“When we launched the Kona Electric in 2018 as the world’s first fully-electric subcompact SUV, it represented a major step forward for affordable e-mobility,” says Andreas- Christoph Hofmann, Vice President Marketing and Product at Hyundai Motor Europe. “With the new Kona Electric, we’re showing that Hyundai is fully committed to zero-emissions driving, by providing our customers with enhanced driving assistance and safety features, making it an even more desirable package.”

Stylish Appearance

By combining a clean and sleek appearance with the protective and bold B-SUV body type of the Kona, it expresses its exceptional electric technology while being even more recognisable on the road. The front with the new-look closed grille features a pure and clean design. The new LED Daytime Running Lights further enhance the car’s wide stance. The front is complemented by an asymmetric charging port, a feature unique to the Kona Electric which makes a strong statement about driving electric.

New, sharper headlamps stretch around the side of the car. The high-tech headlamp inner bezel now incorporates multifaceted reflector (MFR) technology. The headlamps are connected to the painted wheel arch claddings, giving the new Kona Electric a distinctive and sophisticated look. Vertical air inlets in front of the wheel arch claddings enhance its aerodynamics, substantially reducing turbulence in the front wheelhouse area. Meanwhile, a functional air intake in the lower bumper is visually enhanced by horizontal satin accent bars, which give it a pronounced stance.

The rear bumper retains the accent bars to add value to the overall look of the car, while new horizontally-stretched rear lamps complement the pure appearance of the front.

The new Kona Electric is 25 millimetres longer than the previous version. This ensures it has a dynamic appearance combined with a strong visual stance.

Updated Interior

For the first time, the new Kona Electric is equipped with a 10.25- inch digital cluster, while an optional 10.25-inch AVN screen is carried over from the last update. The AVN unit incorporates multimedia and convenience features including Bluelink, Hyundai LIVE Services and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, further democratising advanced connectivity for Hyundai drivers. Customers who select the eight-inch Display Audio system can wirelessly connect their smartphones to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

New Kona Electric customers can enjoy the new Bluelink upgrade, which allows them to control their car with their smartphone or voice to make their drive more convenient and enjoyable. Thanks to Remote Charging, new Kona Electric drivers can start and stop charging at the push of a button on their smartphone via the Bluelink app. During colder months, Remote Climate Control allows users to schedule a time that they would like to pre-heat their car electrically when connected to an external power source. As well as providing additional comfort to occupants, this also saves battery power that would otherwise be needed to heat the vehicle on the road.

The new ambient light technology illuminates the passenger and driver side footwell, emphasising the lifestyle character of the vehicle.

Driving Range

Like its predecessor, the new Kona Electric offers two different zero-emissions battery electric powertrains, with no compromises on performance. The long-range version with a 64 kWh battery features an electric motor which delivers maximum power of 204 PS (150 kW). The basic version has a battery capacity of 39.2 kWh, with the motor delivering 136 PS (100 kW). The long-range battery version provides a maximum speed of 167 km/h, with the standard-range battery version offering 155 km/h.

Both powertrain versions deliver 395 Nm of immediate torque, ensuring the new Kona Electric is fun-to-drive with full power available from the first second.

After tyre improvements on the 2020 model year update, the 64 kWh battery version offers a class-leading range of 300 miles (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure - WLTP) on a single charge. Meanwhile, the 39.2 kWh model provides a range of up to 189 miles (WLTP).

The shift-by-wire system enables operation of the car simply by pressing buttons to switch driving modes. It also eliminates the routing space required for housing the mechanical linkages between a normal shifter and the transmission, providing additional storage space in the front of the car.

The Smart Adjustable Regenerative Braking system allows the car to automatically set the regenerative braking level, while paddle shifts behind the steering wheel enable the driver to adjust the intensity of the regenerative braking. The system recuperates additional energy when possible. Regenerative braking is maximised when keeping the left pedal held, allowing the driver to even bring the vehicle to a full stop – without the use of the brakes.

Charging the lithium-ion polymer battery from 10 to 80 per cent only takes about 47 minutes using a 100 kW direct current (DC) fast charger. It features an optional 10.5-kW three-phase on-board charger, allowing for significantly shorter charging times using public three-phase AC charging stations or with a private compatible wall box at home. Drivers also have the option of charging their car at a compatible regular household power socket using the ICCB-cable (in-cable control box).

Safety

Upgraded Hyundai SmartSense features that feature on the new Kona include Rear Cross-Traffic Collision- Avoidance Assist (RCCA) and Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), which offer not just warnings to drivers, but also implement the brakes where necessary. RCCA works to avoid a collision when reversing, as the car’s sensors detect approaching vehicles from both sides, with the brakes applied if necessary. Meanwhile, BCA engages the car’s differential brakes to prevent an accident if another vehicle is detected near the rear corner and the driver attempts to change lanes.

Another feature new to this model is Leading Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA), which alerts the driver if they do not react fast enough when the vehicle ahead of them starts moving. Further new safety features include Safe Exit Warning (SEW) and Rear Seat Alert (RSA). SEW warns passengers intending to exit the vehicle if it is not yet safe to do so. RSA is a door-checker feature that recognises if the rear doors have been opened prior to departing. When the drive is completed, the car alerts the driver if someone or something is in the back seat when they open the doors. Besides, the new car is also available with eCall, a feature which automatically alerts emergency services if the airbags are deployed, or the eCall button is pushed. (MT)

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Mumbai-headquartered SUV major Mahindra & Mahindra has upgraded its popular offering, the Scorpio-N Z8L variant, with Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) tech.

This will see the Scorpio-N Z8L variant coming with Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Smart Pilot Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition and High Beam Assist features.

The ADAS tech will further enhance safety quotient for the Scorpion-N with exclusive features such as Speed Limit Assist and Front Vehicle Start Alert, marking a first for Mahindra ICE SUVs.

Furthermore, the company has also expanded the Scorpio-N line-up with the introduction of the Z8T variant at INR 2.02 million. The new variant will sit between the Z8 and Z8L variants. It comes with a compelling mix of premium features, including R18 diamond-cut alloy wheels, a 12-speaker Sony-branded audio system, front camera, front parking sensors, 6-way powered driver seat, electronic parking brake (EPB), ventilated front seats and an auto-dimming IRVM.

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has achieved a new milestone in its aftersales service. The company recorded servicing (free and paid) over 2.45 million vehicles in May, the highest in a single month in its history.

The feat was achieved through the company’s vast network of over 5,400 service touchpoints.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “This is the first time in the company’s history that we have serviced over 24.5 lakh vehicles in a month, an achievement that reflects scale, depth, and efficiency of the service network. It is a result of the tireless efforts of our service teams and dealer partners across the country.”

“Good quality aftersales service is critical to maintain vehicle health, leading to a delightful car ownership experience and strengthen customer retention. Even before we started mass sales of vehicles in India, our focus was on building a robust service network, a foundation that continues to support us as we expand our business further. Going forward, we aim to expand our service touchpoints to 8,000 by FY 2030-31 and introduce innovative formats to cater to the requirements of diverse customer needs. This will help in our EV launch as well. We are preparing 1,500 EV enabled service workshops covering over 1,000 cities with specially trained manpower and special equipment to extend all EV related support to our customers,” he said.

Maruti Suzuki India has through its dealer partners introduced several innovative and industry-first service formats, to address the smallest query to full-car service needs ranging from traditional brick-and-mortar workshops to mobile workshops. Over the years, it has also created a dedicated Quick Response Team (QRT) to provide emergency on-road assistance across the country.

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Mercedes-Benz India, the German luxury car brand, has announced a significant organisational change, effective from 1 August 2025, with the appointment of Brendon Sissing as the new Vice-President of Sales and Marketing. He will take over from Lance Bennett, who has moved to Mercedes-Benz Middle East as their Chief Financial Officer.

Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, "We are excited to welcome Brendon Sissing as the Head of Sales & Marketing for Mercedes-Benz India. Brendon takes over the responsibility from Lance Bennett, who has joined Mercedes-Benz Middle East as the CFO. Brendon brings rich experience from the world of financing and insurance, as he successfully steered Mercedes-Benz Financial Service India, doubling its portfolio, driving record profit and business transformation, while elevating the integrated customer journey. We are confident Brendon will continue the growth momentum of Mercedes-Benz in this highly diverse and dynamic Indian luxury car market. We thank Lance for his immense contribution and wish them both, the very best in their respective new roles."

Brendon Sissing previously served as the Head of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services India, where he was instrumental in doubling the company's portfolio and achieving record profits. He is recognised for his strong advocacy of digital transformation and risk management, leveraging his expertise in credit risk to drive operational excellence. He has extensive experience within the Mercedes-Benz group, having worked with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and Mercedes-Benz South Africa, leading Credit Operations in both markets. He also held roles in Credit Underwriting and Key Accounts at Daimler Mobility, Stuttgart, before joining Mercedes-Benz Financial Services India in 2022.

The German brand stated that under Sissing's leadership, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services India significantly enhanced customer journeys through integrated online and offline platforms. He is also noted for his passion for coaching and mentoring, fostering high-performing team environments. Sissing holds a B. Tech degree in Cost & Management Accounting from Technikon Pretoria, South Africa and a Diploma in Credit Management from the Institute of Credit Management. He is also a founding member of Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia, established in 2012.

A South African national, Sissing has worked in various international locations, including Malaysia, South Africa, Germany and India.

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Honda Cars India has launched a new variant of its popular mid-size sedan, the Honda City Sport, adding a dynamic and youthful edge to the City line-up. Priced at INR 1.48 million (ex-showroom, Delhi), the City Sport is positioned as a limited-edition offering designed to appeal to style-conscious, spirited drivers.

The new variant will be exclusively available with a CVT automatic transmission and is offered in three colour options — Radiant Red Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, and Meteoroid Gray Metallic.

Sporting a blacked-out exterior theme, the car features a Sporty Black Grille, Glossy Black Shark Fin Antenna, Trunk Lip Spoiler and multi-spoke grey alloy wheels. Inside, the cabin gets an all-black treatment with red stitching, leather seats and ambient lighting for a premium, performance-inspired feel.

Under the hood, it retains the 1.5L i-VTEC petrol engine, delivering 121 PS and 145 Nm of torque, with a claimed fuel efficiency of 18.4 kmpl. The model also comes equipped with Honda Sensing, the brand’s advanced driver assistance suite.

Kunal Behl, Vice-President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India, said, “The new City Sport has been crafted to meet the aspirations of young buyers who value individuality and a spirited driving experience. It embodies a perfect blend of sporty exterior and interior style, fun to drive performance and the everyday usability that Honda City is known for, at a price that makes it even more compelling.”

The City Sport is being positioned as a limited-unit, exclusive edition for customers seeking distinction in both design and driving dynamics.

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