Hyundai Motor India is all set to add a new member to its SUV family as it recently unveiled the official images of the Alcazar. According to the Korean manufacturer, this new three-row SUV will be a natural upgrade for Creta owners. Going by its name, Alcazar, which means castle or fortress in Spanish, is set to offer plush comfort lavishly. No doubt the Creta continues to be the best-selling SUV in its segment, but Hyundai feels the Alcazar will add more versatility and flexibility by offering a 6- or 7-seater SUV in the lap of luxury.

At the unveiling of the Alcazar, S S Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd, said, “With a deep-rooted understanding of our customer’s aspirations, our R&D centre has invested countless man-hours to ensure every aspect of Hyundai Alcazar exudes magnificence. And combined with our premium and superior manufacturing capabilities and rich heritage of ‘Make in India’, we have crafted the perfect masterpiece of grandeur. Hyundai Alcazar is well set to enter a new segment, marking Hyundai’s genesis into uncharted territories. With bold new moves, we are on a conquest of redefining benchmarks to exceed the aspirations of our customers.”

Even though the Alcazar’s based on the Creta, it gets a 2,760 mm wheelbase, which is 150 mm longer, and this additional space allows it to accommodate the third row. As a matter of fact, the Alcazar boasts of having the longest wheelbase in the segment beating the Mahindra XUV500, MG Hector Plus and the Tata Safari.

At a glance, there’s no getting away from the fact that the Alcazar looks like a stretched Creta, but once you take a closer look, there’s a lot more than meets the eye. The first thing that will catch your attention is the new chrome-studded front grille. The lower part of the grille, which also houses the number plate, gets a thick silver-finish rim that runs all the way to the headlamp cluster splitting the LED headlights and the DRLs. The front bumper is slightly tweaked from the Creta and sports a new set of fog lamps. With faux skid plates in front and rear, the Alcazar does try to flex its SUV image. As the Alcazar is 6- or a 7-seater, it has a massive quarter glass for the third-row passengers.

Coming to the side silhouette, Alcazar’s extended length becomes quite evident with its longer rear overhang. Hyundai has given the new SUV quite a muscular stance with bulging wheel arches and deeply etched bodylines starting from the headlight across the doors and ending at the rear lamps. For practical purposes, it also comes with a side step for making entering and exiting the cabin easier for the passengers. Apart from this, the Alcazar gets a new set of dual-tone 18-inch alloy wheels like the Safari and the XUV500, but bigger than Hector Plus and the Creta.

The Alcazar’s rear profile is completely different from the Creta as it sports a clean and simple design with wrap-around elongated C-shaped taillights.

Even though Hyundai hasn’t revealed much about the Alcazar’s cabin, the second row will either come with Captain seats with floor-mounted armrest, a first in the segment, or a three-seater bench. Both the seats can slide forward or back for additional space. The third row, on the other hand, comes with 50:50 split seats that can be completely folded to make more boot space. With the third row up, the Alcazar offers a decent space of 180 litres, which is again more than Hector Plus, Safari and the XUV500. The third-row passengers will also get dedicated air conditioner vents. Expect the Alcazar to retain all the features from the Creta like a 10.25-inch touchscreen unit, Bose music system, ventilated front seats, Blue Link car connectivity, panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charger and much more.

The Alcazar will be powered by a 2-litre petrol engine like the Elantra and the Tucson and the tried-and-tested 1.5-litre diesel, which is seen in the Creta. The petrol motor will churn out 157 bhp and 192 Nm of torque. It gets an additional 7 bhp more than the Elantra and Tucson. The diesel variant, on the other hand, produces 113 bhp and 250 Nm of torque. Both the powertrains will be mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. The Alcazar will also boast of multiple drive mode selection—Eco, City and Sport.

After a span of two decades in India, Hyundai has managed to sell over one million ‘Made in India’ SUVs in both domestic and export markets, which began with the Tucson, Santa Fe, Terracan and now the torch has been passed on to the Creta and the Venue. No doubt the new Alcazar will further strengthen the Korean manufacturer’s position in the SUV market. (MT)

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Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has further expanded its product portfolio with the launch of the Victoris SUV.

The Victoris is being made available in multiple powertrain options, including petrol with strong hybrid, Allgrip Select (4x4) and factory-fitted S-CNG with an underbody tank design. Bookings are now open at INR 11,000.

The SUV can be had with a 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain with EV mode and e-CVT transmission, a multi-terrain 4x4 system with four drive modes and a CNG variant with dual ECUs.

The Victoris will join the Brezza, Ertiga, Fronx, Grand Vitara and Jimny to further expand its play in the SUV segment.

The new SUV features a 26.03 cm fully digital instrument cluster, 25.65 cm SmartPlay Pro X infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, over-the-air updates and Alexa Auto integration. It also introduces a segment-first Infinity by Harman 8-speaker system with Dolby Atmos, 64-colour ambient lighting, ventilated seats, powered driver’s seat, wireless charging with cooling and a panoramic sunroof.

On safety, the Victoris comes with six airbags as standard, Level 2 ADAS with more than ten driver-assist features, all-wheel disc brakes, electronic parking brake, and a 360-degree camera. In fact, the Victoris has scored a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating for both adult and child occupants.

It comes with Maruti Suzuki India’s Arena Safety Shield, including ESP, ABS with EBD, hill hold control and a standard three-year/100,000 km warranty.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The new-age Indian customer is well-travelled, hyper-connected, socially aware, technologically progressive and environmentally responsible. To meet the aspirations of such customers, our new SUV the Victoris has ‘Got It All’. Victoris is a Latin word that means ‘victory’. We are confident the Victoris with its high technology, sleek design, intelligent and connected features, 5-star level safety and multiple environment friendly powertrains will win hearts in India. With Victoris we are strengthening our SUV portfolio and our overall market share.”

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “At Maruti Suzuki, we are always listening to our customers. Today’s young, and dynamic audience consider an automobile as a reflection of who they are – energetic, composed, confident and always moving forward. We gave this brief to our design and engineering teams for the all-new ‘Victoris’. SUVs may be the most loved segment today, but the SUV buyer has evolved. This new generation of young customers are ambitious, hyperconnected and value experiential living. The all-new Victoris is our answer to that shift - a progressive blend of tech, design and versatility. It is engineered with true SUV DNA and sets a new benchmark for what today’s automobiles can feel like. With the Victoris, we’re not just launching another SUV, we’re celebrating a new dimension to driving - one that’s ‘Got It All’.” 

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In celebration of India's dreamers and their aspirations, Mercedes-Benz India has announced the launch of its comprehensive festive campaign, ‘Dream Days’. Scheduled to run from 2nd September to 31st October 2025, the initiative is designed to make the ambition of owning a Mercedes-Benz more accessible than ever through a suite of tailored ownership benefits and experiential engagements.

The 360-degree campaign focuses on creating signature luxury experiences at every customer interaction. A core component is a range of innovative financial solutions aimed at empowering new and existing customers. For its entry and core model portfolios, Mercedes-Benz is introducing financial plans featuring exceptionally low monthly instalments, attractive interest rates and minimal down payments. First-time buyers will receive additional ‘Welcome Benefits’ when trading in their current vehicle.

Further enhancing flexibility, a unique ‘Seasonal Payment Plan’ allows customers to structure their payment schedules around periods of higher cash flow, such as bonus months, alleviating the burden of uniform monthly payments. A standout ‘Key to Key’ programme for select models like the S-Class enables customers to upgrade to a new vehicle after 24 to 36 months with zero down payment, effectively allowing them to own two new Mercedes-Benz cars within a four-year period.

Complementing these ownership advantages, Mercedes-Benz is elevating its customer service with nationwide ‘Service Clinics’. During these events, trained brand engineers will travel to various locations to provide personalised vehicle diagnostics and address owner concerns directly.

The campaign will culminate in the ‘Dream Days Festival’, a first-of-its-kind event touring six key cities: Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kochi. This two-day festival will offer participants hands-on driving experiences across specially designed tracks that demonstrate the capabilities of the brand’s sedans, SUVs, electric vehicles and high-performance AMG models. Attendees can also enjoy immersive brand experiences, such as the Burmester Sound Experience, fostering a deeper connection with the Mercedes-Benz brand.

Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, "India is a nation built on dreams – from startup founders, entrepreneurs to seasoned executives, every dreamer deserves the luxury that they aspire for. This festive campaign, hence, underlines our commitment to fulfil the aspirations of our customers, offering flexible and curated financial solutions, supporting them with their purchase decision. We are confident these financial solutions will find immense value among customers, creating excitement and positive momentum in the market this festive season.”

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Hyundai Motor India (HMIL), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has introduced the Creta King and Creta King Limited Edition to mark a decade of its popular Creta SUV in the domestic market. The company has also added new features to other Creta variants.

The Creta King includes features such as R18 diamond cut alloys, a driver power seat with memory function and a passenger seat with electric adjustments. It also comes with a dashcam, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay and dual-zone automatic temperature control. The vehicle is available with a 1.5L petrol, 1.5L diesel and 1.5L turbo petrol engine. A new Black Matte colour is also being introduced.

The Creta King Limited Edition adds exclusive ‘King’ branding on elements like the seat belt cover, headrest cushion and key cover. This limited edition is available in Abyss Black, Atlas White and the new Black Matte colours.

The Creta King Knight, with its black design, also receives upgraded features including R18 matte black alloys, electric seat adjustments for the driver and passenger, a dashcam and dual-zone automatic temperature control.

Tarun Garg, Whole-Time Director and Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor India, said, “At HMIL, we have always believed in delighting our customers with fresh choices and enhanced experiences. Ahead of this festive season, we are excited to introduce the Creta King and Creta King Limited Edition in our SUV, the Hyundai Creta. These additions, coupled with enriched feature offerings in the Creta line up will reinforce our commitment to offering products that blend style, performance, technology and safety. We are confident that these new introductions will add to the festive excitement and further strengthen the appeal of Hyundai’s most loved SUV among Indian customers.”

Additionally, new features have been added across other Creta variants, including a dashcam, dual-zone automatic temperature control and wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay. The Creta N Line also gets these new features.

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Honda Cars India has introduced a series of updates to its popular SUV, the Honda Elevate in time for the festive season. The enhancements include new interior colour options and exterior styling upgrades, aiming to give the vehicle a more premium and stylish feel.

The top-of-the-range Honda Elevate ZX grade now features a new Ivory interior theme, complete with ivory leatherette seats and soft-touch inserts on the doors and instrument panel. As an optional extra, customers can choose a new ‘Alpha-Bold plus Grille’ for a more commanding front profile, along with a 360-degree surround vision camera and 7-colour ambient lighting. With these additions, the Elevate ZX offers a choice of three distinct interior themes: Tan, Ivory and Black.

For the V and VX grades, Honda is introducing new black fabric upholstery, which replaces the previous shadow beige option. These variants also feature dual-tone interiors with ivory soft-touch inserts. The new Alpha-Bold plus Grille is available as an accessory for these models and the Crystal Black Pearl colour option is now offered across the V, VX and ZX grades.

Kunal Behl, Vice-President Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India, said, “The Honda Elevate is a very successful model and has been greatly appreciated by customers for its versatility in both the domestic and export markets. With the introduction of the new ZX grade with ivory interiors and new enhancements across all grades, it is our endeavour to offer more choices to customers during the festive period and warmly welcome them into the Honda family.”

The Honda Elevate is powered by a 1.5L i-VTEC petrol engine and is available with a choice of a 6-speed manual or 7-speed CVT automatic transmission. The SUV continues to offer a range of safety features, including the Honda Sensing advanced driver-assist system in the ZX grade, which includes Collision Mitigation Braking and Adaptive Cruise Control.

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