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Following the success of the SR150 in the Nepali market, D-Lifestyles Pvt. Ltd, the sole authorized dealers for Piaggio Group in Nepal, has introduced the SR125. Priced at Rs 235,900 the new vehicle will ex­tend Aprilia's scooter portfolio after the SR150. Aprilia says the SR 125 evokes the world of competitive sport where April­ia is a protagonist, with large 14 inch wheel rims typical of racing vehicles, giving the two-wheeler a strong sporty feel.

The all-new Aprilia SR 125 is powered by a 124cc, 3-valve, single cylinder engine that produces 9.46bhp @ 7,250rpm and 9.9Nm of torque @ 6,250 rpm. The engine is mated to a CVT gearbox. The new April­ia SR 125 gets a 6.5-liter fuel tank and its seat is 775mm above the ground. The scooter gets telescopic hydraulic forks up front and a monoshock at the rear. Up front, there is a 220mm disc brake and at the rear, a 140mm drum.

There are two ways of going about your city commute on your motorcycle: either you briskly slalom through traffic in a swift and agile manner or you take it easy and cruise through traffic leisurely. If you fancy the latter, the Suzuki Intruder 150 might pique your interest. Equipped with a 150cc engine, Suzuki has brought forth its laidback approach to city riding. Here is our take on the Intruder. Exterior

Never has a motorcycle left us as befuddled as the Intruder 150. Not only does this look remarkably large but also roly-poly. Billed as a modern sporty cruiser, the Intruder shares an almost identical silhouette to the Intruder M1800. But the long and flowing profile gets a chubby physi­ognomy rather than a handsome out­line. The front-heavy styling gets a turning headlamp with LED position lamps and an out-of-the-box placed ignition key setup. The 11-liter fuel tank gets an enormous extension that tapers down to a faux air duct and a large Intruder logo. Above the fuel tank sits the same instrument panel from the Gixxer.

The rear is a little disproportion­ate as compared to the front, as it gets horizontally laid out LED tail lamp housed within an extended, chunky plastic panel. The rounded grab rail does serve a purpose of imi­tating the bigger Intruder. Another unpleasant design element has to be the twin exhausts that look over­done rather than functional. Frankly, the motorcycle does look like an upper-body obsessed bodybuilder. The quirky design language can be a hit or a miss.

Engine & performance

Switch on the ignition and thumb the starter button to bring the Intruder to life. The Intruder shares the same engine, chassis and sus­pension as the Gixxer. However, it gets a larger airbox and a differently tuned exhaust system. Because it has the same mechanicals as its elder sibling, peak power and torque are identical at 14.60 bhp and 14Nm.

Swing your leg over the bike and you’ll find yourself extending to reach the feet-front riding position. Although the stretched-out rid­ing position is relaxed and easy, you will need some time to adjust your feet on the forward pushed foot pegs.

The Intruder is a fun motorcycle to ride with a stronger mid-range punch suitable enough for city cruising. The bike does run out of breath at the top end. A bigger engine capacity would have been much appreciated. But we are not complaining if the aim is daily city commuting.

Ride & handling

For a motorcycle to fit the ‘cruiser’ bill, it should prove itself competent on the ride and handling front. So, even though the Intruder has a lon­ger wheelbase and a slightly raked out front- end, it does possess a dis­ciplined road manner.

The relaxed seating geometry pro­vides a comfortable ride irrespective of the riding conditions. Coupled with a ground clearance of 170mm, the motorcycle easily conquers bro­ken roads and potholes with mini­mum hassle. Maneuverability is sur­prisingly good with no complaints in heavy traffic or open roads. Pil­lion space is cushy enough to com­fortably accommodate a heavily built adult.

The other department where the motorcycle excels is the braking department. Braking is excellent and the Intruder also comes loaded with a single-channel ABS system (i.e. applicable only on the front wheel) as standard.

The verdict

Frankly, the Intruder 150 falls slightly short in terms of aesthet­ics. The design of the Intruder works both for and against it. Some may find it very attractive, and others may find it a little too overboard.

However, in terms of a sincere, satisfying commuting experience, the Intruder does provide an accept­able experience. It does everything a commuter motorcycle is supposed to do without any drama  

The Honda WRV is here to WOW; at least that is what Honda adamantly claims. They even have a poem on their website that describes how they are prepared to “WOW the world”. However, it is a tall order since it is enter­ing the crosshatch segment where the likes of the Hyundai i20 Active, Toyota Etios Cross, and Volkswagen Cross Polo have already tried their hand at “Wowing”. Much like its rivals, the WRV is a hatchback that gets a crash course in masculinity and bodybuilding. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that the platform that the WRV shares is the same as the popular Jazz hatchback and City sedan. Also, the WRV is the first sub 4-meter offering from Honda and this means that it falls under the excise duty benefit bracket. This in turn implies that Honda will enter a segment where the pri­mary objective is competitive pricing. Not exactly Honda’s strong suit. But this does make the prospect of exploring the WRV more exciting.

Exterior

Taking the middle road, the Honda WRV doesn’t resort to extremes in terms of its design. It has a clean design with a few stylistic elements thrown into the mix. Honda gives the WRV the generic urban SUV treatment by equipping it with elements like the roof rails, faux skid plates and black plas­tic cladding along the bumpers, sides and wheel arches.

There is more effort and style in the design compared to the Jazz, especially in the front and rear. This goes a long way in their effort to pluck it away from the MPV-ish territory and plants it somewhere in the SUV design periphery. The ground clearance of 188mm is decent for the segment, but not the best. Overall, it is a vehicle that is pleasing to look at.

Interior

The all black interior theme and design of the dashboard comes from the Jazz and there is very little to com­plain. This is made even better by the amount of glass area in the cabin, including a sunroof, which allows plenty of light and brightens the black interiors.

The large touchscreen info­tainment unit is easy to use and angled slightly towards the driver for easier visibility and access. It doubles as a dis­play for the reverse parking which helps make up for the absence of parking sensors and a small rear window. Keyless entry is only available in diesel variant, not in the petrol that we were driving.

Legroom is more than enough for the driver and pas­sengers, but seating three large people in the rear can be a bit of a tight fit. Headroom won’t be a problem for anyone under 6 feet. The seats are extremely comfortable and will provide plenty of support even for long trips. If you do decide to go on long trips, the boot space is plenty for your family’s weekend luggage.

Performance

For the 1.2-liter petrol vari­ant we were driving, the per­formance isn’t something you’d write home about. Fully packed, with pretty heavy peo­ple on board, the 89bhp and 110nm of torque struggled to make a strong impression. We had to really work the 4 cylin­der i-VTEC engine to get the WRV moving. You’ll be con­stantly shifting gears to com­mute in the city.

Thankfully, the gearshifts are smooth and the clutch is light. Although not very powerful, the WRV is a very comfort­able car to drive. The suspen­sion does a good job of soak­ing up road undulations and the brakes (discs in the front, drums in the rear) do a decent job of bringing the car to a stop.

The verdict

Overall, the WRV is a pretty good crosshatch. Honda has put in more effort than most of its rivals in terms of exterior design. It is also a very pleas­ant experience when you’re inside the cabin, complete with a sunroof and a decked out infotainment system. How­ever, with the 1.2L petrol vari­ant, you’re always left want­ing more from the WRV. For a vehicle that really finds a sweet spot in terms of aesthetics, it’s a shame they didn’t go for the 1.5L i-VTEC from the City.

That said, they have to contend with rivals in terms of price. And at Rs 46,00,000 it hasn’t really done a great job on that front. The saving grace is that it does have a premium feel in terms of the amenities included and the appearance. The Honda WRV deserves a small, halfhearted wow for the effort.

When it comes to popu­larity, compact SUVs are today what the sedans and SUVs were a decade ago. It is by far the most popu­lar segment, and manufactur­ers have taken notice. The new Nexon is Tata’s torchbearer for the division. And as the late comer, it has a big mountain to climb. The competition is tough, but so is the Tata Nexon.

Exterior

The Nexon shares the same platform as the Zest and the Bolt, but it is not a crossover version of the hatchbacks. It has the compact SUV stance and the tell-tale elements of the urban SUV such as roof rails and black plastic cladding.

Yet, it looks burlier than its competition. It has a wid­er stance, which helps with the persona, along with the wide tires, large wheels, and muscular bumpers. It refrains from conforming to the boxy SUV style, and adds a little pizzazz with the sloping roof line, flared heel arches and an overall muscular design. It also gets a well-designed headlight cluster with LED daytime run­ning lights (DRLs) and halogen low-beam projectors. But there are some design elements that will polarize views, especially the rear and side profile.

Interior

Tata have hit the nail on the head with the interiors. Right from the touchscreen infotainment system sticking out from the dashboard to the circular dial next to the gear lever that allows you to choose drive modes, there are several aspects that give the Tata Nex­on a premium feel. However, ingress to the cabin can be dif­ficult because of the high floor and low roof. This is especially true for taller drivers as you have to climb in and crouch down at the same time.

Once inside, there is plenty of room for drivers and pas­sengers to stretch out. Because the seats are so comfortable, long drives will be a relaxing affair. In the back seat, squeez­ing more than two passengers will make for a tight fit. But there is enough boot space to accommodate the luggage for a short family vacation.

The steering wheel gets controls for audio and tele­phone, but we can’t help but complain about how small and thin the steering felt. A chunk­ier unit would have enhanced the driving experience. Adjust­ments on the steering column are only for height; telescopic adjustments would have been greatly appreciated.

Performance

Where the Tata Nexon excels is in terms of ride quality and suspension, which are the best in the segment. It dominates road undulations to provide a very relaxing and supple ride in our broken city roads. Owing to its generous ground clear­ance of 209mm, you won’t have to worry much when the roads start to get rough.

You get two engine options, 1.2L petrol and a 1.5L diesel. Both churn out a 110 BHPs but we were behind the wheels of the torquier diesel variant. There is significant turbo lag up until you hit 2,000 RPM, which means you will be really working the gears for in-city driving. You have to work the engine revs to get the best out of the Nexon. Once you get the hang of it, it is one of the most relaxing and comfortable driving machines in the com­pact SUV segment, especially if you stick to sports mode. You can use the eco mode and city modes on lazy Monday drives to the office.

The verdict

Squeezing into the sub-four meter segment (at 3,994m), the Nexon rubs shoulders with the Eco Sport and the Vitara Brez­za, both successful products. Tata has, therefore, stepped things up with the Nexon to stand out.

With their newer models (such as the Tigor, Zest, and Bolt) Tata has been successfully broken the ‘mundane’ percep­tion given by earlier models like the Indica. The Nexon takes it to the next level as one of Tata’s better offerings. Add to it their improving reputation in terms of safety and Tata moves up on everyone’s selection list.

Right from the heydays of the classic Honda XLs and Yamaha Enduros, auto enthusiasts have relied on the school of Dual Sports and Enduro motorcycles to get them anywhere and every­where, regardless of the quality of the roads. Generally, dual sport motorcycles are made to help riders traverse treacher­ous off-road terrain while main­taining composure on smooth tarmac. This makes them adept at tackling the botched city roads, the smoother highways, as well as the terrain beyond when the asphalt ends.The newest entrant to the dual sport segment is Honda’s new XR 190L. Placing itself in the 200cc segment, the 190L slots itself smack dab in the middle of the commute friend­ly XR150L and the quarter liter CRFs. Read on to find how it fares in test ride.

Design and Styling

Simply put, in terms of appearance, the XR 190L is the XR 150L with fancier clothes. But that just goes to show how much of a difference the decals can make. The classic red and white paint scheme looks impressive. All in all, it is a sleekly designed machine that has most things you’d want from a dual sport: super light to flick around, large spoked rims, a confident ground clear­ance of 245mm and a comfy seat that will have you perched up for a high vantage point.

Performance

You can tell that the XR190L is more at home on the tarmac than on the dirt just by looking at it. This mainly comes down to the skinny front suspensions. Although there is plenty of travel in them, they don’t look strong enough to take brutal off-road punishment. However, it is by no means reluctant to sling a little dirt. It was more than capable of scampering through rough patches with great enthusiasm and prowess. Until you’re planning on doing some serious off-roading, the 190L should do just fine. On the tarmac, the refined engine setup and ergonomics made it a joy to ride.

Thanks to its light weight, the 15.6bhp does not make the motorcycle feel underpow­ered. In fact, it is the same engine that powers the CBR 190R. However, while the CBR 190R weighs in at 140kgs (dry weight), the XR 190R is a much slimmer 123kgs (dry weight) which gives it a much better power-to-weight ratio.

Although it is a splendidly fun motorcycle to ride, it does miss a few features such as ABS and rear-disc brakes. On the plus side, it gets a 12-liter fuel tank with three liters in reserve, which will give it a tentative range of over 360kms considering its claimed mile­age of 30kmpl-35kmpl (again, depending on your riding style and terrain). Since dual sport motorcycles have notoriously low range, these numbers are pretty good.

You will notice that this 12ltr tank has the letters PGM-FI on them. This stands for Programmed Fuel Injection. What this does is it uses the sensors in the Engine Control Unit (ECU) to measure the tem­peratures of the engine, cool­ant, oil, and outside air as well as sensors to monitor oil and barometric pressure. Based on these readings and the location of the throttle, the ECU calcu­lates how much oxygen and fuel should be mixed for opti­mal and efficient performance. In turn, this aids cold starts and better mileage with consistent power delivery.

The verdict

Overall, the Honda XR190L is a very capable dual sport motorcycle. It has a refined engine, it is good to look at, and it will get you pretty much anywhere your heart desires. However, the Rs 570,000 price tag might just be its Achilles’ heels. This makes it harder to overlook shortcomings like the absence of ABS and rear discs and lack of beefier front sus­pension. What you do get is the famed reliability of the Hon­da brand and an unbelievable resale value.

The all new Rexton, Ssangyong’s flagship SUV, is the Korean automak­er’s Commander-in-Chief in the battle for supremacy in Nepal’s premium SUV seg­ment. And with the Rexton, they’ve come all guns blazing. But with worthy adversaries, namely the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour, having already marked their territo­ries the Rexton has its work cut out. While on paper it appears to be a formidable contender, it all comes down to how it performs on the battle field. It is also important to mention that the some of the buying market still doesn’t consider SsangYong as a serious player in the industry and that does not bode well for the Koreans. Nevertheless, it is unwise to downplay its threat as a com­petitor. So, is it worthy enough to rub shoulders with the premium elites of the SUV segment? Or is it just a small blaze that will be quickly extin­guished by the existing jugger­nauts? We find out.

EXTERIOR

The styling of the all-new Rexton combines striking appearance with a robust on-road presence. As the flag­ship SUV of SsangYong, the size of the new Rexton has been enlarged compared to previous models, and has been greatly enhanced with a blend of exte­rior curves, thoughtful com­fort, and refined interior.

The sophisticated design language is evident from all quarters. The muscular, tall front fascia now gets a new radiator grille flanked by inte­grated HID headlamps with LED DRLs, positioning lamps and directional indicators. At a wheelbase of 2,865 mm, the higher waistline lends a well complemented status to the majestic appearance of the SUV. The wider D-pillar is sleek with the addition of LED tail lamps flanking either side of the LED tailgate garnish and a nicely integrated rear spoiler with LED brake light.

 INTERIOR & FEATURES

The interior of the new Rex­ton is a major step forward. The sumptuously refined cabin is a spacious affair offering the largest interior space in the seg­ment without sacrificing any comfort for the occupants. The inside gets several class-leading premium lifestyle features like an 8-inch TFT LCD supervision cluster with excellent visibility, hand-made Nappa leather seats for best comfort and a memory system that saves the preferred seat and door mirror positions of the driver. The features pro­vided in the Rexton have set a new height in the segment. Convenience features include smart power tailgate, cruise control, dual-zone fully auto­matic air-conditioning, power sunroof, electric parking brake and smart key.

On the safety front, you get all the advanced safety sys­tems including nine airbags. The SUV is built on the newly developed quad frame made of advanced high-strength steel to provide class-leading safety for passengers.

 PERFORMANCE

Under the bonnet of the new Rexton is a 2.2 liter e-XDi220 diesel engine that delivers a decent 181 PS of power. The 7-speed automatic transmis­sion from Mercedes-Benz is buttery smooth. Although throttle response is slow, the power builds up once you hit mid-range. With a 224mm ground clearance you have lit­tle to worry about. The SUV delivers a comfortable driv­ing experience on all types of terrains. In the urban scene, the Rexton drives like a prop­er SUV that is well and com­fortable. However, this vehicle wasn’t meant to be driven just on smooth tarmac.

In fact, it gets a part-time four-wheel drive system which allows to choose when to acti­vate the system with a help of a knob by the gear shift. You get a choice of 2H, 4H and 4L for smooth, snowy or rocky terrain. The independent multi-link suspension in the rear allows for a smooth han­dling. On twists and turns, the SUV maintains its composure and stability without losing any confidence. An all-wheel disc braking system assures better safety, even though the stop­ping power is soft.

The VERDICT

At Rs 11,999,000, the new Rexton is a stealer. The flag­ship SUV from SsangYong can be an intriguing option for individuals looking to buy a versatile SUV. Although the Rexton ticks all the right boxes in style, safety and high technology, a dynamic drive performance would have been much appreciated. Nevertheless, the new Rexton makes for a stylishness and luxurious addition to the segment. It certainly falls among some of the best-de­signed and most feature-packed vehicles in the market

Greetings, fellow readers and auto enthusiasts. This is where you’ll find the latest and most riveting information from the Nepali auto-world every week. And to start things off, we bring to your attention the Nissan Ter­rano, which has finally arrived in Nepal. Let’s get the show rolling with a little general market informa­tion. Pioneer Moto Corp is now the sole authorized distribu­tors of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. in Nepal. It hasn’t been long since the dealership changed hands from the Dugar Brothers & Sons Pvt. Ltd., which is proba­bly why there are many people who still don’t know about it. Now that we have that snippet of market knowledge out of the way, let’s dive right in.

Mechanically, the Nissan Terrano is identical to the Renault Duster. In fact, Nissan rebadged the Duster to fill a void in their product portfolio, cleverly slipping into the vastly popular and competitive Com­pact SUV segment. However, it does come with significant cos­metic changes to the front and rear, and many have agreed that it is the more handsome of the two siblings.

Exterior and Design

Up front, a honeycombed grille divided into three parts by vertical chrome slats are flanked by boxy twin-barrel head lamps. It assumes a wide stance, which adds to the burly demeanor of the Terrano and it looks more like a proper SUV compared to its competitors in the market. Truth be told, its small stature is probably the only thing that doesn’t give it the street cred to strut with the SUVs. Adding a spare tire to the boot lid would have further helped the case.

More noticeable changes compared to the Duster can be observed in the rear that gets redesigned tail lamps and sheet metal changes. The side profile remains pretty much unchanged.

 Interior and Styling

It’s a spacious affair inside the Terrano’s cabin. There is plenty of legroom and shoul­der room for all passengers, even if you’re on the bigger side of the size spectrum. You can comfortably accommodate three people in the rear pas­senger seat.

Fit and finish of the interiors are also good, but not incred­ible. It doesn’t exude premi­um quality but you wouldn’t exactly deem it shoddy either. The seven-inch touch screen infotainment system works great; it would have been even better if it were angled slightly upward for easier access. The climate-control knobs do what they’re supposed to and the controls for the audio and tele­phony are mounted onto the steering column. While we’re in this vicini­ty, it’s worth quipping that a chunkier steering wheel would have added to the SUV-ish appeal of the Terrano.

Moving on, the soft touch dashboard gets a two-tone treatment with a black upper half and a brown lower half. The leather seats are very com­fortable and provide plenty of support, the foldable armrest for the driver seat being a very welcome addition to the entire driving experience.

Also, the large boot is big enough for a family’s luggage compartment needs for a weekend getaway.

Ride and Handling

Up until now, the Nissan Terrano has earned pleasing marks in terms of the exterior designs and the interior styl­ing. Performance then, takes it to the next level. You get two engine options—a 1.6 liter four-cylinder petrol motor or a 1.5 liter diesel (we were behind the wheels of the latter). On the tarmac, the Terrano performs well. Delivering a respectable 85PS @3750rpm and 200Nm @ 1750 and decked out with features like ABS, EBD (Elec­tronic Brakeforce Distribution) with BA (Braking Assistance) it is a pleasure to drive.

Thanks to its smooth revving engine, the Nissan Terrano covers ground well. Howev­er, for best results, you will want to build up the revs past 2000rpm as the lag will bother you if you’re on the inclines or lugging around in second or third gear. There is min­imal body roll and you can easily hit triple digits on the speedometer in the Bhakta­pur Highway stretch (we of course didn’t try that because of the speed regulations, and we’d suggest you didn’t either; we’re just saying that if you wanted to, you could.). You’re rarely ever left feeling a lack of power. That being said, it isn’t a speedster either; nor does it claim to be.

Where it truly excels in though, is when you’re faced with undulating road surfaces, which are aplenty in Nepal. The Nissan Terrano soaks up the bumps splendidly and it performed brilliantly when put against massive potholes and rough terrain. Boasting of a 205mm ground clearance, it undertook minor offroading duties with ease. And in its price segment, there are few other vehicles that do the job of flattening rough roads as well as the Terrano.

Overall, Nissan have nailed the suspension’s ride and han­dling balance, making the Ter­rano a great car to drive.

The verdict

Let’s look at the critical points here. Is it an ultra-pre­mium offering from the Nis­san roster chock filled with frills and bangs? No. Never­theless, at this price segment it offers a whole lot, especially in terms of the driving experi­ence and robustness. A tiny bit of lag aside, the Terrano is an absolute all-rounder, capable of on-road and mild off-road prowess. And, it doesn’t look all that bad either.

However, it is coming into a segment with cut-throat com­petition and it is arriving pret­ty late. That means it has to be ready to lock horns with the likes of the Renault Duster, Ford Ecosport, Suzuki Brez­za, and the soon to come Tata Nexon. It does have the Nissan badge playing to its advantage, which is a huge plus in our market that is loyal to Japa­nese manufacturers. But is it leverage enough for Pio­neer Moto Corp to tri­umph? That is yet to be seen.