Some cars are built to compete. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has always been built to lead. Standing between the W221 S500 and the V223 S450 is a reminder of how much the automotive industry has evolved over the last 15 years. The W221 represented effortless luxury with its naturally aspirated V8, timeless design and engineering-first approach. The V223 brings a completely different philosophy, where technology, connectivity and digital innovation define the experience. Yet, despite their differences, both cars share the same purpose: setting the benchmark for the rest of the industry. With the facelift set to arrive in India next week, it’s exciting to see how the S-Class continues to reinvent itself while staying true to its legacy.

The Renault Duster 1.0-litre far exceeded my expectations because 99 HP and 166 Nm don’t sound much on paper but the reality is very different because this engine from the Kiger has been retuned. Being a 3-cylinder unit, the engine has its own share of vibrations. However, the performance is superb to say the least. I really loved pushing this car hard and the manual gearbox is a delight. Smooth clutch and slick shifts. The engine has a strong surge at 2000 RPM and the car is quick off the line. Lovely car to drive and the ride handling balance is anyway a strong USP. For under ₹16 lakh for the top end 1.0-litre, this is better than some offerings like the Venue and Sonet because you get a bigger and more stable car. For people who want AT or 160 HP on a budget, there’s a new Evolution 1.3 AT variant at around Rs. 14.5 lakh ex-showroom.

The Tata Tiago gets some major changes and the Indian automaker has done a fab job with the updated hatchback. It looks extremely good now and the new pastel colours are very cool. The Tiago also gets a massive change to the interior with a new dashboard, better screens, more features and better upholstery. This is the CNG variant which offers low running costs. The Revotron engine is good for city driving. On the highways if you need a little more punch while overtaking, you can switch to petrol. The engine has some vibrations and refinement could be better. The AMT gearbox is smooth even thought not the quickest. Tiago also gets paddle shifters now which work well. The ride quality remains a strong point and the hatch absorbs bumps really well. The high speed manners are pretty decent as well. Overall the 2026 Tata Tiago is a very appealing car below ₹10 lakh and does most things right. Good pick for someone who wants a compact car that has some appeal to it.

The MG Cyberster looks more Ferrari than the Ferrari Luce

Toyota Innova HyCross vs Mahindra XUV 7XO - Exterior - Both the vehicles are quite big but it is the Innova that has slightly more generous dimensions. The Innova has a simple offend-none design while the 7XO has a more aggressive and sportier design. Each one has separate fan bases. Third row - Innova simply pips the XUV here because the 3rd row on HyCross is far more spacious and comfy. It is also easier to get in and out of. XUV 3rd row is cramped and the roof mounted speaker is too close to the ears if you are tall. Toyota is even optimistic enough to offer a third headrest for an additional passenger but 3 people won’t be too comfy. Best suited for 2. Second row - Both vehicles have their USPs here. Innova 2nd row seat comfier and roomier. XUV gets boss mode, little higher seating position and a more premium ambience. Both are good, so while buying take a proper rear seat test drive too and see what you like. Features - No comparison here because the XUV is far ahead with tech. Lots of screens, fancy audio system, connected tech - everything. Innova gets all essentials but that premium feel is lacking. Performance - Both are excellent in their own way. Innova with its strong hybrid offers good punch and economy. Sadly no diesel. XUV with its turbo petrol makes a lot more power and is more fun but at the cost of high fuel consumption. XUV diesel is sorted in performance and running costs. 7XO also gets optional AWD. Ride - Innova ride feels better overall and the softer seats add to the comfort. XUV suspension feels durable enough to take a beating and you can go fast over bumps. Handling - XUV overall feels sportier to drive and you will enjoy it. Very sorted SUV. Innova is a neutral handler. Not bad at all. It likes being a very chill family mover. Verdict - Innova HyCross goes from Rs. 23-40 lakh and it is expensive for what it offers. Buyers don’t care because when it comes to reliability, comfort and service the Innova is unmatched. That trust factor is the winning point. The XUV 7XO from Rs. 16-31 lakh is more VFM and offers a solid package with good features and powerful engines. You can’t go wrong with either.

Great stuff. Was just going through the sales numbers. Hycross hybrid and Hyryder hybrid fetched 62k and 35k sales in FY26 respectively.

Blinkit at Mumbai airport is a game changer. Delivers after security (domestic departures T2) to all the gates and lounges. Wanted something quickly before my flight today. Got in delivered in 9 mins. Good stuff.

Drove the MG Majestor which is a heavily reworked version of the Gloster. It looks much better now and has proper macho look. Loved the cosmetic enhancements. The interior is also much better now and has a premium feel to it. The seats across the cabin are very comfortable. You get 6-seater and 7-seater configurations and I liked the former. Good option for chauffeur driven people. The third row on the Majestor is actually usable and is decently spacious, but getting in and out is tricky. The feature list is quite long now. Loved the massage seats. JBL 12 speaker system is ok. Safari and 7XO offer better sound quality. New UI is better too but feels laggy at times and I hate the fact that the headlamp knob is done away with and headlamp controls are in the touchscreen now. Why do brands do this? In terms of driving feel it is similar to the Gloster. The 2.0 twin turbo diesel makes 215 PS and 478 Nm. Decent punch on offer but Fortuner’s engine is on another level. Ride quality is better on the Majestor though. Feels very good even though ladder frame characteristics are felt. Did a fair bit of off-roading too and the car performed well. New hardware with off road modes, three locking diffs, CCO mode (which controls the speed), all work well but fundamentally Majestor is a very big car so need to be careful in trails. Long term reliability is where MG falls short. It is very hard to beat Toyota’s reliability and that’s one of the biggest reasons why Innova and Fortuner are unchallenged. In fact, I was also left stranded in North India with the Gloster last year when it gave multiple issues like transmission errors, malfunctioning radiator, water leakage, etc. before eventually breaking down, and guess what, a Crysta was our saviour. Will Majestor affect sales of Fortuner? I doubt. It will coexist and will cater to more people than the Gloster. People who want something different and don’t mind experiment. As a product, it is a facelift done right. Let’s see how they price it.

Screen grab from my Taigun walkaround. The car that you see on the touchscreen is the Skoda Kylaq. Surprising how an auto giant like VW missed this.

Took the Toyota Hilux for a 1000 km road trip recently and what a blast it was. The Hilux has its fair share of shortcomings like the bumpy ride and the size making it quite impractical in the city but I had to do a quick Mumbai Gujarat dash and thought why not take the Hilux. The first 30 mins were full of doubts because the uncomfortable ride on Mumbai roads made me question my decision of taking this pick up truck for my solo trip, but I really started enjoying the drive once I was on the highway. It was 5:30 in the morning and I had weave in and out of constant truck traffic while getting out of Mumbai. The Hilux really came into its own. Despite its size and weight, it is surprisingly quick! In fact, I was able to manage some really good average speeds on the NH8 and the ride wasn’t bothering me much. The sheer size of the Hilux meant people were easily giving way and it was a breeze overtaking other vehicles. I joined the new Mumbai-Vadodara-Delhi expressway just a little after Navsari. While it really helped me cut down my travel time, I couldn’t help but notice but the poor road surface with quite a few unexpected potholes. Reached my destination in Gujarat with just a single 10 min break and thoroughly enjoyed the drive. Drive the Hilux there was a little impractical mainly for parking reasons though. Spent a day and left for Mumbai. The drive back home was enjoyable too with very less traffic. Mumbai Vadodara used to take 5 hours a few years ago but last year when the roads were dug up, it’s taken me 10 hours one way. With the new expressway and the better roads outside of it, I managed to do this in just a little over 5.5 hours. The Hilux is a fun vehicle. You’ll love it and you’ll hate it, but you’ll definitely want it. Wish it got a better audio system and ventilated seats though!

Loved every bit of the new Renault Duster. Totally worth the long wait. What’s good and what’s not - - Old Duster was known for its driving dynamics. This one takes it a notch ahead. Really sorted driving feel - Suspension little firm at low speeds but eats potholes for breakfast otherwise. No need to slow down anywhere. Pax feel very comfy - Steering offers good feel. Very confidence inspiring. Even the composure at high speeds and while cornering is impressive - Missed a bump and flew over it at 60 km/hr on the ghats. Was pleasantly shocked by the stability. If it was some other car, who knows… - 1.3 Turbo packs enough punch to keep you entertained. DCT masks the turbo lag very well. Engine is noisy but never feels low on power - Driving position is good. Seats are comfy as well - Noticed a lot of blind spots though - Interior is done up very nicely. Very consistent quality throughout and most features covered well - Found the touchscreen to be very good but speakers okayish - Rear seat experience is good. Spacious. No sunblinds though - Fuel efficiency? Around 9-10 when driven hard and around 14-15 when easy on throttle - If you are an enthusiast you will love driving the Duster. One of the best cars in the segment by a mile Verdict - Renault has priced it well and the 1.3 Turbo is the one to buy. Couldn’t drive the 1.0 Turbo. The Duster exceeds most expectations and is a product that will keep you very happy!

Drove the 2026 Škoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI extensively. Here’s what’s good and what’s not - - 1.0 TSI is a fun engine! Really enjoyed pushing it hard and it always brings a smile on the face. 115 PS is a little lesser on paper compared to rivals offering 120 PS but the game changes when you actually extract the performance. Superb engine! - New 8-Speed gearbox is smooth I would say. It will aid in better fuel economy. I found it quite lag-free at both city speeds and highway speeds. The powertrain feels quite vocal at mid to high RPMs though - Overall 1.0 TSI is worth buying! You can have fun with this too - 1.5 TSI unchanged. Lots of power and more refined. Buy this if you think you’ll need that extra punch - With the updated design, it looks much more sleeker and modern. Older Kushaq had started looking bland. New one has minor enhancements but they work well - Rear massaging seats! Wow. Never expected such a feature in this segment. I tried it and found it quite effective. Hopefully Slavia will get it too with the upcoming facelift - New touchscreen UI is way better than before. Much more fluid, responsive and packs in more features - I personally like the dark interiors of the Monte Carlo more. Same for the exterior. Love the blacked out bits - Prestige trim has a little more chrome and much lighter interiors - Rear view camera is strictly average in quality. Could have easily been better. A 360-degree camera was also expected - No ADAS yet and rear sunshades missing as well - Base variant itself is quite loaded with essential features. Makes sense for people who want something on a budget. Fun to drive car with good build quality for under 12 lakh? Yes Verdict - Changes to the Kushaq may not seem major at first but Škoda has done whatever they could to improve the whole packaging. It retains its core fundamentals of being a good to drive car with nice dynamics and a comfy cabin. Škoda has been nailing the pricing game these days along with warranties and service packages to improve customer trust. Go for the Kushaq if you want to enjoy driving.

Drove the new Renault Duster to my heart’s content. Will be patient and wait for the embargo to lift before sharing my detailed views on this very important product for India. Until then, feel free to ask whatever questions you have and will do my best to answer everything on 21st March.

Audi SQ8 launched in India! Gets a 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 engine, delivering 500 HP and 770 Nm. Priced at Rs. 1.77 Crore Ex-Showroom. In comparison, the standard Q8 costs Rs. 1.13 Crore and RSQ8 Performance costs Rs. 2.38 Crore.

2026 Renault Duster prices!

At the launch of the new Renault Duster. Any guesstimates on the price?

Here’s a complete price breakdown of the Nissan Gravite!

Saw the Honda 0 α concept at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, and now Honda has started pan-India public road testing for its upcoming electric SUV. Curious to see how Honda adapts this global EV for India’s roads, weather and charging ecosystem.

Today is new Skoda Kushaq day! Driving the facelifted Monte Carlo 1.5 TSI DSG followed by the updated 1.0 TSI 8-Speed AT.

At the launch of the Ferrari 849 Testarossa in India.