be the looks which separate the two SUVs. And as always we leave that decision in the hands of the buyers, because the opinion on looks is very personal. However, I would like to hazard a guess – Indians like to stand out and the Creta might just fit in with that philosophy. We also feature first drives of the turbo-petrol Creta, the BMW X5M and X6M, the Mercedes flagship SUV, the GLS, along with that of the European Car of the Year, the Peugeot 208, which may at some stage, make it to Indian shores.
As all of us face up to the challenge of staying safe, we have over 20 cars and bikes for you to read about in this issue. Hopefully common sense will prevail and we will come out of the lockdown safe and healthy! And the industry will get an extension to sell its remaining BS IV stock.