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A few months after introducing the 160 Duke in India, KTM has expanded its lineup with the launch of the fully faired RC 160, priced at Rs 1.85 lakh (ex-showroom). The new model sits below the RC 200 and RC 390 and mirrors the role of the 160 Duke by becoming the entry point into KTM’s RC supersport range.
Powering the RC 160 is the same 164.2cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine found in the 160 Duke. The unit churns out 18.7 bhp at 9,500 rpm and 15.5 Nm of torque at 7,500 rpm. The engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox and a slip-and-assist clutch. KTM says the RC 160 has a top speed of 118 kmph.
Coming to cycle parts, the KTM RC 160 gets 37 mm upside-down front forks and a rear monoshock. It rides on 17-inch alloy wheels rolling on tubeless tyres, with a 110/70 section at the front and a 140/60 section at the rear. Braking hardware includes a 320 mm front disc and a 230 mm rear disc, along with dual-channel ABS. Fuel tank capacity is rated to be 13.75 litres up to the brim.
In typical KTM fashion, the RC 160 is equipped with full LED lighting, including the headlamp, tail-lamp and indicators, while it also features an LCD instrument cluster. While the 160 Duke has recently received a TFT display, it remains to be seen if KTM will introduce a new variant for the RC 160 in the future.
At Rs 1.85 lakh, the RC 160 commands a Rs 15,000 premium over the 160 Duke and costs almost Rs 19,000 more than the Yamaha R15, its chief rival in the Indian market, which also recently got a price cut of Rs 5,000.
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Pioneer has announced that it will unveil Ride Connect – a new connected UX platform developed specifically for motorcycles – at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. The system is aimed at next-generation motorcycle instrument clusters and focuses on bringing navigation, connectivity and voice-based controls into a single, integrated interface.
Ride Connect is designed to work alongside a rider’s smartphone rather than relying entirely on heavy onboard processing. Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) projection, vital information such as maps, routes and connected services can be displayed directly on the motorcycle’s digital cluster, which Pioneer says will reduce hardware complexity and keep power consumption in check. Bluetooth Low Energy is essentially a wireless technology that transfers small amounts of data efficiently, using minimal power compared to standard Bluetooth connections.
Navigation plays a central role in the platform. Ride Connect uses cloud-based mapping and routing services to deliver turn-by-turn navigation, real-time traffic updates and location-based information tailored for two-wheelers. The system is built to function across a range of regions and riding conditions, including areas with limited connectivity, by supporting offline data where required.
Another key element is Pioneer’s voice interaction system, which enables hands-free operation while riding. Riders can interact with navigation and other connected functions using voice commands, which essentially reduces the need to take their hands off the handlebars or eyes off the road. Pioneer says the platform also supports the sharing of contextual information, such as traffic conditions and environmental data.
At CES 2026, Pioneer will demonstrate Ride Connect as a complete OEM-ready solution rather than a finished consumer product. With no production timelines or partner brands announced, it remains to be seen how this shapes up on production motorcycles at large.
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After offering an early look at the Punch facelift, Tata Motors has now revealed the variant names along with some key features of the updated micro-SUV. The new Punch is set to launch in India on January 13 and will be available in four trims: Smart, Pure, Adventure and Accomplished. Tata has also highlighted some of the key features of each variant, which you can check out below.
Ather Energy has once again rolled out a new feature that existing 450X owners will benefit from. The company's cruise control system, named Infinite Cruise, was originally introduced in 2025 on the top-of-the-line 450 Apex electric scooter. Infinite Cruise will now be available on all Ather 450X models sold henceforth, but more interestingly, it will also make its way to existing 450X scooters via an over-the-air (OTA) update. Ather Energy co-founder Tarun Mehta confirmed the news on social media, stating how 450X models manufactured in 2025 already have the required hardware to enable Infinite Cruise.
“Our endeavour is to make as many of our great experiences backward compatible as practically possible and hardware permitting. Not just the new Ather 450Xs, but all 450Xs and 450 Apexs produced and sold in 2025 were shipped with 'traction control' and 'magic twist' - both key parts of the hardware required to enable Infinite Cruise”, Mehta wrote in a post on social platform X.
Scaling up Infinite Cruise:
At Ather Community Day 2025, we introduced Infinite Cruise on the 450 Apex and the response since then has been terrific. We saw that once riders start using Cruise, it becomes second nature to enable it on every ride.
What is Ather's Infinite Cruise, and how different is it from regular cruise control?
Ather's take on cruise control is possibly the most logical application of the system yet, keeping Indian road conditions in mind. Unlike a conventional cruise control system, which locks on to a specified speed and disengages when the rider accelerates past the limit or slows down, Ather's Infinite Cruise merely takes a pause.
Infinite Cruise will be enabled on all 450Xs with AtherStack Pro.
So, if you set Infinite Cruise to a speed of 50 kmph on an Ather 450X, it will cruise at that speed for as long as you want, but in case you choose to speed up (past 50 kmph) to execute a quick overtake, or need to slow down or come to a complete halt, Infinite Cruise remains active in the background, so the next time you get going, it'll once again settle at a speed of 50 kmph.
Reverse mode switch doubles up as Infinite Cruise switch on the move.
Engaging Infinite Cruise is also easy, requiring just a single press of the button on the right cube once the scooter is in motion. Infinite Cruise works at speeds of as low as 10 kmph and as high as 90 kmph, and also works as intended on inclines and declines.
Ather's Infinite Cruise: Is it standard on the 450X?
This is made possible by two other features on the 450X – traction control and Magic Twist (which slows the scooter with negative throttle input), both of which are activated via the Ather Drive Controller. However, it must be noted that all of these features, including Infinite Cruise, will work only on scooters equipped with the AtherStack Pro software package.
Prices for the 450X start at Rs 1.48 lakh (ex-showroom).
Post a price hike, the Ather 450X range starts at Rs 1.48 lakh (ex-showroom, including PM E-Drive subsidy), but AtherStack Pro adds a considerable Rs 21,000 to Rs 22,000 to that price.
This is not the first time Ather has rolled out a new feature for existing scooters. Back in August 2025, the company, via an OTA update, turned non-touch displays on the Ather Rizta into touchscreens.
Ather is set to begin manufacturing its new ‘EL’ range of electric scooters in 2026, at its brand-new facility in Maharashtra. The first of these is expected to be a family scooter that will most likely be the most affordable Ather yet.
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Sony Honda Mobility (SHM), the joint venture between Sony and Honda Motor Company, previewed its second model under its Afeela brand in the form of a new SUV prototype. The yet-to-be-named prototype is Sony's second electric SUV concept in the past five years, following the company's previous unveiling of a Vision-S 02 concept at CES 2022. The new Afeela prototype SUV looks to follow the same design principles as the brand’s upcoming Afeela 1 sedan and is expected to debut in production guise in 2028.
The prototype SUV bears a distinct resemblance to a more upright derivative of the Afeela 1, featuring a familiar fascia with a sleek, enclosed grille connected to swept-back rectangular headlamps and a rather featureless front bumper with a vent at its base. The sides feature the same clean lines as on the Afeela sedan, while the flowing roofline gives the car a coupe-SUV aesthetic with an integrated spoiler on the boot lip.
The rear is characterised by a familiar wrap-around lightbar style tail lamp and a rather staid bumper design. The interior has not been revealed, though the images do provide a glimpse of elements such as a triple-screen display on the dashboard and rear-seat entertainment displays. The SUV also looks to be a strict five-seater
SHM has not disclosed any technical details for its new SUV prototype, though we could expect it to be similar in size to 2022’s Sony Vision S 02 Concept, which measured around 4.9 m long and sat on a substantial 3m wheelbase. Additionally, the presence of sensor modules on the roof hints at Level 2+ self-driving capabilities.
Aside from the SUV, Sony also showcased the Afeela 1 at its stall at CES 2026, with the model set to go on sale in the US later this year. A launch in Japan is meanwhile expected to take place in 2027.
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The Bajaj Chetak family is set to grow this month, with the launch of a new derivative confirmed for January 14. Providing a glimpse of the new electric scooter, Bajaj Auto has announced it will roll out this new model next week, and the image reveals the horizontal LED tail-light, which is notably different from the standard Chetak's vertically-oriented tail-lights. The new Chetak scooter, which is likely to bear a suffix to differentiate it from the regular Chetak, is expected to be positioned at the budget end of the electric scooter market, to take on the likes of the TVS Orbiter and Vida VX2.
New Bajaj Chetak With Hub Motor: What We Know So Far
Recent spy shots have confirmed a number of key details about the newest addition to the Chetak family. This scooter, while still related to the regular Chetak, will have more compact dimensions and tighter bodywork, with a sharpened focus on practicality.
The new Chetak scooter will employ a large, flat seat – unlike the stepped seat seen on the regular Chetak – and is expected to feature a simple LCD dashboard. It will house a conventional key slot, and an open glove compartment.
More interestingly, Bajaj will venture into a new direction with the mechanicals. This will be the first Chetak to feature an in-wheel hub motor, unlike the regular Chetak, which has always used a swingarm-mounted direct-drive motor. Hub motors are usually more cost-effective, but are less efficient than mid-drive motors, and bring reliability and durability concerns.
Also confirmed in the spyshots is the presence of a twin-sided swing arm on the new Chetak scooter, which is in contrast to the regular Chetak's single-sided swing arm. The telescopic fork, too, appears to be hooded, and the new scooter has dual shock absorbers, as opposed to the monoshock on the standard Chetak.
We expect this scooter to have multiple battery options in the range of 2.5 kWh to 3.5 kWh, with range on the top-spec model likely to exceed 120 kilometres.
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Nissan has confirmed that its all-new Gravite MPV will be unveiled in full on January 21, 2026. The Gravite is essentially Nissan’s take on the Renault Triber - a subcompact three-row people mover built on the Renault Nissan Alliance-developed CMF-A+ architecture.
Nissan has shared multiple teasers of the Gravite over the past few months, revealing much of its design. There is more than a passing resemblance to the Triber in terms of the overall design, with shared elements including the stepped roof, sculpted bonnet and the rear end design save for the bumper. The Gravite, however, features its own unique fascia, characterised by a cheese-grater-style grille flanking swept-back headlights with integrated LED DRLs, as well as a distinctive front bumper design.
The cabin, too, is likely to get some styling changes over its Renault platform twin, though we expect it to retain bits such as third row seats that can be completely removed and a sliding and reclining second-row bench.
On the powertrain front, expect the Gravite to get the same 71 bhp and 96 Nm 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine as used in select variants of the Nissan Magnite and the Renault Triber. Gearbox options are expected to include a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT. A CNG option, too, could be offered as a dealer-level fitment.
Earlier in the month, Nissan said sales of the Gravite will start nationwide by March 2026, so we expect Nissan to only open bookings at this time with deliveries to start in the ensuing months.
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Mahindra recently launched the XUV 7XO (XUV 700 facelift) in India with prices starting from Rs 13.66 lakh (ex-showroom). This puts it on par with the outgoing XUV 700 in terms of starting prices, although the SUV does receive notable upgrades over its predecessor, including refreshed styling, updated suspension, and additional technology inside the cabin.
The 7XO is offered in a choice of six variants - AX, AX3, AX5, AX7, AX7 T & AX7 L, with Mahindra no longer offering a non-AdrenoX-equipped model as in the outgoing SUV (XUV 700 MX). Here is a look at what each variant has to offer:
Mahindra XUV 7XO AX
Bi-LED projector headlamps with follow-me-home function
LED tail lamps
17-inch steel wheels with covers
Triple 12.3-inch displays with front passenger touchscreen
Mechanically, Mahindra says it has upgraded the 7XO’s suspension over its predecessors with all-wheel independent suspension with new Frequency Selective Dampers. Engine options are unchanged from the outgoing model, with the familiar 200 bhp 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and 182 bhp 2.2-litre diesel engines on offer. Mahindra has dropped the option of the lower-tune diesel offered on the 700 in its base trim.
The new 7XO goes up against rivals such as the Tata Safari, MG Hector Plus and the Hyundai Alcazar.
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Honda Cars India is offering some hefty discounts and benefits on its cars and SUVs in January 2026. The Japanese carmaker is offering discounts of over Rs 1.3 lakh on its City compact sedan and Elevate SUV. The new Amaze is being offered with discounts of up to Rs 60,000, while the older Gen 2 Amaze can be had with additional discounts of up to Rs 10,000.
Honda's compact SUV hasn’t quite set the sales chart on fire in the segment and can currently be picked up with discounts of up to Rs 1.76 lakh. Based on the same underpinnings as the City, the Elevate has all the traditional strengths of Honda cars, including a spacious and comfortable cabin and good driving dynamics, though the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine isn’t the most potent of units in the segment. Gearbox options include manual and CVT options. Prices for the Elevate range from Rs 10.99 lakh to Rs 16.47 lakh (ex-showroom).
Honda City
Discounts of Up To Rs 1.38 lakh
Buyers will like the Honda City for its spacious and practical cabin and comfortable seating, though in recent years sales have started to slow. The petrol City is being offered with discounts and benefits of up to Rs 1.38 lakh, depending on the variant. The petrol City is powered by Honda’s tried and tested 1.5-litre iVTEC petrol engine paired with either a manual or an automatic.
Honda’s subcompact sedan is being offered with discounts and benefits ranging up to Rs 70,000, depending on the variant and generation selected. Currently, Honda retails the new Gen 3 Amaze alongside the Gen 2 sedan, which is limited to just lower trim levels. Buyers going for the older-gen car are being offered discounts of up to Rs 70,000 on the vehicle, while buyers for the new Gen 3 Amaze can get up to Rs 60,000 off on the sedan.
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After an almost month-long teaser campaign, Mahindra will launch the new XUV 7XO in India tomorrow. Essentially, the facelift to the current XUV 700, the popular SUV, is being renamed in line with Mahindra’s latest naming convention, first seen on the smaller 3XO. The mid-size SUV will come with some notable updates, including a refreshed design and significant tech additions.
On the styling front, the 7XO will get a redesigned fascia with new double-barrel projector headlamps with boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lamps. While on the whole the units appear to be similar to the outgoing model, they now look more angular while there’s only a single LED DRL element in each compared to the dual elements on the outgoing SUV.
The grille, too, gets a new look and it looks to be more rectangular than before with redesigned openings to feed air into the engine bay. New alloy wheel designs are also confirmed, while around the back, the tail lamps get new internals, though they seem to retain the shape of the XUV 700.
Interior
The cabin, meanwhile, is set for some big changes - chief among them the new AdrenoX+ tri-screen layout seen on the XEV series. You get the same three 12.3-inch displays mounted across the width of the dashboard, with a dedicated co-driver display. Mahindra will also offer its BYOD tech to allow for screen mirroring with personal devices to stream content for multiple occupants simultaneously.
Top variants look to get a tri-tone upholstery finish mixing black, tan, and what looks to be a light cream or grey, with the SUV also benefiting from some of the tech from its EV siblings and as before, you will still get up to three rows of seating.
Features
On the feature side, Mahindra has confirmed features such as powered front seats with driver seat memory, powered boss mode for co-drive seat, sun shades on the rear windows, Harman Kardon audio system with Dolby Atmos, a new 540-degree camera system and ADAS tech with upgraded instrument cluster graphics. Of course, top variants will the afore-mentioned triple screen layout with AdrenoX+ and a lot of features from the outgoing 700 are also set to be carried forward.
These will include a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats - ventilated rear seats could be added to the 7XO, multi-zone climate control, auto headlamps and wipers and more.
Engine & Gearbox
Focusing on the powertrain, Mahindra is set to make no changes to the 7XO when it comes to the engines and gearboxes. The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines are set to be carried over, both with manual and automatic gearbox options. As before, the top diesel variants are also expected to get optional all-wheel drive with off-road modes in addition to the generic drive modes of Zip, Zap and Zoom.
Pricing
Expect Mahindra to price the 7XO a little higher than the outgoing 700 prices for which start at Rs 13.66 lakh and top out at Rs 23.71 lakh (ex-showroom). We expect prices for the 7XO to start around Rs 13.99 lakh, with top variants likely to be priced around the Rs 24.50 lakh mark.
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Calendar Year 2025 came to a close with a strong last hurrah for multiple carmakers as the fallout from the GST rate reduction on new vehicles continued to be in effect. December saw multiple carmakers report year-on-year growth over the previous year, with buyers looking to score a good deal on a new vehicle before the rollout of the new year and subsequent pricing revisions announced by multiple brands. As ever, Maruti Suzuki remained firmly rooted in first position, while lower down the battle for second place saw Mahindra edge out Tata by a rather fine margin. Hyundai, once the second largest seller behind Maruti Suzuki in the domestic market, was down in fourth in terms of domestic sales.
Maruti Suzuki reported a 37.2 per cent growth in domestic sales in December 2025 as it closed out the year with 1,78,646 units sold in India. Sales were up across all subsegments of vehicles with sales in the Mini segment (Alto & S-Presso) almost doubling from 7,418 units in 2024 to 14,225 units in 2025.
Similarly, the Compact segment (sub 4m vehicles excluding SUVs) grew from 54,906 units in December 2024 to 78,704 units, while Utility Vehicle sales grew from 55,651 units to 73,818 units year-on-year. Sales for vans were a lot flatter in comparison, growing from 11,678 units in 2024 to 11,899 units in 2025.
Exports, meanwhile, continued to remain below year-ago levels with 25,739 units shipped in December 2025 compared to 37,419 units the previous year. Total sales stood at 2,17,854 units - up from 1,78,248 units a year ago.
Mahindra
Domestic sales: 50,946 units
Growth: 23 per cent
Mahindra closed out 2025 with 50,946 units sold, once again sitting in second place in terms of domestic sales behind Maruti Suzuki. The carmaker reported a 23 per cent growth in sales for December 2025 rising from 41,424 units in December 2024. The carmaker said that this marked its highest-ever volumes in the SUV segment.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles
Domestic Sales: 50,046 units
Growth: 13.1 per cent
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) reported domestic sales of 50,046 units in December 2025, marking a 13.1 per cent year-on-year growth. The carmaker had reported domestic sales of 44,230 units in the same month in 2024. This put the carmaker in a close third place for the month behind Mahindra - barely 900 units off - and ahead of Hyundai India. On the whole, Tata reported total sale of 50,519 units (including exports) in the month of December, of which 6,906 units were EVs.
Cumulatively, Tata reported sales of 5,87,218 units in CY2025 while also reporting its highest-ever annual EV sales of 81,125 units. The carmaker also reported an 18 per cent growth in its SUV sales in CY 2025 while sales of CNG variants crossed 47,000 units in the year.
“For Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, the momentum sparked by the rollout of GST 2.0 in late Q2 FY26 gained further traction in Q3, resulting in several new records. We achieved our highest-ever quarterly wholesales of 171,103 units, while retail sales/registrations crossed the coveted 200,000 units milestone for the first time. Nexon led the charge as India’s top-selling car/SUV in October and November and is on track to retain this leadership for Q3 FY26, with sales ~64,000 units. Punch dominated its segment and Tiago delivered robust growth, reinforcing its preference among hatchback favorites,” commented Shailesh Chandra, MD & CEO, TMPV.
Hyundai India
Domestic Sales: 42,416 units
Growth: 0.49 per cent
Hyundai’s lacklustre performance in the domestic market looked to continue in December with relatively flat sales. Hyundai reports domestic sales of 42,416 units during the last month of 2025 - marginally higher than the 42,208 units reported in the same month the previous year. Exports meanwhile stood at 16,286 units - up 26.5 per cent year-on-year pushing the brand to report a cumulative sales growth of 6.6 per cent over December 2024 with 58,702 units sold in the month.
Toyota ended December 2025 with 34,157 units sold in the domestic market a 37 per cent growth from 24,887 units sold in the same month the previous year. Exports grew from 4,642 units to 5,176 units while cumulative sales stood at 39,333 units in the month - up 33 per cent from 29,529 units in December 2024.
For the calendar year - Toyota reported a 17 per cent growth in domestic sales with 3,51,580 units sold, while exports were up 42 per cent to 37,221 units. Cumulatively, the brand reported sales of 3,88,801 units in CY2025 - a 19 per cent year-on-year growth.
“Overall, 2025 has been a meaningful year for Toyota, marked by stronger customer acceptance across our products and services, both in domestic and export markets resulting in a year-on-year growth of 19%. This sustained performance has been driven by progressive GST reforms by the Government of India, strategic product enhancements and the introduction of new model variants,” commented Varinder Wadhwa, Vice-President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business and Profit Enhancement.
Kia India
Domestic Sales: 18,659 units
Growth: 105 per cent
Kia India doubled its sales in December 2025 with 18,659 units sold in the Indian market - up from 8,957 units reported in 2024. The carmaker attributed this growth to a strong buyer sentiment - likely caused by GST reduction on new cars - as well as a strong customer focus from the brand.
Cumulative sales in the calendar year meanwhile stood at 2,80,286 units - up 15 per cent from 2,45,000 units reported in 2024. The Sonet remained one of Kia’s best-selling models for the second year in a row in 2025 with sales once again crossing the 1 lakh unit mark for a second consecutive year.
JSW MG Motor India
Domestic Sales: 6,500 units
Growth: -13.5 per cent
JSW MG Motor India had a strong showing in the CY 2025, reporting a 19 per cent year-on-year growth with 70,554 units sold in the year. Sales in December, however, were on the decline year-on-year at 6,500 units - down 13.5 per cent from 7,516 units sold in the same month the previous year.
Skoda Auto reported its best-ever calendar year in the Indian market with total sales of 72,665 units - a 107 per cent growth over the past year when it sold 35,166 units. The carmaker’s previous best-ever year was reported in 2022 when it sold 53,721 units - a mark the brand crossed in the first 10 months of 2025.
The carmaker attributed the strong sales growth to the very strong reception received by the Kylaq subcompact SUV as well as strong demand for the Kodiaq and steady sales of the Kushaq and Slavia.
Skoda did not share sales numbers for December 2025.
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