Toyota Kirloskar Motor, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has announced that building on the success of its A Behavioural Change Demonstration (ABCD) initiative, it is now expanding the program to an additional 400 government schools in Raichur district for FY2024-25 and FY2025-26.

This program has already been successfully implemented in 100 schools over the past two years, positively impacting more than 26,000 students. The initiative will now benefit over 68,000 students in this next phase.

The program’s expansion officially commenced today with a one-day orientation session for the headmasters of the participating schools, held at the Krishi Vigyana Kendra (KVK) in Raichur. The orientation was inaugurated by Nitish K, IAS, Deputy Commissioner of Raichur, who was the Chief Guest at the occasion. This session was aimed at equipping the headmasters with tools and strategies to effectively deliver the program’s hygiene and sanitation curriculum.

As part of the program, TKM will actively promote essential hygiene practices among students through a series of training sessions that focus on handwashing, sanitation practices, water conservation, waste management, and personal hygiene.

Additionally, the program will provide sanitary pads to 24,000 adolescent girls till March 2026. This initiative aims to ensure effective menstrual hygiene management and support young women in their health and well-being, empowering them to take charge of their menstrual health and advocate for their needs. Through this project, essential sanitation supplies, including buckets, mugs, cleaning agents, handwashing soap, and mopping items will be provided to support hygiene maintenance.

Beyond hygiene education, the program aims to strengthen school cabinets and School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs), empower students to advocate for better sanitation, and encourage families to build household toilets where needed. Community engagement will also play a pivotal role, with awareness campaigns, video demonstrations, and annual quiz and drawing competitions to reinforce the lessons learned in schools.

Nitish K said, “Education today is not just about academic excellence but about nurturing responsible, aware citizens who understand the importance of health and hygiene. The ABCD program by Toyota Kirloskar Motor is a shining example of how private enterprises can meaningfully contribute to community well-being. By teaching essential sanitation and hygiene practices to young minds, the program creates a foundation for healthier, more resilient communities. It’s heartening to see Toyota's commitment to expanding this initiative further into Raichur, reaching thousands of students and families. We look forward to the transformative outcomes this program will bring.”

Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice-President, Corporate Affairs & Governance, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “At Toyota Kirloskar Motor, we believe that true progress is driven by collective responsibility, and our ABCD program stands as a testament to this. The success of our first phase has encouraged us to scale up our efforts and reach an additional 400 schools in Raichur. We remain deeply committed to supporting the Swachh Bharat mission by promoting hygiene education and sustainable practices. Through this expanded initiative, we aim to not only improve sanitation in schools but also foster a culture of awareness and positive change across the community.”

Launched in 2015, the ABCD program begin its focus in Karnataka, especially in the Ramanagara district. By 2019, the initiative had reached 1,004 schools, benefiting 58,000 students and positively impacting 430,000 community members. Following its revitalisation in August 2023, the program continues to align with the national ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ mission, contributing to India’s ongoing efforts to improve sanitation and hygiene.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has concluded its 36th iCARE initiative, an employee volunteerism programme, at the Government High School in Kengeri Upanagara, Bengaluru. The project involved over 590 volunteers, including employees and their families, who worked to renovate the school library and create educational materials.

The initiative focused on transforming the library into a functional reading space. Volunteers painted the facility, created wall murals and assembled new furniture, including racks, tables and chairs. They also added new books and established a cataloguing system. To support curriculum learning, the team produced 300 Science and Social Science educational cards designed to assist students with independent study and memory retention.

This project aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which identifies school libraries as resources for literacy and multilingual learning. TKM’s corporate social responsibility strategy focuses on six pillars: Education, Health & Hygiene, Environment, Skill Development, Road Safety and Disaster Management.

Since its inception in 2017, the iCARE programme has reached more than 68,800 students and community members near TKM’s operations. The programme utilises the company’s principles of kaizen (continuous improvement) to address local infrastructure needs.

Sudeep Dalvi, Chief Communication Officer and Project Senior Vice-President, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, "At Toyota, we believe education thrives when curiosity is nurtured and learning spaces inspire young minds. Through the 36th iCARE initiative, Toyota is promoting a culture of focus on education and reading with enthusiasm among students to instill them with confidence towards lifelong learning.”

The initiative was timed to coincide with International Education Month, focusing on the role of physical learning environments in foundational literacy.

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Jeep India has launched Jeep Confidence 7, a long-term ownership and care package for its Compass and Meridian models with prices starting at INR 41,926 and INR 47,024, respectively.

The programme provides coverage for up to seven years, incorporating warranty, maintenance and roadside assistance to manage ownership costs and vehicle value.

The scheme includes an Assured Buyback (ABB) option, offered through authorised dealers, which guarantees a resale value of up to 60 percent of the ex-showroom price, depending on the vehicle's age and mileage. To manage service expenses, the programme offers an Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) with costs starting from approximately INR 38 per day. According to the company, this can result in savings of up to 33 percent on scheduled service parts and labour.

The package features several service-oriented benefits, including Priority Ownership and an Express Service designed to complete specific tasks within 90 minutes. A Courtesy Edge provision ensures that if general repairs or services exceed two days, customers are provided with a loaner vehicle or taxi support to maintain mobility.

Additional components of the programme include Roadside Assistance (RSA) for the full seven-year duration and a INR 2,000 voucher for Jeep lifestyle merchandise. The extended warranty is transferable to subsequent owners, which is intended to support the vehicle's resale market value.

Kumar Priyesh, Business Head and Director – Automotive Brands, Stellantis India, said, “Jeep Confidence 7 reflects our unwavering promise to our customers—an elevated, dependable ownership experience that stands true to the Jeep brand’s heritage of trust. Customers today seek transparency, long-term value, and effortless service engagement. With Jeep Confidence 7, we are amplifying assurance, convenience, and peace of mind, ensuring that every Jeep customer feels supported throughout their entire journey.”

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has started exports of its premium made-in-India Victoris SUV.

Launched in September 2025, the Victoris SUV is available in multiple powertrain options, including petrol with strong hybrid, Allgrip Select (4x4) and factory-fitted S-CNG with an underbody tank design. 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.

To begin with, the company has earmarked over 450 vehicles to ship from Mundra and Pipavav ports for global markets.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Maruti Suzuki’s export journey is guided by the vision of Make in India, Make for the World. In calendar year 2025, with exports of over 3.9 lakh vehicles, we emerged as India’s number one passenger vehicle exporter for the fifth year in a row. The year also marked our re-entry into Europe with the start of exports of our first battery electric vehicle, e Vitara.”

He added, “If we look at growth of India’s passenger vehicle exports in the past five years from CY2020 to CY2025, while the rest of industry grew by 1.43 times, Maruti Suzuki exports grew by 4.67 times. The addition of Victoris will further support our export ambitions, and we are hopeful it will be well received in international markets.”

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Kia India has expanded its Syros SUV range with the addition of the HTK (EX) variant at prices starting INR 989,000 (ex-showroom) for the petrol version, while the diesel model can be had for INR 1.06 million. With this the Kia Syros now has seven variants.

The HTK(EX) is based on the HTK(O) trim and includes LED daytime running lights, headlamps and tail-lamps. It features R16 alloy wheels and an electric sunroof. Technology updates include a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, electrically adjustable and foldable outside rearview mirrors and a rear parking camera with sensors.

The Syros is built on the K1 platform and holds a 5-star BNCAP safety rating. The HTK(EX) trim includes a safety suite consisting of six airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) and Hill Start Assist. The SUV also features ABS with EBD as part of its standard safety package, which contains over 20 functions.

Atul Sood, Sr. VP and National Head, Sales and Marketing, Kia India, said, “At Kia, customer insights guide every product decision we make. The introduction of the HTK(EX) trim for Syros reflects our constant focus on responding to customer feedback and delivering meaningful value. By expanding the lineup at an attractive price point, we aim to make our SUV more accessible while continuing to offer the features and quality that customers expect from Kia.”

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