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 Let us start with a brief pic­ture of our roads. They are bad. Abundance of uneven terrains throughout the country make for ridiculous uphills and downhills, snake ways, swivels, tight hairpins and wild off-roads. We even have a few amazing off-road circuits within the capital city itself! Take Boudha-Jorpati-Narayantar strip for example. SUVs combat these roads the best.

As SUVs are best suited for our roads, we are also spoilt for choices. There are different SUVs to choose from and all of them have gotten so good over the years that the only thing differentiating them is how they look, which can be subjective. Another thing that we have in abundance are high-rank­ing government officials and their need for SUVs. These offi­cials are constantly travelling to distant places across the country, places where travelling by anything other than an SUV is impossible. But the consistent preference for SUVs costing crores is a bit unpractical in a developing country deep in foreign debt.

We are not implying that they should sell off these expen­sive SUVs and start riding a bicycle. We are simply saying that there are cheaper, much cheaper SUVs, which can do the exact same thing the expen­sive ones are capable of. The automotive industry has grown more advanced and today you can get many SUV relatively cheaply. Take all the Indian manufacturers for exam­ple; their SUVs and compact SUVs are one of the very best today but cost half of their Western and Eastern counterparts.

They offer the same offroad capability and all the bells and whistles of an SUV in an affordable package, which makes them much more practical. Just like the big expensive SUVs, these small SUVs all come with a good ground clear­ance, all the offroad equipment, spacious and practical cabin and a host of safety features. These SUVs are also a better choice when you consider their fuel-efficient engines, as well as cheaper maintenance cost and spare parts. In addition, there are pick-up trucks, which offer the same performance and comfort in a cheaper package because of the low tax rate on these vehicles, which make them great alternative to big SUVs.

A decade ago, there were only a handful of good SUVs but the auto­motive industry has made a giant leap over the years. The fruit of their labor can be seen in the compact SUVs and crossovers we see today. Yes, high-ranking government offi­cials do need their own vehicle, but why only the ones that cost a fraction of the annual budget of the country? Why not choose the ones that cost much less to purchase, to run and to live with?

The big SUVs are good, really good, and our officials look handsome in it, but at the end of the day, the small SUVs aren’t exactly bad either. While the sacrifices of switching from a big to a small SUV are negligible, the huge vehic­ular expenses this switch will save for the government is substantial. Which is why the small SUVs make a compelling case.

 In the previous issue, we showed you what the numbers and letters on the sidewall of your tire really meant. On this one, we are doing the same for engine oil. Engine oil, widely known across the country as “Mobil” acts like the blood of any vehicle, two-, four- or ten-wheel­ers. If it has an engine and wheels, chances are it needs Mobil to run. While petroleum acts as a means of propulsion, engine oil does every­thing else, from proper cleaning and lubrication to efficient usage of fuel.There’s a wide range of engine oils to choose from so it is difficult to know what type would be best for your vehicle. Thankfully, you never have to, because the vehicle manufacturers already know what oil you need when you go for your routine service and they use what is best for your ride. But it doesn’t hurt knowing a little more about the “Golden Blood” that makes the wheels go round.

Okay, let’s start with the basics. There are three core types of engine oils in the market: mineral, semi-synthetic and synthetic.

Mineral oil is the cheapest and is essentially a constituent of crude oil, produced after it is refined.

Synthetic oil is the most expen­sive, but for a reason. It has been engineered by scientists to work over a wide range of tempera­tures and conditions, while reducing drag on the engine to help reduce fuel consumption. It also actively cleans the engine’s internals as it’s pumped around.

Semi-synthetic oil is a blend of mineral and synthetic oil, the blend made basically to bring the price down.

Next is the most important and widely heard term when it comes to engine oil, “Viscosity”. This is the large numbers on a bottle of oil like 5W30 or 10w40. Simply put, vis­cosity is the ‘flowability’ of oil. Put another way, thin oil has low viscos­ity, while thick oil has high viscosity.

The viscosity of oil changes with temperature. When it’s cold, the oil will flow more slowly and when it’s hot, the oil will flow more quickly. However, in order to lubricate an engine properly the oil must be able to flow at a consistent rate through a broad range of temperatures.

To put this in perspective, imag­ine a bottle of ketchup, put it in the fridge (at roughly 1-3 degrees Celsius) for a few hours, then take off the lid and try to pour the ketchup out. It will start to flow but extremely slowly as the cold temperature has made it more viscous. Now take your bottle of ketchup and stick it in the oven for 20 minutes at 100 degrees Celsius then take the lid off and pour it out. It should flow out extremely easily. The heat has reduced the viscosity and allowed the syrup to flow more quickly.

The same thing happens with engine oil. If you live in Lukla and its -20 degrees outside, when you go to start your car’s engine, the oil inside it needs to be thin enough to flow and lubricate all the internal com­ponents as soon as you turn the key. Similarly, if you live in Birgunj and its 40 degrees outside and you’re driving in heavy traffic your engine oil needs to stay viscous enough to lubricate properly.

Most oils these days are multi-grade (multi-viscosity) and will have two numbers instead of one on the label separated by a ‘W’. Multigrades were first developed some 50+ years ago to avoid the old routine of using a thinner oil in winter and a thicker oil in summer. The numbers look somewhat like this: 10W-40

The first number followed by the letter W describes the viscosity of oil at low temperatures (the W stands for winter). The lower the number the thinner the oil. A thinner oil at low temperatures is good because it flows more easily and is therefore able to protect the engine when it is first started from cold. If the oil is too thick when cold, it will not circulate freely and will reduce fuel economy.

The second number describes how thick the oil is at the engine’s normal operating temperature. The higher the second number, the thicker the oil. If it’s too thin when hot, it may not protect effectively. If it’s too thick, you lose efficiency. The correct viscosity grade will be displayed in your car handbook.

Apart from this, there’s one more thing to engine oil. The oil speci­fications, which is the answer to what engine oil is best for you. Oil specifications define what type of engine a particular oil is suitable for and its performance against a range of criteria. There are a handful of specifications but we’ll only talk about OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) as they’re most used in our country.

All OEMs have their own engine oil for their cars: Honda has its own, Volkswagen has its own and so on. So be advised that the oil you put in your car at the autho­rized service station is the best for you. Most OEMs publish lists of all the oils they have approved, so the consumer knows which prod­ucts are suitable for their vehicle if they want an oil change outside the service station. These approvals are especially important for cars under warranty. Usage of unap­proved oil will instantly render it null and void.

Poised, polished, sophis­ticated and classy, the Hyundai Creta calmly seated itself on the throne of the compact SUV segment when it entered the scene back in 2015. Although the segment posed some pretty tough competition, the Creta was able to make a big impact. It crunched some serious sales numbers, which is evident from how often you see one of these on Nepali roads. Three years later, the compact SUV segment is still popular, and with new rivals like the Jeep Compass, the Creta has even more competition. Luckily, Hyundai has come out with a facelift for the Creta. They’ve listened to the feed­back of its audience and given the 2018 Creta some valuable changes, with both the exterior and interior now tweaked.

Exterior

The Hyundai Creta has always been a looker. The strong, slightly boxy design screams of masculinity and goes a long way in giving it the appeal of a proper SUV. Hyun­dai rightly decided against the popular notion of making the compact SUV under the four meters in length. Over­all, they’ve stuck to the same urban styling for the Creta but with some improvements in the 2018 avatar.

Up front is where you’ll find the biggest change, where the grille has been slightly tweaked and fitted with a new cascade grille. The hexagonal front grille wears a thick chrome border and silver horizontal slats. The bi-focal projector headlamps (on the top spec models) look splendid and the DRLs wrapping the fog lamps on the vertical bumper inserts is an eccentric design that gives more character to the front fascia of the new Creta.

The side profile remains sleek with the 17-inch diamond cut alloys stylishly carrying the Hyundai Creta. The chrome finish on the door handles, the prominent shoulder line, and side body cladding give it some extra flare. If you look closely, you will also notice that the raised roof rails have been replaced with ones that have a flusher fit. Around the rear, the stylish split tail lamps fit well with the overall design but there isn’t a lot of other changes to talk about here.

Interior

It’s when you step inside that the changes really become evident. The base E trim retains its standard safety fea­tures, like dual-front airbags and ABS; but now the seat gets height adjust and a front sliding armrest. However, things get more exciting in the higher spec models.

The smart electric sun­roof, wireless phone charger, six-way power driver seat adjustment, and cruise control are segment firsts and go a long way to reestab­lish the premium stature of the Hyundai Creta.

It is a spacious affair in the cabin, with plenty of space for all occupants. The dash is beautifully laid out. The 7.0 inch touchscreen info­tainment system comes with Apple Carplay and Android Auto and Navigation.

Then there’s a wearable device on offer too. The SX(O) variant comes with a fitness band, which doubles as a smart key. It is a great looking acces­sory and serves many purposes utility wise too. The car can be opened and started by just wearing this band on your wrist (no need for the key). It also displays the time, has an alarm and functions as a sleep monitor, step counter and calorie counter. It’ll show incoming calls as well. This is a first-in-segment feature.

Performance

Inside the bonnet, there aren’t many changes. We drove the tried and tested 1.6L Dual VTVT Petrol engine that revved smoothly and went forward with vigor. Gear shifts were smooth on the six- speed man­ual transmission we were driv­ing and it made for some good driving fun within the city. It is a calm and composed machine on the road, but you’re not going to find yourself eager to get into any impromptu races with the Creta.

It scores high on safety and features, with things like elec­tronic stability control, vehicle stability management and hill start assist control included in the package.

Verdict

It isn’t easy to dethrone the Creta and Hyundai have made doubly sure of that with the facelift. The list of segment firsts such as the very welcome sunroof, wireless charging and power seat adjusters are the exclamation points that reiterate its position as a luxuri­ous proposition for the Nepali automotive segment. Rest assured, the Hyundai Creta facelift still impresses.

Small SUVs are all the rage these days thanks to their blend of everyday practicality and afford­able pricing, and MG wants a piece of the action. The British brand—Morris Garages—is now owned by a Chi­nese mega-company called SAIC Motor Corporation Limited. In Nepal, it is distributed by SLR Techno and Trade and MG seeks to end their poor run over the past decade with an entry in the small SUV segment with the ZS. Is ZS the right move for MG? Read on to find out.

Exterior

On the outside, the ZS is quite the looker. The front end houses the grille with honeycomb cutouts. The big MG logo looks similar to that of the Volkswagen. The slightly angular headlights come with Daytime Run­ning Lights that are one of the nicest we’ve seen.

Below the grill you get decently sized fog lamps. There’s plastic clad­dings all around and a scuff plate on the front. Over to the side, you get indicators on ORVMs, chrome trim along the door and window line and a gorgeous set of 17-inch alloy wheels. At the rear, you have a scuff plate, smart looking taillights and a subtle rear spoiler. Topping it all off is a huge panoramic sunroof.

Interior

The interior of the ZS is its best place. It gets an up-to-date look and sensible layout that incorporates all the features that crossover buyers expect. Cruise control and Blue­tooth, for instance, are standard across the range, as are LED daytime running lights. The materials used are good enough to rival cars a step above its class.

The front seats are comforting and sports good back and thigh sup­port, with loads of adjustments. The rear seats offer you ISOFIX points and adjustable headrests. There’s enough space in the back with good knee room and better headroom. The boot is large enough to carry a month worth of luggage for your family. Overall, the interior is the best part of the ZS.

Performance

Under the hood you get a choice of two-petrol oil burners: A 1.5-liter four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol that makes 105 BHp and a 1 liter three cylinder turbo petrol that makes 109 BHp. Both engines are geared for urban commute and that’s what they do best. Quick surges of power and a light steering makes nipping through traffic and making tight city turns easier. Three steering modes are available: Urban, Normal and Dynamic. Urban is light and will serve you best in rush hour traffic. Dynamic is nicely weighted and will serve you well when you go far out the city.

The better engine option is the 1.0-liter turbocharged unit, which offers peppier and more flexible acceleration that’s much better on the highway. There’s minimal body­roll, and the suspension does a great job at fighting bumps and potholes. The ZS is aimed at city driving and rightfully excels at just that.

Verdict

MG ZS looks beautiful both inside and out, and the car offers a list of features and great fit and finish inside the cabin. The performance is right what consumers expect from a city car. Apart from all this, here’s the exciting part, the top spec 1 liter turbo petrol ZS will cost you Rs 55.90 lakhs, which is one of the highest value packages we’ve seen to date. When you are getting this much at that price, the ZS becomes the number one car to consider in the entire segment. It is one of the best value for money propositions our market has on offer.

Exterior

The Captur design is quirky with the bold grille and diamond logo up front, but it still looks smart and like­able, and very urbane too. Up front we have a stylish chrome accented grille, flanked by LED headlamps with integrated daytime running lights and a primary set of C-shaped LED DRLs on the front bumper.

The SUV gets a faux silver skid plate as well along with some subtle lines on the bonnet that give the Captur an imposing stance. Over to the side, the roof swoops down to the back, making the car look shorter, while the dual tone body color adds to the sportiness of the vehicle. All this sits on a gorgeous looking set of 17-inch alloy wheels.

Interior

On the inside the Captur feels premium, the layout of the dash is funky with the usual feel-good factors such as automatic climate control, rear AC vents and a touch­screen infotainment. Sadly, there’s no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay on offer. On the safety front, the Captur gets dual airbags and ABS with EBD as standard. The top-spec Platine variant gets four airbags and safety tech such as Hill Assist and Traction Control. The rear bench gets a 60:40 split that takes the cargo volume up to 1,352 liters from an already adequate 392 liters when the seats unfolded.

Performance

Renault Captur comes with two engine choices, a 1.5-liter petrol mated to a 6-speed manual trans­mission that makes 105 BHp and 142 Nm of torque, and a 1.5-liter diesel engine mated to a 6-speed transmission capable of putting out 110 BHp and 240 Nm of torque. Both motors are fun to drive; they deliver adequate power for your city and highway use.

The handling is responsive and confident, and the car feels well weighted on the road. The suspen­sion does a great job of silencing the bumps and potholes without giving feedback in the cabin. The steering wheel is light without being too light and the tight turns come easy with only the slightest of body roll thanks to the weight distribution.

Verdict

The Captur brings modern design and styling to the table, and adds luxurious touches to the interior that gives it an advantage over its rivals. The drive is admirable in all types of roads and the list of features you get is on par with the segment, if not more.

The Captur competes against the Nissan Terrano, Honda BR-V, Maruti Suzuki S-Cross, its own brother the Duster and the Hyundai Creta and by the looks of it we can say that it is going to give all its rivals a hard time.

Ever since its launch, the Hyun­dai i20 has been one of the most sought after hatchbacks. The i20 has established itself as a consistent performer in its class and is a threat to all its rivals. This latest facelift seeks to carry on that consistency. We are here to see if this facelift does the job. Read on to find out.

Exterior

As all facelifts tend to go, you won’t see a complete design change on the outside. However, you will notice minor tweaks that are made for the better. The refreshed hatch­back gets a new front grille and bumper. The headlamps are the same and still feature DRLs and pro­jector headlamps. At the back, the tail lamps sport a new LED pattern and the bumper is also redesigned. The license plate placement has also been moved further up to the boot lid. The profile of the hatchback remains unchanged but it does get the new five-spoke design pattern of the alloy wheels that are sleeker than in the outgoing model.

Interior

Just like the previous model, the interior of the i20 feels premium the moment you hear that strong thud while closing the door. Everything feels solidly put-together and the quality of bits and fit and finish is excellent. The dashboard design and color scheme is carried over from the predecessor, and the feature additions include a 17.7cm touch­screen infotainment system and revised air-con controls. Storage areas are nicely laid out across the cabin, with large bottle holders and charging points for mobile phones. The boot is adequate and you can increase it with foldable rear seats if you are carrying more luggage.

Performance

Powering the i20 is the same 1.2 liter petrol engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission that puts out 82 bhp and 115 Nm of torque. The engine is eager to drive and the response time is quicker, resulting in easy and smooth drives both in the city and in the highways. The rear suspension is a tad stiffer now and the car doesn’t tend to bounce as much over speed bumps. The ride is also marginally better at both low and high speeds. Handling-wise, the steering, too, has been recalibrated and has a bit more feel and weight. Overall, the i20 has improved on the driving experience compared to the outgoing model.

Verdict

The Hyundai Elite i20 is easily one of the best hatchbacks in the country today. It looks sleek and smart. The interior has always been class-leading and feature-rich and the performance is more than enough for all sorts of daily driving. Apart from that, there’s Hyundai’s amazing after sales service and the great value it retains during resale. Also, with a price of NRs 3,556,000, the Hyundai Elite i20 is affordable too, which makes this hatchback a great buy.

Jagdamba Motors TVS has rolled out a new genera­tion of the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V in the Nepali market. Termed the Race Edition 2.0, the new Apache RTR 200 4V gets an ‘Anti-Reverse Torque (A-RT) Slipper Clutch’ tech­nology, new decals, and a fly-screen for enhanced aero­dynamics. The RTR 2004V Version 2.0 is available in RTR 200 4V, RTR 200 Fi 4V, and RTR 200 4V ABS models, however, in the Nepali mar­ket, it only available in the RTR 200 4V variant. We recently put the new variant on test to check if these new additions have further upped the RTR 200 4V’s dynamics.

DESIGN

The RTR 200 4V V2.0 sports design cues similar to the ear­lier RTR 2004V, albeit with a few cosmetic upgrades. The motorcycle sports new eye-catching graphics, meaner headlamp cluster with LED DRLs, a fly-screen that helps with enhanced aerodynam­ics, an extended tank cowl, razor-sharp engine guard, split-seats, alloy wheels, and a double-barrel exhaust that lends to a dynamic stance. The W-shaped grab handles, LED tail lamp cluster, includ­ing the all-digital instrument console has been carried for­ward from the current gener­ation. The instrument console displays all the necessary information you expect from your motorcycle. You get a speedometer, odometer, two trip meters, gear indicator, gear shift light and service reminder. In addition, the heavily loaded console also comes with a lap timer, high speed recorder, shortest dis­tance recorder and a message that says ‘Race On’ every time you turn the ignition on.

PERFORMANCE

Mechanically, the engine remains the same. It con­tinues to be powered by the 197.75-cc, with the same 20.2 BHP at 8,500 rpm and a peak torque of 18.1 Nm at 7,000 rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed gearbox. The fin­est thing about the Apache is that power is always avail­able at the twist of your wrist. Vibration issues are negligible and gear-shifts are precise. The 149kg (kerb weight) weighing motorcycle takes just 3.9 seconds to achieve a speed of 60kmph from the standstill, with a top speed of 129kmph.

The RTR 200 4V is the first motorcycle in its class to be equipped with A-RT slipper clutch. In layman’s term, the ‘Anti-Reverse Torque Slipper Clutch’ technology promises sharp and precise gear shifts with minimal effort. It increases the motorcycle’s performance, with 22 percent reduction in clutch force for quicker upshifts. It also ensures safety during high-speed downshifts, avoids wheel-hopping while cornering, and improves vehi­cle stability with the back-bal­ance torque limiter effect. The addition of a slipper clutch has improved the motorcycle’s riding experience.

SUSPENSION

Suspension duties are handled by the same race-derived double cradle frame which gets a KYB suspen­sion setup, comprising of 37mm front forks and a gas-charged rear shock absorber. The suspension setup works well in every­day performance. Although the suspension setup falls on the softer side of the spectrum, it doesn’t spoil the overall riding experience.

Sporty alloy wheels of the bike come draped with 90/90 front and 130/70 rear tubeless TVS-made Remora tubeless tyre. Braking duties are handled by 270mm front and 240mm rear petal disc brake. The availability of an ABS model would have been much appreciated.

VERDICT

The ‘Apache’ moniker has been an able performer for over a decade now and there’s no doubt that the current upgrade will make it better still. The RTR 200 4V 2.0 is a strong package with its newest upgrades and attractive pricing. The addi­tion of a slipper clutch has further enhanced the sporty quotient of the motorcycle. The street-fighter is continu­ously evolving to be the best motorcycle in its class.

The demand for SUVs in the market is at its peak; every­one wants it or something close. There are big luxurious full-size SUVs, then there are Cross­overs and compact SUVs, which are among the most preferred by consumers today. Kia isn’t heard of as much as other brands, simply because they do not do much advertisement and promo­tion, but the company makes one of the nicest and most feature-rich cars. The all-new Kia Sportage is one of those cars that plays in that space and rivals other compact SUVs due to its lucrative price tag and out­standing attention to detail.

Exterior

The Kia Sportage exterior gets a very confident stance and looks well-proportioned from all angles. The front grille has a high gloss black paint that adds to the overall styl­ing of the car. There are Bi-Xenon headlights with LED DRL that sits in the nicely sculpted bumper. Also, electrically-foldable ORVMs with integrated turn indicators, roof rails, and stylish 18-inch alloy wheels add flare to the car.

There is body cladding along the length of the car, adding to the SUV muscle. The rear end has a roof-mounted spoiler and beautiful bulb-type rear combination lamps that stretches from one end to the other.

Interior

The Sportage’s interior is spacious and stylish with enough leg space, generous head space and excellent visibility. There are heated seats for the driver and front passenger which are comfort­able for long journeys and come with loads of adjustments.

The dashboard has great quality all over with excellent fit and finish. The boot is decently sized without a loading lip and the rear seats can be folded in 60:40 split format, adding practicality. The decent yet styl­ish 3.5-inch monochrome TFT-LCD instrument cluster provides notifica­tions of door ajar, fuel consumption, driver seat belt reminder, average speed and a few others. Apart from this the interior gets you a catalog of features like JBL sound system, 5-inch color touchscreen and rear ventilated a/c, among many others.

Safety

In terms of keeping the occu­pants safe, Kia has loaded the new Sportage with all the required active and passive safety features like dual airbags, Anti-lock Brake Sys­tem (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Electronic Sta­bility Control (ESC) with Downhill Brake Control (DBC), ISOFIX child seat top tethers and anchor fixings, all-round 3-point seatbelts, remote central door locking, advanced anti-theft system including immobilizer and alarm, child safety door locks—you name it.

Performance

Under the hood, there’s a 2.0 liter petrol engine that delivers 155 BHP of power and 192 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The Sportage has an eager and responsive engine that makes it easy to drive in traffic. A slight tap on the accelerator is all that is required to move around at a decent pace.

The transmission offers smooth shifts and the light clutch makes quick and repetitive gear changes inside the city feel less tir­ing. The steering is fairly light, and responds instantly to the driver’s directional inputs. The car gets an efficient braking and suspension mechanism, keeping it well bal­anced and stable at all times. How­ever, the Sportage only comes in 2WD option at the moment.

Verdict

Overall, the Kia Sportage provides a good value for money. It looks beautiful both inside and out; the performance is more than adequate for your daily needs for a car this size; and there is enough space to accommodate your family and your luggage for long trips. The features are plenty and there’s a host of safety kits to keep you pro­tected at all times. All that at a very reasonable price of Rs 65.90 Lakhs, the Sportage makes itself a formida­ble runner in the dynamic compact SUV market.