The popular performance version of the Octavia- the RS has a new version- the RS 245 and straight away, it has some striking numbers. Starting with the price- at 35.99 Lakhs, the introductory price tag is quite brave to be honest. But again, only 200 units of this car will be available in India so yes, it does have that special touch to it.

Talking of more numbers- the RS 245 is equipped with the 2.0 Litre TSI petrol unit that churns out 245 PS and 370 NM of torque. Connected to a 7 Speed automatic Dual Clutch Gearbox compared to

the earlier version that had a 6- speed unit, the RS 245 is expected to leave behind its predecessor in terms of acceleration as it now crossed 100 Kmph in 6.6 seconds. Power is also 15 PS more compared to the older model. Skoda claims that the top speed of the Rs 245 is limited to 250 kmph. We told you, these are some really striking numbers.

While the performance has changed, the exterior remains the same mostly. A sports butterfly grille, gloss black touches, projector headlamps, LED DRLs, LED tail lights, sporty tailpipes, the sport vRS badging, 18- inch glossy Black Dual Tone alloy wheels make this car very appealing to look at. We the like the way it looks like a normal sedan but has some prominent highlights to it that don’t scream performance but when you need it, it is all at your disposal. So much, that it will surprise many!

The interior does look like a normal Skoda Octavia apart from some exception like RS seats with perforated leather and red stitching, 3- spoke flat bottom steering wheel with paddle shift. LED ambient lighting, an 8 –inch touch screen infotainment system with Apple Car Play and Android Auto, digital instrument panel, dual-zone Climatronic air conditioning suggest that comfort and convenience is in no way compromised for the sake of performance. Some optional features include Black Alcantara sport seats and a 12- way electrically adjustable driver and passenger seats.

The Skoda Octavia RS 245 also comes with loads of safety tech like ABS, ESC, Mechanical brake assist (MBA), multi- collision brake (MCB), adaptive front- light system (AFS), Anti- slip regulation (ASR) and Electronic differential lock (ESR). So, this car then does add a lot to the confidence.

Available in five colours like Race Blue, Magic Black, Rallye Green, Corrida Red, and Candy White. The Skoda Octavia RS 245 is a highly desirable performance car for enthusiasts who want to drive tastefully.

Tata’s Nexon EV is a pretty muscular SUV that comes packed with an IP67 waterproof 30.2kWh Lithium Ion battery delivering 127.0 BHP to the front wheels and along lot of torque. 245nm to be specific. Underpowered will definitely not be a description when someone drives it. What comes with power though? A reduction in mileage. But since this is powered by an electric motor, you can charge it even while decelerating/ braking. Thanks to its regenerative braking feature which can be toggled between varying levels depending upon the amount of regen one prefers.

As a result, this is an excellent package

for the city because all we do is start stop repeatedly until we arrive at our destination. In case you’re wondering about fast charging. The batteries on the Tata Nexon EV will charge from 0% to 80% in an hour. That’s excellent because these days, you never realise how time flies. A couple of phone calls, check your social media notifications, a loo break, a short tea/coffee break and you would’ve spent way over 60 minutes already! Also, the Nexon EV comes with an ARAI certified full charge range of 312 kilometres which should take care of… a week’s commute?

The Nexon EV carries over many things from the Fossil Fuel powered older version of the Tata Nexon like drive modes and an overall feel of the cabin. But some instances like the front profile, rear bumper changes and colour are totally new. Frankly speaking, we like this new look of the Nexon as it looks more modern, more muscular and more SUV- ish. Small highlights to its design give a feel that the manufacturer took the looks of this car quite seriously.

Coming to some dimensional numbers- the length of the car is just under 4 metres, it seats 5 people quite comfortably, has a generous boot space of 350 litres and with a ground clearance of 205mm, you could go over almost any obstacle without frowning. 

Speaking of the cars multimedia features and what it has to offer in terms of comfort- well, we’ve seen Tata check most boxes earlier in the older Nexon as well. Naturally, the Nexon EV too would get loads of features. The top end variant XZ Plus LUX which costs around 16 Lakhs Ex-showroom packs a sunroof, a 7 inch touch screen infotainment system, Projector headlamps, LED tail lamps, cornering fog lights and all the other Nexon goodies.

In the safety department too, there are no compromises. Tata has been repeatedly proving that safety does matter to them. In the Nexon EV, you get ABS, EBD, 2 Airbags, vehicle stability control system, ISOFIX Child seat mounts and much more, which sort of does add to a lot of confidence when one drives the car. However, the addition of side and passenger airbags would’ve made this package a perfect one.

In terms of the drive and feel, this feels like a comfortable, hassle free automatic car (since it has no gears) while not completely alienating you from the Internal combustion feeling. Thanks to its regenerative braking. You do get a new world feeling when you look at the new instrument cluster and the fact that the Nexon EV won’t have to go through periodic oil changes and other service compulsions that the Internal Combustion Nexon would have to go through.

To conclude, the Nexon EV has made quite a mark in the electric car scenario in India. With a competitive pricing and a package that has almost all things covered including safety, what else can one ask for? 

India’s safest hatchback, Tata ALTROZ, turns two! Marks the celebration with the addition of ALTROZ XT and XZ+ (diesel) to its #DARK range

Mumbai, February 9, 2021: Keeping the New Forever brand promise, Tata Motors, India’s leading automotive brand, today celebrated the 2nd anniversary of its premium hatchback – The ALTROZ, by extending the #DARK edition to its XT and XZ+ (diesel) trims. Since launch in July 2021, the ALTROZ #DARK has received an overwhelming response and there have been consumer requests to extend to additional trims. This extension is aimed at expanding its customer base and introducing premium styling &

popular features. With bookings starting today, the ALTROZ #DARK XT will be available at authorized Tata Motors dealership at an introductory price of INR 7.96 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi).

Commenting on this occasion, Mr. Rajan Amba, Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Customer Care, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. said, “The ALTROZ has created its own mark in the premium hatchback market with more than 1.2 lakh happy owners. With over 20% market share (YTD) in its segment, it has been very popular amongst customers. The addition of the #DARK to its portfolio last year further enhanced its style quotient. The ALTROZ offers true international standards of safety, design and performance and has played an important role in enhancing our New Forever range. We would like to celebrate the brands 2nd anniversary with our customers with these product extensions, making it more accessible and offering exciting feature updates. With increasing recognition from Indian consumers and earning incremental market share year on year, we are confident that ALTROZ is poised for more success in the future.”

The ALTROZ #DARK XT and XZ+ will carry forward the imposing persona of #DARK through its exterior and interior design. It will come with host of premium features including perforated leatherette seats, rear armrest, #DARK tint Hyper-style wheels, height adjustable driver seat, rear headrest, front adjustable seat belts, leather wrapped steering wheels, leather wrapped gear knob and more. #DARK Mascot on the new XT variant along with the dark theme exterior and interior will further accentuate the bold and premium appeal at the mid variants. Adding to the above, the top-of-the-line XZ+ variant will now be offered with new additional safety features like Brake Sway Control and iTPMS. (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) to make the car more desirable & safe.

Being the first vehicle on the ALFA (Agile Light Flexible Advanced) architecture, the ALTROZ has always set #TheGoldStandard and has been appreciated for its design and safety. With its laser cut design, highest safety rating, absolute comfort and thrilling performance it has created a benchmark in its segment. The ALTROZ comes loaded with features and is available in six variants with 1.2L Revotron Petrol, 1.2L i-Turbo Petrol and 1.5L diesel engine options.