Submit your Article

The Nissan Kicks may well be the last one to arrive at this party of the compact SUVs. A segment dominated by Hyundai Creta, the Nissan Kicks sure has its hands, erm, wheels full. Anyway, the Kicks, even though a bit late, is a reputed name in the international market and it also comes with tricks up its sleeve that give it an advantage. Will the Kicks kick out the competition? Only time will tell.

What's new?

The Nepal-bound model is different to the globally sold Kicks. It is based on the BO platform, unlike the V platform based global-spec Kicks. It gets revised styling, added features and extra equipment. The updates include revised headlamps and tail lamps, advanced infotainment system, more aggressive bumpers, new 17-inch alloys, larger roof rails and more.

Dimensions

The Nissan Kicks measures 4,384 mm in length, 1,813 mm in width, 1,615 mm in height and with a wheelbase of 2,673 mm. It comes with the best-in-class 210 mm ground clearance and a segment-best turning radius of 5.2 m.

Variants

The new Kicks will be available in three variants: XL, XV and XV Pre, in both petrol and diesel range. While the top-end XV Pre (O) is not available in Nepal, the available models get top of the line features, even the base XL trim comes loaded. It comes in seven different colors: Pearl White, Blade Silver, Bronze Grey, Fire Red, Amber Orange, Deep Blue Pearl & Night Shade.

Features

The new Nissan Kicks will come with a 360-degree camera setup that offers rear, side and bird’s eye view, from inside the car. Features list include a first-in-class 8-inch infotainment system, LED daytime running lights, height adjustable driver’s seat, power windows, power-adjustable wing mirrors with integrated turn indicators, automatic climate control, rear AC vents, Bluetooth connectivity, Dual Airbags and more.

Powertrain

The new Nissan Kicks will be available in both Petrol and Diesel options. You get the tried and tested 1.5-liter petrol and 1.5-liter diesel. The petrol motor offers about 104 bhp and 142 Nm of torque, while the 1.5-litre diesel motor delivers 108 bhp and 240 Nm of torque. The Kicks only comes with manual transmission options, a 5-speed unit for the petrol model and a 6-speed gearbox for the diesel version. There is no automatic on offer.

The Nissan Kicks is available at Rs 47.99 lakhs for the entry level variant while the top variant will cost you Rs 59.99 lakhs

Suzuki WagonR 2019

The all-new Wagon R now comes with a tall-boy design, a wider stance, and spacious interiors with best-in-its class boot space. It is powered by the advanced K-series engine offering high fuel efficiency. The car also comes with a new 1.2 L engine option that delivers a powerful performance coupled with great fuel economy. On the inside, the new Wagon R offers SmartPlay Studio infotain­ment experience. Apart from playing music, this infotainment unit also lets you surf news, get latest updates on weather and locate eateries around. On the safety front, the new Wagon R has been developed on the 5th Gen­eration HEARTECT platform and gets ABS, EBD as standard.

Nissan Kicks

The compact SUV segment will soon get a new entrant. Nissan Nepal is aiming to set the small to compact SUV segment on fire with the Kicks, Nissan’s newest compact SUV. The Kicks is a complete package, with an exceptional combination of new-age technology and class leading premium-ness. Boasting a sculpted body that commands both power and agility, the new Kicks is much stronger, safer, and durable on our roads. The compact SUV offers a host of globally estab­lished design, connectivity and safety features. Powering it is a 1.5-litre petrol engine driven by a 5-speed manual transmission and a 1.5-liter diesel engine which is driven by a 6 speed manual transmission.

Suzuki Baleno Facelift

Maruti Suzuki’s premium hatchback, the Baleno, has seen a fresh upgrade and is now out in the Indian market with an inevitable Nepal release on the horizon. The hatch­back has been refreshed with a fresh sense of premium-ness and class-leading features. The changes are minimal with the most appar­ent being the front fascia—gone is the old sleek looking grill that emphasized the premium feel of the Baleno. Instead, the refreshed model now gets an all-new grill that’s mean and aggressive. LED projector headlamps now replace the HID projectors. The new Baleno also gets new fog lamp module and new 16-inch alloy wheels. Under the hood, the new car is powered by the same 1.2-liter engine and gearbox as its predecessor, making the same power figures.

Datsun Go and Go+ Facelifts

The Datsun Go hatchback and Go+ MPV facelifts will now receive revised styling packages both on the outside and inside. The cars will get re-profiled headlamps and restyled front bumpers with integrated daytime running LEDs. On the inside, the dashboard had been redesigned with an all-black trim with updated AC vents in the center. The Datsun cars also get a 6.75-inch touchscreen unit in Indonesia now. Expect the Go and Go+ facelift to get a driver airbag and ABS as standard.

Sedans are to business professionals what sports cars are to young adults. Every businessman at one point of their life dreams about stepping out of a sedan with a sharp outfit and a nice briefcase. The era of the old Toyota Corolla and the Nissan Sunny Super Saloon were successful in imprinting an image of ‘class’. But the sedan market has been in a decline in recent years, with most customers preferring other vehicles. These include your hatchbacks, cross hatchbacks, CUVs, compact SUVs, small SUVs and even full-sized SUVs. Today we will find out if the Octavia can hold its own and see if it can pull people back into sedans again.

Exterior

We’ll say it outright, the Skoda looks different, it looks fresh, it looks.... unique. The uniqueness comes in the form of headlights that has been split into two units. These split LED headlamps come with split DRLs as well, which may look odd in pictures but are actually sleek and attractive in flesh. These headlights also help the car distinguish itself on the road. The butterfly grille up front is now larger and wider with premium gloss black finish. Underneath the butterfly you get a massive air intake with smart looking fog lamps on either side.

The wide bonnet is marked with strong creases on either side, and a sizeable hunch in the middle that adds a dominant character to the Octavia. Things are a bit too simple over on the side, a prominent line starting from the headlight and ending on the tail light is all the action you get. The proportions look well balanced and while we would have loved a pair of black alloys, the ones you get here is in-fact a lot smarter. At the back you get LED tail lamps, as on its elder brother Superb. You get a new bumper and tail gate that is more pronounced with the creases running across that help the car look wider. The coupe like silhouette of the Octavia accentuates the sporty characters of the car and completes the look.

The facelifted Octavia doesn’t do much inside the cabin. Not that it is a bad thing, because it retains the same quality finish as the previous model

Interior

The facelifted Octavia doesn’t do much inside the cabin. Not that it is a bad thing, because it retains the same quality finish as the previous model. The dashboard feels good to touch and you get the same high-quality fit and finish. The two-tone beige and black color combination of the interior sheds a light of airiness into the cabin. The large seats upfront are comfortable, and their well contoured build keeps you in comfort without letting you slide about. Being a sedan, seating at the back must be above average, as this is the place where all the fancy execs will be sitting down and doing their businessy things, and thankfully it is.

There is plenty of knee room and leg room and a decent head room despite a sloping roof. The comfort in the back is adequate. But Skoda should have provided more under-thigh support for the back bench. Overall quality of the materials used inside the cabin is top-notch and it is rather difficult to find things that one would call cheap. Cabin entertainment is handled by a new 8-inch infotainment system. The touchscreen sports high quality graphics, swift response times and built-in functions that make this one of the best in car systems to use.

Practicality is one area where the Octavia trades blows even with SUVs. There’s plenty of cup and bottle holders and storage spaces for every little thing you’ll carry, but the best part is the Octavia’s boot. This massive 580-liter boot fits two largest members of Nepal Drives Crew with ease.

Performance

The party trick of the Octavia lies under the bonnet. The car is powered by a large 1.8-liter TSi petrol engine mated to an automatic 7-speed DSG gearbox. Making 177 horses and 250 Nm of peak torque, this is a very capable motor. Wring it out and the refined motor builds power smoothly, emitting an addictive sound. While the car will hesitate in the low rpms, gun it past 2,500 rpms and the Octavia darts off, pushing you into the seats. The 7-speed dual clutch gearbox is instant without being overpowering: it stays in the right gear at any given time and becomes eager to upshift once you put in on Sport mode.

The 1.8 TSi comes with independent rear suspension that is more sophisticated. The Octavia feels more planted and balanced thanks to the wider track. The electric steering weighs up nicely and feels precise even when under pressure. Body roll is well contained and the car copes up with quick directional changes with authority, preventing the car from losing control. In terms of ride comfort, the Octavia does a good job battling the potholes of the road without jolting the passengers on board every now and then. While you should always avoid bumps and potholes when inside a low riding sedan it wouldn’t be too bold to say that this engine does justice to the coupe silhouette of the Octavia.

Verdict

The new Skoda Octavia builds on the old one in every possible way. It looks better, drives better, provides better features and is more practical. Whether you are going to be driving it yourself or have your driver do the heavy lifting; while you think of making more money, the Octavia has you covered. While the Skoda Octavia has picked a... not-so-favorable time to surface into the sedan scene of the country, the Octavia is a beautiful marriage between class and style and it is definitely the right car to rejuvenate the love for sedans.

Engine Type: Petrol

Displacement: 1798cc

Power: 177 bhp @ 5100 rpm

Torque: 250 Nm @ 1250 rpm

Transmission: 7-speed DSG

(Also available in a 1.4-litre Petrol option, and a 2.0-litre Diesel option)

 The headlight consists of two light units, the low beam and the high beam. Weath­er, location, brightness and time of day all have an effect on safety and visibility, and how you use your lights will greatly affect how effec­tively they function. The new cars and motorcycles today come with a Daytime Running Light feature, otherwise known as DRLs. Meant for use during clear daylight hours, daytime headlights improve safety by helping drivers to spot oncom­ing traffic. It’s important to note that while many vehicles now have automatic DRLs, these lights do not activate your taillamps which come on only when you activate low or high beam. 

When to use low beam

The main use of low beam is after sunset, when the road gets dark­er. However, bad weather is also a situation where low beam is need­ed. Whether its rain, fog or snow, low beam lights should be switched on when visibility is less than 150 meters, regardless of the time of day. Low beams are best when used in traffic in an already well-lit city areas where the low lights are enough for lighting the road. In fact, depending on where you drive the most at night, low beam can be used everywhere.

When to use high beams?

High beams are tricky for some Nepali drivers as they seem to use it all the time. High beams are meant for night time on empty roads when no other vehicles or lighting is pres­ent. If a vehicle is within your range you should dip down into low mode immediately. As high beams are very bright, it causes discomfort in the eyes. While the person who you just flashed with the high beam will be cursing you from his vehicle, there’s also a great potential for an accident if they’re caught off guard. If another driver is approaching you with high beams on or extra bright headlights, blink your high beam twice to prompt them to dip into low beam. If that doesn’t work, keep your eyes to the left side of your lane to avoid being blinded. High beams should be used on wide empty motorways, forest roads, roads that are in bad condition and also on roads with inadequate or zero lighting. Also, high beams should never be used during fog­gy conditions as the light tends to bounce back to the driver.

 With a reputation of being fun to drive and advanced technolo­gy, the Eclipse sports car was among Mitsubishi’s biggest sell­ing and most iconic vehicles ever. Now, the Eclipse moni­ker has made a comeback in the form of a CUV. Meet the Eclipse Cross, Mitsubishi’s newest crossover. A compact CUV, the Eclipse Cross, priced between Rs 10,250,000- Rs 10,950,000, will join the Out­lander series to form a formida­ble CUV lineup for Mitsubishi in the Nepali market. The Eclipse Cross contains many all-new features includ­ing a 1.5-liter direct-injection turbo- engine, dual-pane, power-sliding panoramic roof, 7-inch smartphone link, thin display audio with touchpad controller, Head-Up Display (HUD), heated seats, and Super All-Wheel Control. The front feature’s Mitsubishi’s signature ‘Dynamic Shield’ front design concept that emphasizes the front-end’s functionalities.

According to Mitsubishi, the exterior styling of the Eclipse Cross is inspired from the ‘Get Set’ position of a runner. The coupe-like side profile is distinguished by its wedge profile with distinctive beltline and strong character line; a forward raked rear window; the angular rear gate and short overhang; and beefy fenders. The eccentric rear is distin­guished by the almost cubist styling created around the high-mounted, stretched rear lamps and by how it horizontal­ly divides the forward-rake rear window in two.

When illuminated, the tubu­lar LED brake lights and the central LED hi-mount stop light form a single bar of light running across the tail, giving Eclipse Cross a broad appear­ance from the rear. The interior represents quality and refine­ment with no compromise on the detail. This is achieved by the use of high-grade interi­or materials and piano-black and luminous silver interior accents. The cockpit-style inte­rior wraps around the driver for a sporty feel.

Almost immediately noticed once inside the Eclipse Cross is a high-resolution, thin display on top of the instrument pan­el. This 7-inch monitor comes with smartphone connectiv­ity with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. The Eclipse Cross also fea­tures s great-sounding audio thanks to its Rockford Fos­gate system. Another new interior feature is a full-color Head-Up Display (HUD) that provides the driver with real-time vehicle information.

FEATURES

>Blind Spot Warning

>Lane Change Assist

>Rear Cross Traffic Alert

>Forward Collision Mitigation

>Lane Departure Warning

>Adaptive Cruise Control System

>Multi-View Camera System

The system consists of a full-color LCD display mounted just beyond the steering wheel and close to the driver’s line of sight, allowing for easier driv­ing by minimizing the change of eye focus length. HUD pro­vides driving information and critical safety messages to the driver. The display includes an up/down switch that allows the driver to lower the display into the dash, if desired, and bright­ness and height adjustment switches. The Eclipse Cross also gets heated front seats.

In the back, the rear seats offer multiple seating adjust­ments to accommodate pas­sengers and/or cargo. The rear seatback angle has nine reclin­ing positions and can slide for­ward-backward up to nearly eight inches to balance passen­ger comfort and cargo capac­ity, based on needs. Also new for the brand is a panoramic sunroof with dual-pane, large power sliding glass panels with both tilt and slide capability. The front panel can open up to 17 inches.

Under the hood, the CUV gets a 1.5-liter direct-injection turbo power plant that delivers 152 HP of power at 5,500 rpm and 250 NM of torque at 2,000 rpm. It features advanced technology such as sodium-filled exhaust valves to maximize perfor­mance and efficiency and the torque is greater than 2.0L and 2.4L engines in other Mitsub­ishi products. The engine is mated to an 8-speed CVT gear­box. The vehicle is equipped with Mitsubishi’s proprietary, advanced S-AWC (Super All-Wheel Control) system, which enhances both straight-line stability and cornering perfor­mance by precisely controlling the torque supplied to each of the four wheels.

From intelligent sensors that track the vehicle’s surround­ings and warn of danger, to active driving assistance and solid passive protection, the Eclipse Cross delivers a complete portfolio of advanced safety features. Safety techs include Blind Spot Warning (BSW) and Lane Change Assist (LCA), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Forward Colli­sion Mitigation (FCM), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Adaptive Cruise Control System (ACC), Multi-View Camera System, and Automatic High Beam (AHB). The Eclipse Cross has already arrived in Leon Motors’ dealerships across the country.

TATA Harrier

Clearly the most-awaited vehicle from Tata Motors roster in 2019, the Harrier has already been creating anticipation in the Nepali market. As the Harrier is designed on the basis of Tata’s latest Impact Design 2.0 philosophy, it gets an all-new exterior, plush interiors, new gen connectivity and (as Tata claims) best-in-class infotainment. Interior wise, the Harrier will feature rear AC vents, 28 utility spaces, touchscreen infotainment, steering mounted controls, and reverse camera.

The Harrier will be powered by a 2.0-liter diesel engine and mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. It will also get multiple drive modes, as seen on other Tata cars. Safety equipment include six airbags and an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with 14 additional functionalities.

The five-seat monocoque SUV is engineered on the new generation ‘Optimal Modular Efficient Global Advanced’ Architecture derived from Land Rover’s D8 architecture and developed in collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover.

With an expected mid-2019 launch date, the Harrier will go against the likes of Mahindra XUV500 and Jeep Compass.

All-New Hyundai Santro

The iconic Hyundai Santro will make its Nepal debut by mid-2019, in a completely new avatar. The legend­ary brand that has won the hearts of millions of customers will now come with a modern tall-boy design, comfortable and premium cabin, new age technology and advanced safety features. In addition, the new Santro is the first Hyundai model to offer ‘best in segment’ Smart Auto AMT technology.

The exterior is dominated by Hyundai’s signature Cascade Grille, Z shaped character lines, swept back headlamps, and a sporty dual tone rear bumper to give a refined yet sporty appeal. Inside, it provides a higher seating position for easy ingress and egress, and a superior all-round visibility. It also gets the first-in-segment rear AC vents.

The compact hatchback comes loaded with a segment-first 17.64 cm Touch Screen Audio Video System. The multi-media system is equipped with smart phone connectivity: Android Auto, Apple Car Play & Mirror Link and Voice Recognition Function along with iblue Smart­phone App Support. Also, the screen is supported with first-in-segment rear parking camera display.

Built on the principle of Hyundai’s ‘Safe Drive Philosophy’, the new San­tro comes with ABS with EBD, dual front airbags with standard driver airbag, impact sensing auto door unlock and rear parking sensors.

The new Santro is set to rival Tata Tiago, Suzuki Celerio, Renault 1.0 and Datsun Go.

Nissan Kicks

Nissan Kicks offers a host of estab­lished design signatures and fea­tures, for example, Floating Roof Design created by blacked out pillars with stylish roof rail and LED DRL, shark fin antenna, front fog lamps and door mounted ORVS with indicators. The bold V motion grille, a signature motif in Nissan’s design language, adds to the new Kicks’ distinctive presence. The uniquely designed headlamps and taillights feature iconic boomer­ang-shaped LED signature lamps to add character. The power­ful, wheel-oriented stance is fur­ther enhanced by R17, five-spoke machined alloy wheels.

Interior features include dual-tone color and use of high-grade materials for a comfortable driv­ing experience. With many first-in-class features, the Kicks is the epitome of Nissan Intelligent Mobil­ity. It comes with first-in-segment around view monitor and Nissan­Connect that has smartwatch con­nectivity and 50+ features.

The car will be powered by a 1.5-liter K9K diesel engine & 1.5-litre H4K Pet­rol engine. Dimensions-wise, it mea­sures 4384mm in length, 1813mm in width, 1656mm in height and has a ground clearance of 2673mm. With plenty of safety features, the Kicks comes with a class-leading turning radius, best-in-class ground clear­ance, vehicle dynamic control and traction control.

Royal Enfield 650 Twins

Following an enthusiastic reception from custom­ers around the world, Royal Enfield will be looking forward tobring­ing the all-new Continen­tal GT 650 Twin and Interceptor INT 650 Twin mid-sized motor­cycles to the Nepali mar­ket. The 650 Twins will be an attractive, evocative motorcycles for bike lovers in the country.

At the heart of every Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 Twin and Interceptor INT 650 Twin, is the built-in fun factor provided by each model’s special combina­tion of an agile chassis (developed at the company’s UK Technology Center with legendary sports motorcycle frame builder Harris Performance) and a simple but state-of-the-art air-cooled, 650cc engine producing a punchy yet user-friendly 47 horsepower.

The Continental GT 650 will appeal especially to sporting riders with its optional single seat, sculpted fuel tank, rear footrests and race-style clip-on handlebars, all of which have been ergonomically designed to remain comfortable in the city, on the highway or on the twisting back roads where the motorcycle really comes alive.

The Interceptor INT 650, mean­while, harks back to Royal Enfield’s 1960s twins through its teardrop tank with traditional knee recesses, comfortable, quilted dual seat and wide, braced handlebars reminis­cent of the street scrambler style that emerged in ’60s California. Its comfortable and commanding riding position make the Interceptor both fun and practical on all types of ter­rains, from curving coastal roads to the urban jungle, for heading out of town two-up or for cruising down to the beach.

Tata Motors Nepal has officially launched the NRG, which is basically a cross hatch version of Tata’s Tiago hatchback. The youngest CUV in the coun­try comes at a tempting introductory price of Rs 29.55 lakhs.

The exterior of the NRG sports armored front end design with muscular cladding and rugged skid plate for enhanced rough road capability. Tough side profile is high­lighted by unique Squircle-shaped wheel arches and enhanced ground clearance. There is muscular cladding on rear tail­gate for an imposing stance and durable rear skid plate for enhanced grade-ability. Meanwhile, durable dual tone, 4-spoke Hyperstyle wheel enhances the strong muscular design. There are dual tone exteriors featuring infinity black roof and rugged roof rails and bold wrap around headlamps with follow-me-home function, for clear and bright illumination in all conditions.

The interior of the NRG comes with active interior theme in black with vibrant Canyon orange highlights. Seats with body hugging bolsters feature a unique den­im inspired fabric with contrast orange stitch pattern. Also noteworthy are smart and ergonomic 5-inch touchscreen info­tainment system from Harman with 8 speakers, voice command recognition and steering mounted controls for media and telephony and navigation. Intelligently designed utility spac­es to carry every­thing required for the next adventure and 242 L of boot space, the NRG is specially designed to maximize utility and carry all you need.

NRG is powered by a 1.2 L petrol engine that makes 84 bhp power and 114 Nm of torque. There is tuned suspension for rough road capability with high ground clearance of 180 mm. To keep up with the rising safety needs this CUV comes with rear ultrasonic sensors with display on the infotainment system that makes maneuvering into the tough­est spots a breeze. Driver and co-driver airbags enhance safety and anti-lock braking system allows for complete control even under hard braking. There is also Corner Sta­bility Control for absolute safety even while braking and negotiat­ing turns.

Continental Trading Enterprises has launched the fourth-gen KIA Sportage. There is a redesigned front bumper with new fog lamp housings, and new gloss black or bright chrome inserts leading from the fog lamps to the lower air intake. The Sportage now has an evolved ‘tiger-nose’ grille, with new gloss black or matt black grille.

New full-LED headlamps with four-point LED daytime running lights and rede­signed fog lamps provide maximum visi­bility and enhance the SUV’s light signature for a more modern appearance. At the rear, the slim combination lamps retain their horizontal shape, with the revised design featuring a new C-shaped LED light signature. The reversing lamp and reflec­tors are now integrated into the new rear bumper, which is now finished with a flash of chrome across its base

 Hill-start Assist holds the car for two seconds on inclines to prevent it from rolling backwards

Changes to ‘GT-Line’ include a new gloss black hot-stamped radiator grille, gloss black and silver skid plates, and dark chrome inserts on the front bumper, the side sills and rear tailgate. The unique 19-inch alloy wheels of the ‘GT-Line’ have been redesigned, and all models are fit­ted with a dual exhaust rear valance and revised ‘ice cube’ LED fog lamp designs.

The new Sportage has the look and feel of a car from a higher market segment, but without the hefty price tag. While the layout of the previous Sportage cabin is retained, a series of minor upgrades exude a further sense of modernity. The upgraded model is equipped with a new steering wheel and revised driver instru­ment cluster.

The Kia Sportage rides on fully inde­pendent front and rear suspensions, car­ried over unchanged for the 2018 model. Delivering a comfortable ride and supe­rior damping over poor road surfaces, the chassis is nevertheless tuned to offer intuitive and engaging handling. ‘GT-Line’ models feature their own specially-tuned suspension characteristics, endowing the Sportage with sharper, more athletic han­dling and a slightly firmer ride—crucially, without compromising the SUV’s funda­mental comfort and stability. A number of advanced driver assistance systems are offered on the Sportage, all designed to minimize the possibility of an accident. The Sportage has earned a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.

All versions have Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BAS), so that the car comes to rest in the shortest possi­ble distance in an emergency, and with maximum retardation, regardless of the pressure applied to the pedal by the driver. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Vehi­cle Stability Management (VSM) prevent the car from skidding in corners or when accelerating on surfaces with different lev­els of grip between left and right.

Hill-start Assist holds the car for two seconds when setting off on inclines to pre­vent it rolling backwards. Every Sportage is equipped as standard with Kia’s Vehicle Stability Management (VSM). This maxi­mizes stability when braking and cornering by controlling the car’s Electronic Stability Control (ESC) if it detects a loss of traction. The Sportage is also fitted with driver and front passenger airbags, first-row side airbags, and first- and second-row curtain airbags.