With the Kiger, Renault will demonstrate its commitment to ‘Make in India’ displaying its design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Stunning, Smart and Sporty are the core ingredients behind the design philosophy of the Kiger.

The new car carries forward the front facia from the Kwid and the Triber with changes to the headlights and the grille. The upper strip formed by the front grille and the LED daytime running lights gives the car an elevated stance. The bumper has been divided into two areas, each featuring three LED headlights encased in a chrome octagonal unit with Pure Vision and a chrome reflector. At the rear, the vehicle sports an all-new LED taillight with double C-shaped lighting signature and glossy black inserts adding modern and distinctive appeal.

The sculpted bonnet and the black sills, muscular wheel arches and the wings with their pronounced shoulder lines complete the B-SUVs bold look. The high ground clearance (205 mm) and the functional roof bars add to the SUV look.

The Kiger’s large 16-inch wheels on the higher trims have a black diamond-cut finish adding a sporty but stylish look. The wheels on the car have been pushed to the four corners providing increase stability and also a long wheelbase of 2,500 mm that offers optimum comfort for each passenger and boot volume of 405 litres that is the largest in the segment.

The slender windscreen which extends into a floating roof and the steep-sloping rear window give the car a coupe look. The aerodynamic spoiler at the rear and the shark fin antenna and 3D graphic finish to the front grille with honeycomb-shaped chromed effects add to the sporty character of the Kiger.

Customers also have an opportunity to customise the vehicle with a Mystery Black Roof option available with all trim levels and with all body colours.

The interior of the car is a blend of technology, functionality and roominess. The SUV builds on its CMFA+ platform and offers segment-leading roominess, cabin storage and cargo space.

The clearly defined curves of the interior show the impression of the floating cockpit. The piano-styled control dials, suspended air conditioning controls accentuate the floating cockpit feeling. The SUV features a central an 8-inch touch screen system for infotainment and a 7-inch Multi-Skin Reconfigurable TFT colour display for the driver’s cockpit.

The central touch screen offers wireless smartphone replication for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto at higher trim levels. The multi-sense setting available at higher trim levels changes colour and widget of the 7-inch TFT display based on the driving mode selected. Audio is taken care by the Auditorium 3D sound system by Arkamys, with eight onboard speakers that diffuse 3D sound tailor-made to suit the passenger compartment’s materials and shape.

The Kiger offers hands-free door open, close and engine start with the key card. The car also includes a door auto-lock function when drivers walk away from the vehicle adding to the user convenience. Other features on the inside include a radar sensor and reverse camera with guiding lines offering greater visibility and precision when reversing or manoeuvring for parking. Also helping to manoeuvre sharp turns is the 5.02 meters turning radius. Another feature unique to this SUV is the first segment PM2.5 Clean Air Filter fitted into the ventilation system providing good air quality inside the vehicle.

The vehicle is powered by 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine delivering 100PS power and 160Nm of torque. It is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox for now with an X-TRONIC CVT automatic expected to arrive soon after the vehicles commercial launch.

Another engine option will be the 72PS, 1.0-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine available with either a five-speed manual or the EASY-R five-speed AMT gearbox.

In terms of safety, the vehicle comes with two front airbags for the driver and passenger and two side airbags. The car also features seatbelt reminder for both the front seats. (MT)

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL) has announced key leadership changes as part of its ongoing localisation and growth strategy.

Ashish Gupta, currently Brand Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, will take over as Brand Director of Skoda India from 1 May 2025, succeeding Petr Janeba, who returns to Skoda Auto in the Czech Republic.

Gupta brings over 20 years of automotive experience, including five years leading the Volkswagen brand in India. Nitin Kohli, currently with Audi India, will step into Gupta’s role as Brand Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars. Kohli has over 25 years in automotive sales, including 12 with SAVWIPL.

“These changes reaffirm our focus on nurturing Indian leadership talent and staying agile in a dynamic market,” said Piyush Arora, CEO & MD, SAVWIPL. “Ashish and Nitin are well-positioned to lead Skoda and Volkswagen into their next growth phase.”

Jan Bures, Board Member and Executive Director, Sales, Marketing & Digital, SAVWIPL, said, “Ashish and Nitin have consistently delivered impact with agility and customer-centric thinking. Their appointment is not just a leadership change; it signals a broader shift in how we are building resilient, future-ready teams from within India. We are confident that both Ashish and Nitin will bring renewed energy and direction to the journeys of Skoda and Volkswagen.”

The transition is aligned with SAVWIPL’s broader efforts to strengthen local capabilities and drive future-ready brand strategies in India.

Mumbai-based automotive major Mahindra & Mahindra has announced its wholesales for April 2025 at 84,170 vehicles, a growth of 19 percent, including exports.

The auto major sold a total of 52,330 SUVs in the domestic market, which was 28 percent higher than 41,008 SUVs sold for the same period last year. Commercial vehicle sales in the domestic market came at 22,989 units, which was 4 percent YoY. 

Veejay Nakra, President, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “Building on the strong momentum of last year's performance, we began the year on a strong note in April by achieving SUV sales of 52,330 units, a growth of 28 percent and total vehicle sales of 84,170 units, a 19 percent growth over the same month last year. These numbers indicate the strength of our portfolio and customer offerings.”

JSW MG Motor India, a leading passenger vehicles manufacturer, has announced its wholesales for April 2025.

The company reported sales of 5,829 units, which was 23 percent higher over April 2024, when it sold 4,725 vehicles.

Interestingly, the automaker's popular offering, the Windsor EV, has continued to be the top-selling electric passenger vehicle for the seventh month in a row.

JSW MG Motor India's Windsor EV has now gone home to over 20,000 customers.

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest carmaker, has reported its wholesales of 179,791 units in April 2025, marking a 7 percent increase compared to 168,089 units sold in April 2024. The growth was primarily propelled by strong performance in utility vehicles and a sharp rise in export volumes.

Domestic sales, including passenger and light commercial vehicles, remained flat with 142,053 units, as compared to 140,448 units in April 2024. Within this, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) like the Super Carry saw a significant jump of 34.2 percent, with sales rising to 3,349 units from 2,496 units last year.

In the passenger vehicle segment, SUVs such as the Brezza, Ertiga, Grand Vitara and others recorded a 4.4 percent increase, selling 59,022 units compared to 56,553 in the previous year. However, sales for Eeco declined by 5.2 percent, while the mini segment (Alto, S-Presso) saw a sharp 45 percent drop, falling to 6,332 units from 11,519 units. The compact segment, which includes high-volume models like the Baleno and Swift, grew by 8.1 percent, reaching 61,591 units.

Sales to Toyota Kirloskar Motor rose sharply by 79.2 percent, from 5,481 units to 9,827 units, indicating a growing demand for cross-badged products.

The standout performer was the export segment, which surged 26 percent to 27,911 units from 22,160 units in April 2024. This strong export growth helped bolster the company’s overall numbers despite weaknesses in domestic sub-segments.

While some product lines such as the mid-size sedan Ciaz (-63 percent) continue to struggle.