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JSW MG Motor India is set to unveil an updated MG Hector SUV on December 15, 2025. This will mark the third facelift for the ageing SUV, with prior notable updates arriving in 2021 and 2023. The Hector was originally launched in India in 2019.
A short teaser video provides some insights into the updates to the SUV, with the most notable being a revamped grille with a wide-opening mesh design with thick vertical chrome inserts. The split headlamp design has been retained, though the bumper looks to get chunkier cladding lower down, which could add some muscle to the overall design.
Also previewed are the tail lamps, which retain the segment light-bar style design of the current model. Expect the rear bumper and alloy wheel designs to also be refreshed as part of the update.
Inside, expect MG to make some updates to the features on offer, which could include updates to the touchscreen and more features, including upgraded ADAS functions.
On the engine front, expect the current options of 1.5 turbo-petrol and 2.0-litre diesel engines to be carried forward. The petrol unit will be offered with manual and CVT gearbox options, while the diesel is expected to remain manual-only.
The Hector will go up against the likes of the Tata Harrier and the upcoming Mahindra XUV 7XO.
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Following the global recall for KTM 390 models, now Husqvarna has also issued a global safety recall for 2024-2026 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 401 models. The recall has been issued to install a software update for the engine control unit (ECU) of the affected bikes. The issue is similar to the one on the KTM 390 models, and the recall campaign is being handled through authorised Husqvarna dealerships.
The company says that “during internal quality checks, a condition was identified that, in rare cases, could cause the engine to stall at low rpms. Although only a limited number of cases have been observed, Husqvarna Mobility is taking immediate preventive action to eliminate any potential risk and ensure complete peace of mind for riders.”
According to Husqvarna, an update to the engine control unit (ECU) software will be carried out on all affected motorcycles. The company says the ECU update will not only address the issue but also enhance rideability, delivering improved low-end torque and greater engine stability for an even more refined riding experience.
Owners of affected motorcycles will receive a personal notification by letter and are invited to contact an authorised Husqvarna Mobility dealership to schedule a complimentary software update. The update will be performed free of charge and exclusively by authorised dealers. Customers can verify whether their motorcycle is affected by visiting the “service” section on the official Husqvarna Mobility website, where a full list of authorised dealerships is available.
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Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the second-gen GLB in global markets. The new GLB initially arrives in all-electric guise with the GLB With EQ Tech (GLB EV) replacing the now-discontinued EQB in markets across the world, with the internal combustion (ICE) model to join the line-up in the coming months. The EV and ICE variants, for the most part, look indistinguishable, with differences coming down to revised grille design and wheel designs.
Starting with the looks, the new GLB retains the boxy and upright proportions of the first-gen SUV, though it is physically larger. The new GLB sits on a 60 mm longer wheelbase, is up to 98 mm longer and 27 mm wider. In terms of height, it is 14 mm lower than the outgoing models, though Mercedes claims improvements to headroom across the cabin.
Up front, the new GLB gets a new CLA-inspired fascia with a connected headlight design and the grille positioned slightly lower. The grille itself is an enclosed unit in the GLB EV featuring star patterning and two horizontal louvres with a large three-point star in the centre. The ICE models see it replaced by a functional grille also housing the Mercedes star logo at the centre and featuring an illuminated surround.
Moving to the sides, the new GLB gets subtle flares to the fenders with slightly squared-out wheel arches and new flush-sitting door handles. The rear haunch appears slightly more prominent, while the revised glasshouse makes the D-pillar appear more prominent as well. At the rear, the most notable styling element of the new GLB is the connected tail lamps with three-point-star lighting elements.
Focusing on the cabin, Mercedes-Benz had provided the first look at the new GLB’s interior a few weeks ago. As before, the new GLB will go on sale with five and seven-seat variants, with Mercedes claiming to have improved space across all rows of seating. Despite the lower height, Mercedes says that headroom has increased by up to 35 mm up front, up to 68 mm in the second row and by 10 mm in the third row.
As revealed previously, buyers of the GLB get the option for the new Mercedes MBUX Superscreen featuring a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a pair of 14-inch displays for the infotainment and co-driver display. The system features Mercedes’s latest operating system, featuring an embedded AI voice assistant and Google Maps integrated into the on-board navigation system. The maps on the GLB EV account for varying factors when laying out the route to destinations, including topography, route profile, ambient temperature, speed, heating and cooling needs, traffic and availability of chargers.
The co-driver display additionally supports third-party applications, allowing for video streaming across multiple platforms.
Sticking to the tech and features, Mercedes says that the GLB gets a panoramic sunroof as standard, with options including the availability of an electrochromic function, allowing the opacity of the glass roof to be adjusted and an illumination function with embossed three-point star logos within the glass panel. Other options include a Burmester 3D surround sound system with Dolby Atmos support.
Moving to the powertrain, Mercedes-Benz has confirmed electric and internal powertrain options for the GLB. Initially, the new GLB will only be offered as an EV in 250+ and 350 guise, featuring an 85 kWh battery and up to 631 km of range depending on the spec. The 250+ features a single axle drive and develops 268 bhp and 335 Nm, while the 350 gets dual motor all-wheel drive (4MATIC) and develops a peak 349 bhp and 515 Nm. The GLB EV is rear-wheel drive as standard, with the 4MATIC variants getting a disconnect function for the front axle that decouples the front electric motor for improved efficiency. As with the new CLA, the GLB features an 800V architecture supporting up to 320 kW DC fast charging, though Mercedes says that it can also use 400V charging infrastructure with an optional adapter. Peak AC charging standards at 22 kW.
In terms of suspension, the GLB gets McPherson struts up front and a multilink set-up at the rear with adaptive dampers offered on select variants in combination wth 20-inch alloys.
On the ICE side, Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that the GLB will feature 48V mild hybrid technology and get the new 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine also used in the CLA. Mercedes claims that the 48V system will support limited electric-only driving in conjunction with a 1.3 kWh battery with the electric motor incorporated into the 8-speed DCT gearbox. Full details of the GLB ICE will be unveiled at a later stage.
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Shortly after launching the all-electric XEV 9S SUV, Mahindra is gearing up for the launch of yet another three-row SUV – this time, it's the facelifted XUV700. Mahindra has, in the first promo, confirmed the XUV700 facelift will be renamed XUV 7XO (just like the XUV300 was rechristened XUV 3XO), and will make its world premiere on January 5, 2026, barely a month after the unveil of the brand's latest electric SUV. The Mahindra XUV 7XO is expected to go on sale shortly after its debut, as it is a hugely popular model for the carmaker – in four years since its launch, Mahindra has sold over 3 lakh units of the three-row SUV.
2026 Mahindra XUV 7XO: What does the first teaser reveal?
Mahindra has kept the first promo short and concise, choosing to not give much away just yet. The 14-second clip provides a quick glimpse of the XUV 7XO's new LED twin projector headlights, restyled daytime running lamps, new grille with brushed metallic inserts and the new LED tail-lights, with a honeycomb pattern insert similar to the one seen on the XEV 9S.
New LED projector headlights for the XUV 7XO.
The final section of the promo confirms the change of name from XUV700 to XUV 7XO. Not seen in the promo are the alloy wheels, which are expected to adopt a new design. However, aside from a few new colour options, exterior changes are expected to be limited.
XUV 7XO will feature a new grille.
2026 Mahindra XUV 7XO: What do we know so far?
Spy shots have previously revealed the XUV 7XO is set to get the same triple-screen setup as seen on the XEV 9S, along with a host of other features. Mahindra could carry over equipment such as ventilated rear seats and a powered ‘boss mode’ from the XEV 9S to the 7XO.
Spy shots have previously confirmed the presence of a third screen on the XUV 7XO. (Picture source: Motorbeam)
However, the powertrain options are expected to be carried over unchanged, with both petrol and diesel options available with manual and automatic transmissions.
Mahindra is likely to adopt a competitive pricing strategy for the XUV 7XO. Expect prices for the XUV 7XO to range from Rs 14 lakh to Rs 24.50 lakh (ex-showroom).
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Alongside the latest addition to the X440 family, Harley-Davidson launched two new models from its CVO range in India – the Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide and CVO Street Glide. Both motorcycles are part of Harley's fully imported range of bikes, and sit at the top of the portfolio. The CVO Street Glide starts at Rs 63.03 lakh, while the CVO Road Glide starts at Rs 67.37 lakh (ex-showroom), making them well over Rs 20 lakh more expensive than their non-CVO versions, and placing them on the list of the most expensive motorcycles on sale in India today.
CVO Road Glide, at Rs 67.37 lakh, is the priciest Harley-Davidson in India.
Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide and CVO Street Glide: What's Different?
The biggest difference between the two models is the Road Glide features a large, frame-mounted ‘Sharknose’ fairing, designed to aid high-speed stability and protection against wind on long journeys, while the Street Glide has a smaller, fork-mounted ‘Batwing’ fairing. However, being the CVO models, both bikes are available in exclusive custom paint schemes with new trimmings.
CVO Street Glide is a tad lighter, at 380 kg (kerb).
Both motorcycles have a lot in common when it comes to dimensions – their length (2,410 mm) and wheelbase (1,625 mm) are identical, have similar seat heights (720 mm for the Road Glide and 715 mm for the Street Glide), but the Road Glide is a tad heavier at 393 kg (kerb) than the 380 kg Street Glide.
Wheel sizes are identical – 19-inch front, and 18-inch rear, but the ones on the Road Glide are wire-spoke wheels, while the Street Glide has nine-spoke aluminium wheels. Brakes, too, are shared – dual 320 mm discs at the front, single 300 mm disc at the rear, with standard anti-lock braking system.
Skyline OS deployed on 12.3-inch TFT dashboard.
Part of the equipment list on both motorcycles is a 12.3-inch colour TFT dash running ‘Skyline OS’. A four-speaker Rockford Fosgate sound system is included on both motorcycles (with two speakers in the fairing and two in the saddlebags), as are Bluetooth connectivity and wireless Apple CarPlay.
Milwaukee Eight VVT 121 V-twin puts out 189 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm.
Uniting both bikes is their powerplant – the Milwaukee Eight VVT 121 V-twin engine, which displaces 1,977 cc and develops a peak 115 bhp at 4,500 rpm, and 189 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm.
Other safety features on both motorcycles include Electronic Linked Braking, Traction Control System, Drag-torque Slip Control, Vehicle Hold Control and Tyre Pressure Monitoring.
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Harley-Davidson has expanded the X440 family with the launch of the X440T, priced at Rs 2.80 lakh. At this price, the X440T is the new, range-topping variant in the X440 lineup, with the standard X440 now repositioned. The regular X440 is available in two variants, at lowered prices – X440 Vivid at Rs 2.35 lakh, and X440 S at Rs 2.55 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). Bookings for the X440T will open tomorrow, on December 7, and deliveries of the new variant will begin in January 2026.
Harley-Davidson X440T: How is it different from X440?
Compared to the X440 S, the X440 T is nearly Rs 25,000 more expensive. So, what do you get for the additional cash? The big change with the X440T is a completely new rear subframe and redesigned tail section, with pillion grab handles integrated for enhanced pillion comfort. The X440T also looks different thanks to its bar-end mirrors, new decals and four different paint options.
X440T costs roughly Rs 25,000 more than the X440 S.
The most important difference, though, is likely to be on the rideability front. Harley-Davidson has added ride-by-wire to the X440T, which brings two ride modes (Road and Rain) and switchable anti-lock braking system (rear only).
Also exclusive to the X440T is what Harley dubs ‘Panic Braking Alert’. With this feature, all indicators on the motorcycle will signal emergency braking to trailing vehicles by blinking 4 times faster than the standard blinking rate when the deceleration rate is higher than 2.4m/s.
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Days after the official launch of the new Sierra, Tata Motors has revealed prices for most of the variants of its latest SUV. While it was expected that the company would release pricing for the entire model lineup before bookings open on December 16, in what it dubs ‘Part 2’ of the price reveal, Tata has shared prices of all variants except the range-topping Accomplished and Accomplished+ trim levels, which will be the most expensive of the lot. It appears there will be an unprecedented ‘Part 3’ of the Sierra's price announcement, but it's unclear if this will happen before bookings open.
Potential buyers of the naturally-aspirated petrol engine version will be happy, because prices of all variants with the 1.5-litre Revotron unit have been revealed today. Prices of the Sierra 1.5 Revotron start at Rs 11.49 lakh and go up to Rs 16.79 lakh for the Adventure variant equipped with the dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The new 1.5-litre T-GDI turbo-petrol will be offered in three trims, but at this time, Tata has only disclosed the price of the Adventure+ variant, which costs Rs 17.99 lakh. Do note the turbo-petrol engine will be available only with an automatic transmission.
The Sierra diesel starts Rs 1.50 lakh higher than the 1.5 NA petrol version, and the Adventure+ variant costs Rs 17.19 lakh when equipped with the manual gearbox. The automatic transmission adds a further Rs 1.30 lakh to the Adventure+'s price.
This is a developing story. Please stay tuned for more details.
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The fifth edition of TVS MotoSoul is underway, and the first day saw the launch of the Ronin Agonda and the introduction of a 20th Anniversary Edition for the recently launched Apache RTX 300. TVS has announced prices only for the Ronin Agonda for now, which will set you back by Rs 1.31 lakh (ex-showroom). Prices for the special-edition RTX 300 are expected to be announced in the coming days.
The Ronin Agonda is a limited-edition variant inspired by South Goa’s Agonda Beach. It features a white paint scheme complemented by five-stripe graphics on the fuel tank, along with “Agonda” spelt out into the design. The headlight cowl is finished in the same shade to match the tank. At Rs 1.31 lakh, it costs Rs 5,300 more than the base Ronin, which is priced at Rs 1.26 lakh (ex-showroom).
Under the skin, the Agonda Ronin remains unchanged. It continues to be powered by a 225.9 cc single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine that produces 20.12 bhp at 7,750 rpm and 19.93 Nm of torque at 3,750 rpm, paired with a five-speed gearbox featuring a slip-and-assist clutch.
The Apache RTX 300 becomes the latest model to join TVS’ 20th Anniversary Edition lineup, which marks two decades of the Apache nameplate. The special edition carries the familiar champagne gold and black colour theme seen on other anniversary models, along with limited-edition badging. It also receives a commemorative 20-year logo on the fuel tank, while dual-tone gold-and-black wheels further distinguish the motorcycle from the standard version.
Beyond these cosmetic changes, the RTX 300 remains the same. It is powered by the new 299.1 cc RT-XD4 engine, punching out 35.5 bhp at 9,000 rpm and 28.5 Nm at 7,000 rpm, paired with a six-speed gearbox equipped with a bi-directional quickshifter, slip-and-assist clutch, and ride-by-wire system.
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On the backdrop of announcing a reversal on the corporate average fuel economy standard set under the Biden administration, US President Donald Trump opened the doors for automakers to manufacture smaller, more fuel-efficient and affordable cars in the United States. Speaking during the press conference, Trump broached the topic of small cars sold in markets like Japan, South Korea and Malaysia, “sort of like what the Beetle used to be.”
Trump went on to say that he had asked the US Transport Secretary Sean Duffy to allow the production of the cars in the US immediately.
Trump is eyeing changing regulations to allow smaller, more fuel efficient cars to be manufactured and sold in the US.
“Some of the Japanese companies do a beautiful job, but we are not allowed to make them in this country, and I think we are going to do very well with those cars. We are going to approve those cars,” Trump said.
Adding to Trump’s proposal, Transport Secretary Duffy said, “He gave me the directive to clear the regulations on this, to which we have, and so if Toyota or any other company wants to make smaller, more affordable cars, we have cleared the deck so that they can make them in America.”
City cars and superminis sold in European markets could see entry burdens ease for European markets.
The interpretation of ‘small cars’, however, remains open to debate, whether it could include the famed Japanese Kei cars or be limited to what European markets call the super minis and city cars. Japan’s Kei cars meet very strict regulations with engine capacities limited to 660 cc and measuring not more than 3.4 m in length, and while approved for use in Japan, they will not meet US road regulations.
Kei cars face notable headwinds in terms of safety and regulatory hurdles, so it remains to be seen if these could officially make it to the US market.
Reports cite numerous issues with the proposal, particularly pertaining to Kei cars, centred around models not meeting the road safety standards set by the NHTSA and state-level bans on registrations for private imports
While the introduction of Kei cars could be contentious, a more apt option could be the range of small cars sold by Japanese & Korean brands in markets across Europe and Asia, such as the Hyundai i20, Honda Fit (Jazz) & Kia Picanto. The models, should American manufacturing commence, could help address the key point of making vehicles more affordable and fuel-efficient while having an easier time meeting safety regulations.
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KTM has issued a recall for certain KTM 390 models and will implement an immediate software update for 2025-2026 KTM 390Adventure R, 390 Adventure X, 390 Enduro R and 390 SMC R models as well as 2024-2026 KTM 390 Duke models. The recall has been issued to these models across all markets, including India. Some of these KTM 390 models are affected by an engine stall issue, something which we had highlighted during our review of the 2025 KTM 390 Adventure X several months ago. You can see the issue being highlighted in our video review as well.
Watch the 2025 KTM 390 Adventure X Review:
According to KTM, “extensive quality testing revealed a condition that, in rare cases, could cause the engine to stall at low rpms. While only a limited number of cases have been observed, KTM is taking decisive action to eliminate any potential risk and uphold the highest standards of performance and safety.”
KTM says the engine control unit (ECU) of all affected motorcycles will be updated, and this “significantly reduces the risk of engine stalling, particularly at low speeds or during deceleration, while also improving rideability with improved low-end torque and increased engine stability.”
Owners of affected motorcycles will receive a notification by letter and KTM is requesting them to contact an authorised KTM dealer to arrange a complimentary software update. The update will be carried out free of charge and KTM 390 owners can verify if their motorcycles are affected on the “service” section of the KTM website.
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The Lexus LFA is back, but perhaps not in the way many enthusiasts would have wanted. While the iconic original is best remembered for its Yamaha co-developed screaming V10 engine, the new concept doesn’t have an engine at all – it’s electric. Originally shown as the Lexus Sport Concept last year, Lexus has now given its GT concept a new name – LFA Concept.
Visually, nothing looks to have changed over the Lexus Sport Concept, with the body lines, wheel designs and light clusters all carried forward. Lexus has now revealed dimensions for its sports car concept which measures 4690 mm long, 2040 mm wide and 1195 mm tall. It sits on a 2725 mm wheelbase.
Moving to the cabin, the images reveal a driver-focused minimalist two-seat cabin with a yoke-style steering – suggesting steer-by-wire tech with a tri-screen display behind it providing all relevant information to the driver. All relevant driver-related controls are positioned on the steering or on the steering column for ease of access.
Moving onto the mechanical side of things, Lexus says that the LFA concept is based around the same all-aluminium body structure as the new Toyota GR GT, with the concept claimed to offer ‘a fusion of high-level driving performance, which stems from the GR GT and GR GT3.’ No powertrain details have been provided aside from confirming the presence of an all-electric drivetrain.
‘The model name “LFA” is not bound to vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. It symbolises a vehicle that embodies technologies its engineers should preserve and pass on to the next generation. From the past to the future: the Lexus LFA Concept is a testament to how Lexus is preserving and passing on the value of sports cars and car-making knowledge so they can be retained and evolved,’ the company says.
Lexus has yet to confirm a launch timeline for its electric sports car, though with the exterior design looking quite close to production, we could expect the concept to get a production derivative sometime next year. Whether it remains electric or borrows the V8 heart of the Toyota GR GT remains to be seen.
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