Bajaj Chetak 2020

by admin | August 26, 2020

Are Electric vehicles the future? We definitely don’t know yet. But what we do know is that manufacturers are trying hard to make their mark in the world of EV’s. Not just in the world of 4 wheelers but in the world of 2 wheelers as well!

Bajaj has re-launched the popular Chetak scooter after many years and in an all new electric avatar. Priced competitively at Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom), Bajaj has introduced the Chetak electric in two variants -- Urbane and Premium. The Premium model costs Rs 15,000 more and it will be sold alongside KTM. Customers are also offered the convenience of booking the Chetak on their official website as well. Deliveries for the Premium variant may begin from the end of April 2020 while the Urbane variant will commence by May 2020. The catch here though is that as of now, the Chetak is available in Pune and Bengaluru only.

While there are other players in the electric scooter market, the Chetak stands apart in terms of build since it uses metal bodywork instead of fibre. It gets all things modern like LED lighting and a digital instrument console that displays many important things like vehicle speed, range and battery level and an IP67 rating. Also, the Chetak gets keyless ignition!

Speaking of performance, the Chetak is powered by a 4kW 16 Nm electric motor with 2 riding modes: Eco and Sport. It is a smart system as the Chetak’s Integrated charging unit senses throttle position continuously. As a result, twisting the throttle more than 85% will result in the mode switching automatically from Eco to Sport. Bajaj claims the Chetak will offer a real-world range of 95km in Eco mode and 85km in Sport mode. You might be surprised to know that the Chetak also gets a reverse mode. It is also claimed that the electric scooter can do 25 kms after one hour of charge while a 3.5 hour charge will charge the batteries all the way to 80%. 100% charge from no charge could be achieved in 5 hours.

But, Bajaj claims the top speed of the Chetak to be limited to 60 kmph which in our books is low. Top speed has been compromised in the interest of higher range and it could be the perfect speed for tight city commutes. But, what if you happen to hit the highway or a fast main road? Things could get a bit scary.

Speaking of handling and braking- the Chetak gets front trailing link suspension and 12-inch alloy wheels fitted with MRF Zapper tyres. A disc brake in the front and drum brake at the rear should provide a lot of stopping power. Bajaj claims the regenerative braking feature can add 2.8 metre of range every time a rider goes from 60-0kmph.

There is no provision for fast charging but Bajaj does include home charging port for free which will be fixed at your place of residence by a technician. It would be interesting to see how the Chetak performs against its competition- the Ather 450, TVS iQube and 22Kymco iFlow.

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Swift 2021 Latest Update - All You Need To Know

Suzuki’s popular Swift has been around for many years. After all, the Japanese manufacturer has been giving it all the important touches and updates over time, making it seem fresh and ageless.

After its latest update in 2016, the Suzuki Swift has now been launched in Japan with many changes and we could expect to see this in India towards the last quarter of 2020. Not only are the updates just cosmetic, we expect to see some changes related to engine and performance too!

Expected Features: The new Swift won’t have too many significant changes in terms of looks. Small changes like

a new grille and a redesigned front bumper could make it look like it got a much needed change but the overall look remains the same. Images also suggest a new look in terms of skirts and new alloy wheels. Auto folding ORVMs, cruise control feature, a new 4.2 inch MID colour display and new upholstery to refresh the feel inside could be a part of the new Facelifted Swift. However, not much could be said about additions in terms of safety features as they remain the same. Electronic Stability Control and hill hold assist could new additions to the AMT variants.

Price:
The new facelifted Maruti Suzuki Swift is expected to cost Rs. 20,000 more than the outgoing model. So prices could start at around 5.5 Lakhs and go all the way upto Rs. 8.20 Lakhs (Ex- Showroom Delhi).

Engine and Performance: The new Facelifted Maruti Suzuki Swift 2021 could be launched with a 1.2-litre DualJet petrol engine as seen on the facelifted Maruti Suzuki Dzire. The new engine produces 90PS power, 7PS more than the current Swift’s petrol engine while the torque remains unchanged at 113NM. We do think that’s a good step taken towards offering more power.

In terms of fuel efficiency, we expect the new Swift to fetch similar mileage figures as the existing Maruti Suzuki Swift. Howver, the engine in question comes with an idle start-stop feature which could help improve overall fuel efficiency. Speaking of the transmission, Maruti will continue to offer the facelifted Swift the 5 speed manual and AMT gearbox. Keeping in mind the BS6 norms, there would be no diesel engine on offer in the facelifted Swift.

So, would the new Facelifted Maruti Suzuki Swift make you want to buy it? Or, would you consider any of the other hatchbacks in the market like the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, Ford Figo, Ford Freestyle, Hyundai i20 and the Volkswagen Polo?

Toyota Urban Cruiser Subcompact SUV - All you need to know

Toyota is all set to launch its new compact SUV, the Urban Cruiser. This is essentially the rebadged version of the best selling Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza with Toyota specific cosmetic changes.

Exterior:

The Urban Cruiser borrows its front grille from the Fortuner but carries forward the LED headlamps from the Vitara Brezza without any changes. The front bumper however is completely redesigned to give the Urban Cruiser a unique look. The sides and rear, however, don't have any changes except for the Toyota and Urban Cruiser branding on the tailgate. The 16” alloy wheels to are the same as on the

Vitara Brezza.

Interior:

The interior of the Urban Cruiser gets even fewer changes when compared to the Brezza. The design, layout and materials are exactly the same and the only differentiation will be Brown colour seat upholstery.

Variants:

Similar to the Vitara Brezza, the Urban Cruiser will be available in three variants; Mid, High and Premium.

Based on the Vitara Brezza, the new Urban Cruiser MID variant offers the following standard features:

LED headlamps with DRLs
LED tail lamps
Auto climate control
Tilt-adjustable steering wheel
Push-button start with the smart key
2DIN audio system
Steering mounted audio controls
Power windows
Electric ORVMs
Reverse sensors

Apart from these, the HIGH variant will include the following additional features:

16” alloy wheels
Auto folding ORVMs
Roof rails
7” touchscreen system
Android Auto & Apple car play
Reverse camera
Cruise control
Rear wiper & defogger

Additional features on the top-spec PREMIUM variant will include:

LED fog lamps
16” diamond cut alloys
Auto headlamps & wipers
Auto-dimming IRVM
Front and rear armrests

Safety:

Safety features on the Toyota Urban Cruiser BS6 include:

ABS with EBD
Dual airbags
ISOFIX child seat mounts
Pretensioner seatbelts
Engine immobilizer
Hill hold on AT variants

Powertrains:

The Urban Cruiser will carry forward the same 1.5L K-series petrol engine from the Vitara Brezza producing 105bhp power & 138nm torque through either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed Torque converter automatic gearbox. The Automatic variants will also receive mild hybrid system with auto engine start/stop and regenerative braking.

Launch & price:

The new Toyota Urban Cruiser will be priced at a slight premium over the Vitara Brezza with expected pricing from ?8.5L to ?11.5L ex-showroom. When launched the Toyota Urban Cruiser will compete against the Tata Nexon, Ford Ecosport, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Mahindra XUV300 and the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza itself. Bookings for the Urban Cruiser is currently open. Stay tuned for further details and pricing.

Toyota Innova Crysta Facelift Bookings Open, will be Launched on 20th Nov 2020

Toyota is all set to launch the Innova Crysta Facelift in India. The expected launch date will be on November 20, 2020. Already few dealerships started accepting a booking. The new photos have surfaced of this updated model from Indonesia. Here are some key highlights of this new model.

Toyota Innova Crysta Facelift Bookings Open, will be Launched on 20th Nov 2020.

Exterior

While the overall dimensions remain exactly the same, the facelift model will feature an all-new front grille finished in glossy black with five slats while the outer portion of the grille sports chrome finishing

which is further connected to the headlights. The front fascia resembles the Toyota Highlander SUV and Hilux pick up truck to a certain extent.

The bumper has also been made to resemble an SUV and looks beefier with a faux skid plate. The fog lamps are located lower down in the bumper on the lower variants whereas the higher variants get LED DRLs integrated with the fog lamps on the regular location. There are no major changes on the sides except for the new dual-tone Alloy wheels. The rear too looks exactly the same except for minor changes in the tail lamps.

Interior

The interior of the new Crysta offers a new larger infotainment system which is expected to feature Android Auto and Apple car play. The Indian version is expected to receive a different faux wood treatment as well. Apart from these changes, the overall layout and comfort will remain the same.

Powertrain

Mechanically, no changes are expected and the updated model is expected to get the same engine options as before. The 2.4-liter 4-cylinder diesel engine mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox generates a maximum power of 150PS and maximum torque of 343NM. The 6-speed automatic-equipped diesel variants, however, generate a slightly higher torque figure of 360NM. The 2.7-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine on the other hand produces a maximum power of 167PS and Max torque of 245NM through either a 5-speed manual or 6-speed Automatic transmission.

Launch and pricing

This new facelifted Innova Crysta expected to be priced slightly higher than the outgoing models, the price could increase by Rs60000 to Rs100000. At present, the base petrol variant is available in India with an ex-showroom price tag of Rs.15.66 lakhs while the top-spec diesel variant is priced at Rs.23.63 lakhs. Stay tuned for further updates on the new Innova Crysta.