Maruti Suzuki Baleno Facelift, RE Himalayan 440, Kia Sorento & Volvo EX90 | Times Drive Show

Hello friends, I'm Manf Sina, and you're watching a TV show where all your motivational needs are fulfilled. What's special for you, Nia? I went to see the newly sacrificed Jars, the dying Sujugi, who was recently met in the hall, one by one, each increasing in intensity. What's special? What's not? From the world of two-wheelers, we bring you the Royal Enfield Himalayan 440 It's the return of the OG Himalayan We'll find out whether it's worth your attention Then, we also show you the first hybrid from the house of Kia The Kia Sorento It has excellent pricing. And you would want to know more about this car Not only because it's hybrid But because it might be the most complete package Under 30 lakh rupees And finally, we'll take you for a drive In Volvo's latest flagship electric car The EX90 That's coming to India very soon So as you can see, a lot is coming your way And today we have the Nissan Tecton And this is the T280 variant This is one of the most powerful SUVs you can buy in this segment. But SUVs might be stealing the spotlight right now Maruti Suzuki, on the other hand, believes Perhaps it's time to shift your focus to other segments as well. And especially the hatchback segment As a result, they have updated the Maruti Suzuki Baleno. I got it for a drive. And here's what I discovered In a world full of new SUVs Hatchbacks are finding it increasingly difficult to stand out. However, there is one hatchback that has been going against the trend. That, ladies and gentlemen, is of course the Maruti Suzuki Baleno. The first thing to talk about has to be The updated design that we're seeing on the Maruti Suzuki Baleno Is this new grille over here? It's much bigger than before It's much chunkier than before. It has these three chrome strips running across the width of the grille. Which adds a significant amount of visual weight to the vehicle The Baleno continues to feature the characteristic three-dotted light signature. Like most of the Nexa cars in the Indian market However, the fog lamps are now LEDs. If we talk about the side profile There are two changes that will tell you this is a facelifted model. First, this chrome accent right here on the fender And the second is the inclusion of a shark fin antenna. If we talk about the interiors Now, we get to see this new blue color theme in the interior. And this new blue color theme is something I quite like. Otherwise, the cabin's design remains identical to the previous version. Nothing has changed You still have this contrasting element in the middle of the dash. You still have everything where it was before. And you still end up with the same touchscreen infotainment system as before as well Speaking of the instrument cluster The semi-digital instrument cluster we see here You have all the dials as physical dials. And there is a multi-information display in the center Which gives you a set of information similar to the previous one However, the difference is that in the upper half Now you get to see ADAS-based features Yes, we get to see the rest of the changes in this cabin due to ADAS inclusion. Which come in the form of this new cluster of buttons on the right side of the steering wheel Which allows you to turn the lane keeping assist on and off with a single button press And on the right side, we get to see dedicated buttons for controlling some other features. Another good feature added to the Baleno is the inclusion of ventilated seats. Three-stage adjustment for both front seats This offers one of the most spacious rear seat experiences in its segment. And to give you an idea, I've adjusted the front seat according to my height. For reference, I'm 5 feet 10 inches. And you can see the amount of space I have available There is plenty of legroom available. I can slide my feet under the seat. And I can also get very comfortable over here. Now let's talk about the engine under the hood Which is perhaps the biggest highlight of the new Baleno facelift Here we get to see a 1.2-litre Z12E engine from Maruti Suzuki They have switched from a four-cylinder configuration to a three-cylinder configuration. Because this engine is significantly more efficient and much easier to adapt to meet all the stringent rules and regulations currently in place And it also delivers excellent fuel efficiency. Talking about the driving experience, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno is a car that's well settled in pretty much every kind of road condition. It's a car with good ground clearance, doesn't bottom out, and has sufficiently good suspension. And as is typical of Maruti Suzuki, they nail the chassis suspension tuning perfectly. And it is always a great experience to drive. This is the car that has been holding the fort for hatchbacks in the Indian market. And with the new kit in hand, I would like to say that this will continue to do so in the time to come. For our next story, we are taking you to the Himalayas. Because we're talking about the Himalayan from the Royal Enfield house, their adventure motorcycle This bike has been synonymous with adventure motorcycling for over a decade now. Even though the Himalayan 450 is the older model, the newer one is better in virtually every aspect. The people still wanted the original shape, the original design, and the original presence. As a result, Royal Enfield has something special making a comeback. Let's go over to Dhruv Palliwal to find out more. The OG Himalayan is back The Himalayan 440, you asked for it, Royal Enfield has delivered. And this motorcycle has been launched in India at a price of 2.29 lakh rupees. Let's talk about the stance first—you've got a 21-inch wheel at the front. A 17-inch wheel is provided at the rear. That high front fender over here, you've also got the broken headlight, you've also got the windshield All of which remind you of the OG Himalayan But you've got a new headlamp over here It's a new LED unit, which you've also seen on other motorcycles from Royal Enfield. You've got a twin pod instrument cluster right here And it's not the original Himalayan's cluster It's basically a newer version that you've seen on other motorcycles like the Scram and others. Let's talk about the seat again—similar cushioning, similar two-step seat is provided here. Now let's move on to the engine, the heart of the machine. Now originally this was a 410cc, a long-stroke engine. It's still a long-stroke engine, but that cc has gone up to 443. And that's why it's called the Himalayan 440 Power: 25.4 bhp, Torque: 34 Nm The transmission is a 6-speed unit. Now these are the two major things that have changed on the powertrain front. Because the previous Himalayan had a 411cc engine and it was equipped with a 5-speed transmission. This is a tripper navigation port; once you connect your phone to the motorcycle With the help of the Royal Enfield app, you'll be able to display your navigation directly on it. So it's convenient, and now that you've got the motorcycle on Let's also see what it's like to hear Because I'm sure all of you want to know what this motorcycle is like to hear Let's take a look. Priced at a starting price of 2.29 lakh rupees, Royal Enfield is positioning this model extremely aggressively. And to be able to reach that price point, such permissions were essential. Now let's talk about hybrids And in this conversation, you would normally expect me to talk about Maruti Suzuki or Toyota. However, Kia is now joining the party with the launch of the Kia Sorento. Their first hybrid car ever for the Indian market Now it has arrived in India at a staggering price tag Let's take a closer look at what's new Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Kia Sorento. Now if you are someone who has loved Kia's design language This is something that will look very familiar to you We get to see the look and feel of the slightly older Kia Seltos Of course, you get the large tiger nose grille up here at the front. You have a host of sensors around the car. There are 12 sensors around the car. And I particularly like the cube-shaped lighting elements over here. You also receive DRLs, of course. But it's not a connected lighting design, in case you're wondering. And you also get fog lamps located here, down in the bumper An interesting point to note is that the Kia Sorento is the widest vehicle in its segment. It is the longest car in the segment. And it is also the car with the longest wheelbase. And all of that boils down to simple terms is that this car has a very strong presence. So well, this is where this car looks properly distinctive. Compared to other Kia vehicles And especially the host of new SUVs that are coming out today The tail lamps are extremely intricately detailed. I like them quite a lot as well And last but not least Since this is the flagship SUV in Kia's current lineup You also get an electrically operated trunk lid. And once that opens up, you can see that there's plenty of boot space available. Now let's talk about the interiors of the Kia Sorento Hybrid. And as you can see, it's the familiar treatment we've come to expect from Kia vehicles. Well, you get this curved binnacle over here that houses these two 12.3-inch screens. Very easy to read, high in legibility And of course, overall there are very crisp graphics on offer. Of course, you get cooled seats for both front passengers. And the transmission selector is dial-type. With which you can put your car into drive Another very interesting feature on the Kia Sorento is right here. What you usually get to see here is this standard inside rearview mirror. But if I enable this toggle, you'll be able to see the camera feed. Right now the boot is open, so we get to see the roof. Now let's talk about the second row of seats Well, we get to see the captain's seats over here in this particular unit. And I have to say it is a very comfortable place to be in. There is plenty of space available There is ample headroom and plenty of knee room. And I can slide my feet under the seat to get really comfortable as well I really like that I have this adjustable armrest over here. I have a couple of rear AC vents. And I also have a dedicated outlet over here to charge my electronic devices. This is available only on the petrol hybrid model. Now let's talk about the third row of seats Getting in should be fairly easy. I have a button here, and if I press it, the seat automatically glides forward. And let's see what it's like to be seated back here For reference, I'm 5 feet 10 inches. If I bring the seat back over here I can actually be fairly comfortable back here. At the back, I have a spot to hold my smartphone for both passengers. At the same time, I can also adjust the fan speed right here. I have my own dedicated AC vent, and I also have a USB-C charging port over here. Now let's talk about perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Kia Sorento What are the drivetrain options? Now allow me two things First let's start with the fact that the Kia Sorento will be available with both A petrol hybrid engine option as well as a diesel engine option Let's talk about the engines under the hood Let's start with the diesel engine option We get a 2.2-liter diesel engine that produces 193 PS of power and 442 Nm of torque. The other engine option that will interest a lot of people Is the turbocharged petrol hybrid engine Now this is 1.6 liters in capacity Produces 180 PS of power and 265 Nm of torque from the petrol engine It also features a 65 PS electric motor that produces 265 Nm of torque. One thing to note is that Kia has not released fuel economy claims as of today. But we can expect this car to offer good fuel efficiency. Now it's time for a short break on the Time's Drive show But don't go anywhere because once we're back We'll take you for a drive in the latest flagship electric SUV from Volvo. Welcome back, I am Manav Sinha You are watching the Time's Drive show And today we have the Nissan Tecton with us Now it's time to talk about the Swedish automaker Volvo. Which is a brand that has a very loyal customer base in our country? For the longest time, their models have been something that people swear by. In terms of reliability and in terms of safety Now a new car is coming to the Indian market in the form of the Volvo EX90. Which is now their flagship SUV and is also electric. Ambar Banerjee took it out for a drive, here's what he has to say Guys, today we're going to be talking about a really special car. And which is the Volvo EX90? First of all, of course, let's talk about the design. Looking at the car, you might be reminded of the Volvo EX90 ICE SUV. The dimensions, shapes, and silhouettes of this SUV will resemble those of the Volvo EX90. And that is not a bad thing at all, at least in my books In front, you'll notice that everything has been given a very minimalistic design aesthetic. In terms of how it looks If I direct your attention to the LED headlamp units that you can see here There is a parametric shape for the DRLs that you see on the top and bottom parts. But what I found very interesting about this headlight is that When you turn on the headlamps and the headlamp units Then this parametric shape opens up and reveals the projector LED headlamp inside. That looks really cool, almost like a transformer. Quickly approaching the side profile, you'll notice that The same dimensions, you know, 5-meter-long SUV are also present in the EX90. These are 21-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. They look really cool and also come with these aerodynamic plaques. To make this electric SUV more aerodynamically efficient Now coming to the rear end of the EX90 I really like the kind of design treatment that Volvo has given. Because it's not trying too hard, yet still feels genuinely fresh, genuinely upscale You have the C-treatment and clear lens treatment options for the tail lamps. And the reverse parking lights as well And you also get, of course, a power tailgate It also has gesture control, but I haven't really tried that yet, you know. And that reveals 390 liters of trunk space at the rear of the EX90. With the third row up And guys, with that, I've arrived at the cabin of the EX90. And I have to say that the promise of futuristic design that we saw on the exterior That is also being carried over very nicely in the interior as well In front, I can see an 8.5-inch ultra-sharp resolution display Which is providing me with all the essential information I need And in the center, you will see a 14.5-inch vertically oriented touchscreen. Now, this is also, you know, very responsive And its resolution is also quite good. And this car also has a fixed sunroof right up there. Now, the special thing about this is that I can just push a button. And make the glass opaque, which will protect me from the sunlight. Now, the most special aspect of the EX90's interior Which is my personal favorite Is the Bowers & Wilkins 25-speaker audio system Before I talk about the second-row captain's seats What are going to be the main points of focus for many buyers? Let's talk about the third row Now, to fold these seats It's a very simple one-touch tumble function that you see here. Now, with that, the seat is tilted down And the third row here I'm not, you know, going inside there to show you right now. But this is going to be, you know, only suitable for kids No adult will be very comfortable here for a long journey. Due to the limited space, headroom is restricted. And even the space available for placing your feet is going to be limited. And with that, I'm in the second row. The second row where you have the captain seats Because in Volvo India, in the EX90 You are only getting the 6-seater option. For the time being If you need a 7-seater You will have to go toward the petrol-powered The MyHybrid XC90 SUV Being a Volvo, being a top-quality product This SUV features 4-zone climate control. It is not 2, not 3, 4 zones Even rear passengers can control their climate. Right from this touch panel Right in the center, in the center console And you're getting to see two AC vents below. You will also get integrated AC vents in the B-pillars Which gives you more direct, you know, access to the air conditioning? And overall, you've got your reading lamps here. And one of the 25 speakers it has is right here as well So now we've started our ride in the new EX90. Now, there are a lot of things to, you know, focus on A lot of things to go over Because it is a very interesting car Of course, it is a luxury segment. Now, being an electric car As for the battery, you get A battery capacity of 106 kWh Which gives you a claimed range Not only that Because its performance figures are also very interesting Because it generates 456 horsepower And 670 newton meters of torque That's right Those are numbers we could not have even imagined. A couple of years ago, for a 6-seater luxury SUV like this This is the twin-motor setup that has arrived in India. That means the car is also all-wheel drive. And along with that, you get Both an adaptive chassis and air suspension Which provides a very smooth ride And which can be adjusted to suit different terrains At the flick of a switch or a button I press on this central touchscreen Let's talk about the driving modes In drive mode, I am getting four different modes. Which are range, standard, performance, and off-road? And along with that, I can also adjust the steering feedback. And the suspension setup according to my preference Between soft, standard, or firm I am on an open road right now So let me just keep pressing that performance button for a bit I am traveling at a speed of 44 km/h. Wow! Now that is proper acceleration. Because I was just thrown into the seat As you saw on your screens A small little tap again That's how fast an EV accelerates Due to that instant torque I told you, 670 Nm of torque Going to all four wheels at all times You know, that opens up possibilities. Such a heavy 5-meter-long SUV Going like this So that was our review of this really cool and futuristic electric SUV. Which one is going to launch in the Indian market? And at the time of shooting this review We do not know the prices of the EX90. But overall, we had a lot of fun driving this electric SUV. On the outskirts of Ranthambore And the car is really powerful. It has a very luxurious interior. And that 25-speaker audio system Something worth writing home about You know, and overall We had a really pleasant experience driving the EX90. And with that, we have come to the end of this edition of The Time Strive Show. I hope you enjoyed our show. If you want to say something, tell me. Or want to join our team Then please get in touch with us via our social media accounts. And if you're planning to buy a new car A new motorcycle or perhaps Something like the Nissan Tecton Then make sure you visit Timestrive.in To find all the necessary information To make an informed purchase With that, I take my leave. Thank you so much for watching I'll see you at the same time next week. Only on The Time Strive Show