The YamahaFascino has been a functional, yet good-looking scooter from the beginning. Yamaha has just given it new features like a TFT display and refreshed colour options. Unlike its sibling, the RayZR, the Fascino keeps things simpler with a three variant spread and though they all (mostly) look the same, there are features to be gained by stepping up to a higher variant, but should you?
To keep the comparison easier to follow, here are all the things that are common. All three variants share the same 125cc single-cylinder engine with 8.2hp of power and 10.3Nm of torque. All three are also equipped with Yamaha’s mild hybrid system to deliver slightly more torque, a starter motor generator, and a stop-start system. They all also have a unified braking system (UBS), same tyre and rim sizes, a rear drum brake, 21L underseat storage, and there’s no change in seat height and kerb weight either.
All prices mentioned are ex-showroom, Delhi.
Yamaha Fascino 125 Fi variant breakdown
Drum
The base variant gets a front drum brake and an LCD instrument cluster. There’s no connectivity features of any kind and it comes in two colours, Yellow Cocktail and Metallic Black. It costs Rs 78,980.
Disc
The disc variant gets a front disc brake and adds Y-Connect capabilities to the instrument cluster which adds basic features like phone alerts, battery level, and data points like fuel consumption, maintenance recommendations, last parked location through the app. This variant gets four completely different colour options, Cool Blue Metallic, Dark Matte Blue, Matte Black, and Metallic Light Green and costs Rs 91,070 (Rs 12,090 over the Drum variant).
Special
This is currently the fully loaded variant of the Fascino. It swaps out the LCD instrument cluster for a TFT instrument cluster which adds turn-by-turn navigation and music alerts to the existing Y-Connect feature set. This variant also supports Yamaha Scooter Answer Back, giving owners the ability to identify it quickly with the app’s help. The SPL variant once again gets completely different colour options, Matte Black (different one!) and Metallic Orangish Gray. It commands a price of Rs 99,030, comfortably lower than the one lakh rupee mark.
In the analogue age, I planned road trips with paper maps, fluorescent highlighters and dog-eared guidebooks. Lately, however, Uncle Claude and Aunty Gemini have lured me into the world of artificial intelligence. When I asked them to suggest an adventurous drive through south Utah, they both recommended similar itineraries. It was like asking the chef at a dhaba to surprise me with something unusual and being served butter chicken instead. Zion, Bryce Canyon and Arches. Three magnificent National Parks connected by smooth highways and comfortable hotels.
Our search engine for Utah beyond the tourist trail. No signal required.
This route hits Utah’s greatest highlights, featuring soaring cliffs, towering hoodoos and delicate sandstone arches. However, the parks are often so busy that sedans circle overflowing car parks, rather like sharks patiently circling a lifeboat. I wanted roads that filtered out sedans and coaches, demanded preparation and delivered adventure, where the SUV became part of the journey rather than mere transport.
So, I turned my back on the algorithm and went analogue. While ordering the DeLorme Utah Atlas, Amazon suggested Freda J. Ryland’s Utah’s Best Kept Secrets, promising another Utah of mesas, switchbacks, unspoiled canyons, lonely dirt roads beyond the cellular umbrella and skies dark enough to make galaxies glow.
Her book was fuel for wanderlust; an invitation into a hidden Utah for those willing to stray off the tarmac. Though its typesetting suggested a clandestine hand-operated press during the Quit India movement, its content was pure gold. Paired with the DeLorme atlas and offline Gaia GPS, the trio was as dependable as egg, bacon and toast. Freda chose the destination, the atlas found the route, and Gaia confirmed where we were. What followed often felt like driving into a fairy tale.
Off-grid Utah demands a dependable 4×4. The Tremor waded rivers, shrugged off loose gravel, tenacious clay and steep gradients, and kept going long after the tarmac lost interest.
None of it would have happened without the Ford Expedition Tremor, our fairy godmother. A tad tubby at over two tonnes, it came with a locking rear differential instead of a magic wand. The twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 dispatched highway miles effortlessly. Once the tarmac disappeared, the Tremor earned its keep, shrugging off clay, loose rock, river crossings and deeply rutted tracks with nonchalant competence.
Follow her gaze. A long-gone artist still finds an audience a thousand years on. Utah is peppered with petroglyphs.
We forayed deeper into Utah’s wild, unadulterated beauty, beyond the tourist grid. To secret trails and solitude, to dinosaur tracks in ancient rock and to petroglyphs spanning two millennia, many still a mystery. I couldn’t help wondering if some ancient scribbling was simply the 2 BC equivalent of ‘Vinod loves Veronica’.
The first road to justify Freda’s confidence was Utah Scenic Byway 12, climbing out of Escalante towards Boulder through the folded canyons of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, among the last regions in the contiguous US to be properly surveyed. Past Calf Creek, the road narrowed onto a hogback, a ribbon of blacktop along a ridge, with the ground dropping hundreds of feet on both sides. Red rock canyons fell open left and right, and for a few minutes it felt like driving along the spine of the Earth.
The windscreen became Utah’s widescreen, live streaming breathtaking views with hardly a break. This is Scenic Byway 12 between Escalante and Boulder.
At Boulder, we turned onto the Burr Trail, first beaten into the landscape by cattleman John Burr in the mid 1800s. Soon the road slipped past Long Canyon, colloquially called Singing Canyon because its towering, tapering walls possess the sort of acoustics that could make a bathroom baritone believe he had missed his calling. I sang a few notes and was astonished when the sandstone tuned my discordant tone to the smoothness of Sinatra.
Then the scenery became rather more serious. In 1948, the Atomic Energy Commission arrived looking for uranium, widening the trail and blasting switchbacks that tumble nearly 800 feet in less than a mile into the Waterpocket Fold, a colossal wrinkle in the earth running nearly a hundred miles across southern Utah, its tilted rock exposed in great bands of colour. We descended towards Ticaboo as the Fold surrendered to open desert.
Morning coffee on the tailgate. The Expedition’s roomy interiors meant we could pull up and spend the night wherever we fancied.
We were hoping to camp at Muley Point, but we hadn’t accounted for Utah waylaying us with stupendous scenery, another slot canyon or lonely butte persuading us to stop every few miles. Around sunset, Muley Point was still hours away, so we turned into a secluded canyon and spent the night there, one of the trip’s happiest failures. We dropped the two rear seat rows into a flatbed, laid out a mattress, and slept under a sunroof full of stars and the Milky Way. We had camped at the base of the Henry Mountains, so remote that surveyors called them the Unknown Mountains until 1869.
The next morning, we pushed on to Muley Point through Bears Ears National Monument, named for a pair of buttes that really do resemble a bear’s ears poking above the treeline. An unmarked turn led to Muley Point, where the land simply stops a thousand feet above the San Juan River’s looping canyons, with views stretching to Monument Valley.
Look at the rocks above the Expedition. See anything? Someone did, and named it Lady in the Bathtub. Now try unseeing it. Welcome to the Valley of the Gods, where mesas and buttes come with wonderfully imaginative names.
Our next destination was the Valley of the Gods, the guidebook’s hidden Monument Valley twin. But first came the Moki Dugway, three miles of unpaved switchbacks blasted into Cedar Mesa in 1958 for trucks hauling uranium ore, dropping 1,100 feet at an 11 percent grade. The Tremor accepted the challenge with the calm assurance of a seasoned mountain guide.
At the bottom, a short detour brought us to Goosenecks State Park, where the San Juan River travels almost six miles in meanders to advance barely a mile and a half as the crow flies. From there, we turned into the Valley of the Gods, a dirt road meandering between sandstone monuments, nature’s own sculptures, with eccentric names. One was the Lady in the Bathtub. Had I not known the name, I might have seen only a rock. But once told, there she was, sitting bolt upright at one end of an enormous bath, her hair piled high and her back rather primly straight.
The Shafer Trail looked less like a road and more like a cartographer’s casual squiggle joining the top and bottom of a sandstone cliff. Then we drove it.
We slept another night in the car at the base of Rooster Butte, then rolled into urban Moab, our base for exploring the Needles and Island in the Sky districts of Canyonlands National Park, including the strange geological puzzle of Upheaval Dome. The highlight, though, was driving the Shafer Trail.
From the top, it was hard to believe vehicles drove down what looked like a pencil sketch etched onto a sandstone cliff. The trail began as a foot route, widened for cattle by rancher John “Sog” Shafer, then again in the 1950s for the uranium trucks that shaped the Burr Trail and Moki Dugway.
The Needles, Canyonlands – a forest of red and white banded sandstone spires, stained by iron and carved improbably thin by water patiently working through every crack.
The Expedition tipped over the edge, and we were committed. The Tremor crept down in low range, engine barely above idle, brakes doing quiet, constant work as gravel skittered from under the tyres. Every switchback flung the door mirror out over open air, nothing but red rock and sky where the road should have been, and my stomach dropped a beat before the front wheels found the turn. The cabin stayed eerily composed, no lurch, no scrabble for grip, while everything outside the glass insisted we should be afraid. At the bottom, the Colorado River came into view, and I exhaled properly for the first time in twenty minutes.
The warning isn’t for broken roads, but for deep clay bogs that require the torque and traction of a 4×4 to escape.
The final road I want to tell you about is the 80-mile loop through Cathedral Valley. According to Ms Ryland, this was Capitol Reef at its most remote – towering monoliths, strange badlands and perfect seclusion. At the entrance, a sign minced no words: ‘Road Impassable for Most Vehicles. Travel at Your Own Risk’.
The dirt road climbs through the Bentonite Hills, bands of grey, purple and blue-green clay laid down eighty million years ago in an ancient inland sea, eroded into slopes that look lunar. Beyond them, the land opens onto a high bench where the Temples of the Sun and Moon stand, solitary honey-coloured monoliths like remnants of cathedrals of a long-lost civilisation.
What struck me most, standing before the Temple of the Sun, was how closely its silhouette echoed the thirteenth-century Temple of the Sun I knew well – still standing tall in Konark, Orissa. That was shaped by human hands wielding hammers and chisels, whereas this one by wind and water.
In the Cathedral Valley at The Temple of the Sun. Eighty million years in the making; no chisel required.
Most visitors run the Cathedral Valley Loop clockwise, meeting the Fremont River crossing at the start. We’d gone the other way, so it arrived at the very end, just short of Highway 24. Torrid brown water gushed across our path. Not crossing would mean backtracking 80 miles.
I waded in first to check for stone underfoot rather than clay, reading whether the current had strong opinions about being crossed. Satisfied, I waved the Tremor forward, and my partner drove it straight through, water climbing the doors. Then crossed again to pick me up, and once more just for fun, proof this was a vehicle built to encourage this kind of tomfoolery.
After Cathedral Valley, the long drive back to ordinary life began, the odometer past 1,300 miles. Looking back on those twelve days, I’m glad I chose the path not well trodden, as Robert Frost once suggested, in a digital age where it’s easiest to let the machines pick the route.
A badly printed, albeit meticulously researched book, an atlas, and a Ford that never once flinched had taken us somewhere far better than any algorithm would have dared suggest. Rather than a destination ticked off, Utah became one truly experienced, and that made all the difference.
The essentials
Self-sufficiency matters: A little preparation separates adventure from discomfort.
Water: Carry more than you think you need. We kept 20 litres in the Expedition.
Provisions: Stock up on energy bars, trail mix, fruit, chocolate, canned food, instant noodles, jerky and coffee. A camping stove is invaluable for hot meals in the middle of nowhere.
Fuel: Fill up whenever you can. Distances are vast and stations scarce.
Navigation: Download offline maps and carry a paper atlas. The DeLorme Utah Atlas and Gaia GPS worked well.
Clothing: Hot days, cold nights. Pack a warm layer and a sleeping bag.
Footwear: Sturdy hiking shoes.
Sun protection: A wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm.
Vehicle: A high-clearance 4WD.
In-car essentials: First-aid kit, head torch, tyre gauge, air compressor and puncture repair kit.
Allow extra time. Utah ambushes you with one view after another, and the best memories happen at unplanned stops.
In March 2026, Skoda launched the updated Kushaq and one of the biggest updates was the introduction of a new 8-speed torque converter (automatic) with the smaller 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine, replacing the older 6-speed automatic. We’ve put the 2026 Kushaq 1.0L 8AT through our real-world fuel efficiency tests to see how it fares.
Gets an aggressive auto stop-start system
Weighs 1300kg
Claimed efficiency is 19.09kpl, 1kpl more than 1.0 6AT
Skoda Kushaq 1.0L automatic mileage explained
Powering the Kushaq is the same 1.0-litre three cylinder direct injection turbo-petrol engine that produces 115hp and 178Nm. With the addition of a new 8-speed automatic gearbox, the claimed efficiency has gone up by 1kpl, to 19.09kpl.
In our real world tests, the Kushaq returned 10.7kpl in the city and 15.1kpl on the highway, bringing its overall average efficiency to 12.9kpl. Interestingly, the updated Kushaq is 1.8kpl and 2.7kpl, more efficient than the older Kushaq with the 6-speed automatic gearbox, in the city and highway respectively, despite being 14kg heavier.
Notably, like the outgoing version, the Kushaq 1.0 8AT doesn’t get drive modes, but it continues to get an automatic engine stop-start feature. The latter is quite aggressive, and often tends to cut the engine while decelerating, even before the car has come to a complete stop. Also, while the creep function is less aggressive than the 6-speed auto version, it still feels quite eager off- the-line.
Autocar India’s fuel efficiency testing
Before our real-world fuel efficiency tests, we fill our test cars’ tanks to the brim and maintain tyre pressures based on the manufacturer’s recommendation. These cars are driven in fixed city and highway loops in and around Navi Mumbai, and we maintain certain average speeds. Throughout the tests, there is only one person in each car, running the aircon at 22deg C in full-auto mode, and other electricals, such as the audio system, indicators and wipers, when required, just like a regular user would. Periodic driver swaps further neutralise variations in driver patterns. At the end of each cycle, we calculate efficiency by filling the tanks to full again.
Volkswagen is preparing for a much bigger push in India, with the company reviewing its broader product, powertrain and investment plans. While a locally produced compact SUV has already been confirmed for launch next year and is expected to drive volumes, the brand is also looking at the India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) as an opportunity to bring select niche models from its global portfolio here.
“FTA has been announced in Europe. It is a huge opportunity to bring a certain sort of niche models to widen the portfolio for the consumer to offer some exciting models every now and then, which is great,” Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG and CEO of Volkswagen Brand Thomas Schafer told us. He did not reveal which models could be on the cards, but said the company is taking a long-term view and will study market conditions over the next few months before making a decision.
VW’s renewed focus for India
Schafer’s India visit comes as Volkswagen reviews its global business strategy amid geopolitical tensions, changing trade policies and a growing move towards regional manufacturing. “So, globally, we see almost like a decoupling. You have a geopolitical situation and the old business model where everything’s focused on Europe, and then you export to other markets is long gone. At the same time, you have a very different dynamic in China than in the US, which is putting import duties on Europe under certain attacks. So, in that game, you have to change your business model; you have to adapt it. And that’s what we’re busy doing,” he added.
This shift could benefit India. Along with the growing domestic market, Volkswagen sees India as an important hub for engineering, IT and R&D. “We will focus a lot on India going forward. Not only because the market is exciting and growing and creating more opportunity for the future, but also the sort of knowledge base that you have here in India,” he said.
Volkswagen also sees exports as an important way to build scale out of India. The company already exports vehicles made in the country to more than 40 markets, with Mexico being one of the major markets that imports vehicles from India. “So, exports are an important part of our business, and we will always strengthen that going forward,” he said. For the upcoming compact SUV, export potential could also help boost volumes and strengthen the business case.
More powertrains can be offered at the right time
Volkswagen’s current portfolio comprises cars powered by turbo-petrol engines, even as CNG and diesel remain in demand and EVs are gaining momentum. “So, what is clear is, in the long run, there will be strong electrification, especially also in India…You see it accelerating, probably driven by the conflict in the Middle East and the oil situation,” he said.
At the same time, he clarified that be it flex-fuel, CNG, diesel or EV, the brand has the technology already on sale in certain parts of the world. “We have flex-fuel, super strong in South America for years; we have CNG, diesel and EVs, it’s all there…When it’s the right time to localise it, we will localise it,” Schafer said.
The challenge, he said, is deciding when and how to use each powertrain technology. “The dynamics in India and the market shift have been quite significant even in the last couple of months. So, to be honest, we haven’t concluded our planning on that, but the good thing is that we have it and we can deploy it if and when it is the right situation,” he stated. Volkswagen is also evaluating its next-generation models and newer platforms, but these plans are still under consideration.
Cost remains a major hurdle for VW in India
Cost has been one of Volkswagen’s biggest challenges in India. Schafer said the company has spent the past few years working on two key areas: ensuring that its products retain the core characteristics of the Volkswagen brand while simultaneously reducing the cost base. “We worked over the last four years very focused on the cars that we bring to the market now are through and through Volkswagen in terms of quality, brand fit. And, yes, our cost base is traditionally high because we are very much focused on Europe and especially Germany,” he added.
India, he said, will play an important role in Volkswagen’s efforts to reduce costs, especially through more cost-effective development and manufacturing. “Part of the programs that’s been in the media over the last, especially two years, has been reducing our cost base, developing more in more cost-efficient places like in India very much, but also shifting production from high-cost locations into lower-cost locations,” he said.
Volkswagen is now working on its next set of products, investment plans and powertrain options for India. With India becoming an increasingly important part of its global strategy, there is plenty to look forward to from the brand in the coming years.
SUVs powered by V8 engines are becoming rarer by the day. Downsizing, electrification, ever‑tightening emissions regulations – the V8 is fading. Yet here we are in 2026, with Land Rover offering not one but two V8s. On the same model! Calls for a mini celebration, doesn’t it? And something of a journey of discovery. So how, and why, does the Defender come powered by two distinctly different V8s? Are they different enough to co-exist? Do their specifications tell a story? And are they fundamentally different from behind the wheel? Answers to these and more in this fascinating tale of two V8s.
Individual identity
The Octa looks much more menacing than the regular Defender.
Job number one: telling them apart. Which is relatively easy when you have the two sitting cheek by jowl. But out on their own, with no reference and no back-and-forth visual comparison, it’s more difficult.
Now, most of us – at least those of us who admire the Defender – know the Octa. A bold move from Land Rover, it comes with BMW’s 4.4‑litre twin‑turbo S68 under the louvered bonnet. That, and its linked suspension, which make the Octa super stable over rough ground. Not only does it get the V8 from BMW’s sledgehammer M5, the Octa, like all good performance cars, wears its intent on the outside. A wider stance, flared wheel arches, square exhaust tips and a stance that screams ‘Defender on steroids’. Most of the visual enhancements are also functional, but it also looks wide-shouldered and bulked up without going over the top… a job well done. And then, of course, there is the Octa badge, both on the grille and behind the ‘C’ pillar.
L: The Defender V8 gets more traditional rounded exhausts; R: The Octa’s quad rectangular exhaust tips stand out.
The Defender V8, which gets Jaguar’s AJ133 engine, is much stealthier and less in your face. From the outside, it looks like a regular Defender. No V8 badge, no identifying features, nothing. In fact, look at it from the front or the side, and it’s almost impossible to tell. You can, however, tell from the rear. The horizontally placed quad round exhausts stick out at the rear and clearly tell you this is something special. Otherwise, this is a regular Defender – attractive and full of visual appeal, but not something that stands out as something special. Could this be the Defender’s best‑kept secret?
Supercharged slayer
Defender V8 gets ‘supercharged’ written on the cover.
From behind the wheel, the differences are stark. The AJ133 engine is a familiar friend, earlier seen in many a Jaguar and Range Rover. In this Defender, it produces 425hp, with a large Roots-type supercharger adding some refined whine to the exhaust note. The sound that dominates, however, is a silky-smooth but unmistakable V8 ‘woofle’. Rev the engine even slightly, and a meaty growl emerges with crisp burbles on the overrun. It’s not AMG loud, nowhere near, or as raucous either, but the sound of the honey-smooth V8 is pure theatre and just gets me grinning. Why does it sound so clear and clean? There’s no turbo muffling the exhaust note, of course, and no turbo lag either. Which also explains the immediacy of the throttle responses.
In fact, tap the pedal even from idle, and the Defender V8 shoots forward, the crankshaft-driven supercharger pumping air into the engine instantly. This makes the Defender V8 feel light on its feet, and what’s even more charming is that it pulls cleanly in the mid-range, the engine spinning freely and enthusiastically towards the top. This is addictive, and long pulls to the redline are just so much fun. If you value thoroughbred engine characteristics over everything else, this engine will delight you.
Supercharger makes for instant low-end response from the AJ V8.
Now, putting so much performance into a dedicated off-roader may seem futile. But what Land Rover has done is make the Defender fundamentally sound. It’s not a ladder frame, for one, so when you drive around corners, it manages to do it in a neat and tidy manner. And that’s despite the additional weighty hardware like bulky differentials, stout driveshafts, and a robust transfer case, all needed for serious off-roading and not just slippery conditions.
So it comes as something of a surprise that the Defender V8, with its light steering and neat and tidy driving manners, can handle the performance without any fuss. It speaks volumes about how well Land Rover has engineered this platform and given it both loads of on-road capability as well as bona fide off-road chops.
The AJ-V8-powered Defender is not as effective a performance machine as the Octa.
Try and use all the performance all the time, and that feeling of composure slowly fades. You start feeling the bulk, you want more stability and confidence from the brakes, and the gearbox feels slow and laid back. And what’s this, no paddle shifters? Huh?
All pumped up
The Defender Octa amps it up to another level. Bold, brash and devastatingly effective when its full potential is unleashed, it is an all new type of animal. Initial impressions, however, immediately tell you the V8 is turbocharged. Squeeze the throttle, and the responses are initially laid back. This is especially true in comparison to the supercharged V8.
Both engines are brilliant, but both are also very distinct in the manner in which they make power.
Once past the initial softness in the throttle, however, it surges forward with relentless force, a flood of torque unleashed from the turbos spooling up. And that’s even if you haven’t pinned the throttle. A few more purposeful prods of the throttle, and the massive gulf in performance between the two Defenders is soon apparent. It’s not the 0-100kph or even the 0-150kph times, it’s just the massive surge you feel in raw thrust when you feed in the throttle.
The BMW‑sourced 4.4‑litre twin‑turbo V8 is a technological powerhouse and one of the most technically complex engines around. With 635hp and up to 800Nm in launch mode, it transforms the Defender into something approaching a super off-roader. And where the Jaguar engine is all about response, this BMW one, in contrast, is all about mid‑range and top-end muscle. In fact, knock back a few gears on the quick gearbox, plant your foot, and the Defender Octa charges forward with such ferocity that you’ll question the need for anything faster.
Where the BMW engine also differs is in the soundtrack. At low revs, the turbos and cross-bank exhaust system muffle and mute the V8’s natural exuberance and growl. But while the engine sounds are muffled at low revs, they soon build into a deep, muscular roar as the revs climb. Clearly not as sweet or as sonorous as the Jaguar V8, but well in line with the heady performance the Octa delivers.
Octa badge (and BMW part number) tell the BMW V8-powered Defender apart.
The Octa also sits higher off the ground, thanks to its Tenneco‑Monroe 6D suspension system. This clever setup links all four dampers, acting like a virtual anti‑roll bar. The result is uncanny composure as the Octa just smothers broken roads. Drive over a poorly paved surface, and you initially feel there’s something not right. The layer of insulation between the road and you is so thick, you feel almost nothing. No big movements, no being tossed around, no big thuds. And then, what really is a game changer is that the Octa stays relatively flat when you hurl it into a corner, the tall SUV staying composed and relaxed while off-road-centric tyres howl away in protest. And it isn’t just well composed in corners, there’s very little pitching either, so you fly down poorly paved and broken sections like you are riding a hovercraft-like stable platform.
This technical marvel allows the two‑and‑a‑half‑tonne off‑roader to feel agile and secure, furthering the impression that the Octa is a Defender on steroids. Also of note, this genuinely feels like two SUVs in one – a real off-roader and the other a bona fide performance SUV that can carry real speed and put power down even on gravel, dirt tracks and unpaved sections.
Defenders of the faith
So why two V8s? The answer lies in the regulations. The AJ V8 cannot meet upcoming Euro 7 norms, but India doesn’t yet enforce equivalent standards. And that allows JLR to continue offering it here. The BMW V8 future‑proofs the Defender and has created an all-new type of performance off-roader with the Octa.
These performance off-roaders are so accomplished on road, they genuinely are multi-role SUVs.
It’s also a clever product strategy. The AJ V8-powered Defender starts at Rs 1.40 crore, offering V8 thrills at a much more affordable price. The more capable Defender Octa, on the other hand, starts at a much loftier Rs 2.62 crore. One has the traditional feel of a V8, smooth, refined and powerful; the other is a bona fide performance icon, with brutal power delivery and a massive ability to carry speed over just about any surface.
Two distinct flavours, two distinct price points, one model line.
The Defender’s dual‑V8 strategy is nothing short of remarkable. In a world where eight‑cylinders are disappearing, Land Rover offers buyers a choice between a supercharged and a turbocharged V8. Together, they make the Defender unique. And that makes this one of the most fascinating chapters in the Defender story. Take a bow, Land Rover.
Bits, bolts, and burbles
BMW’s S68 is an ‘M’ engine that displaces 4.4 litres. It uses an aluminium block and heads, and a cross-plane crankshaft. The bore and stroke dimensions (89mm × 88.3mm) are typically BMW – square. The engine revs to 7,200rpm, and the DOHC valvetrain gets an electrically actuated VANOS system for faster, more precise camshaft phasing. The hot vee twin-turbo layout is designed to reduce turbo lag, and the cross-bank exhaust manifold merges pulses to optimise turbine efficiency. This sacrifices some of the traditional V8 burble but sharpens response. To handle the extra loads, a high-capacity oil pump with an external oil cooler ensures consistent pressure under high lateral loads, while a multi-stage cooling circuit stabilises temperatures during track use. The S68 also integrates a 48V mild-hybrid system that provides a 9kW and 200Nm of torque fill.
Defender V8 fact file
110 P425*
Octa
Price
Rs 1.40 crore
Rs 2.62 crore
Kerb weight
2,434kg
2,585kg
Engine
5,000cc supercharged V8
4,395cc twin-turbo V8
Bore and stroke
92.5mm x 93.0mm
89mm x 88.3mm
Compression ratio
9.5
10.5
Power
425hp at 6600rpm
635hp at 7000rpm
Torque
550Nm from 1800-5000rpm
750Nm from 1800-5855rpm
Claimed 0-100kph time
5.8sec
4.0sec
Maximum speed
191kph
250kph
*The supercharged-V8 Defender variants are temporarily unavailable for purchase in India, but they’re expected to return soon.
The Jaguar AJ V8 is a family of aluminium V8s produced from 1996 onwards. Offered in naturally aspirated and supercharged forms, it was Jaguar’s flagship petrol engine, engineered to combine refinement with strong performance. Evolving through three generations, the aluminium block and heads kept weight down to around 205-215kg, and it used chain driven camshafts, later evolving to double roller chains for greater durability. Supercharged “R” variants like the one in the Defender pushed outputs to 450hp, giving cars like the XJR and XKR formidable pace at the time. By 2009, the Gen III AJ V8 expanded to 5.0 litres (94 × 92mm bore and stroke), introduced direct fuel injection, and raised compression to 11.5:1. Power on the supercharged versions could exceed 500hp, and this 450hp version, with a bit of digital massaging, could also be made to increase in power.
Unlike the standard X1, the Long Wheelbase (LWB) version primarily targets buyers for whom rear-seat space is the top priority. The BMW X1 LWB competes with the likes of the Audi Q3 and Mercedes-Benz GLA in India and is the only one to be offered in a long-wheelbase guise. All that said, here are some pointers to keep in mind before signing on the dotted line.
Reasons to buy the BMW X1 LWB
Space is aplenty
The Long Wheelbase version’s rear seats and boot are easily better than rivals’
A wheelbase that’s grown by 108mm over the standard X1 means that the LWB benefits from a roomy cabin. This is noticeable upon stepping into the rear of the X1 LWB, where there’s plenty of space even for six-footers to stretch out. A centre armrest with cup holders, dedicated rear AC vents and USB Type-C charging ports aside, BMW has redesigned the rear seats.
Catering to the occupants in the outer units are better cushioning plus a 15mm longer seat base for added under-thigh support. Not only is the general seating position good, but the reclining backrests further elevate comfort. The expansive glasshouse, including the fixed panoramic sunroof, makes for a light and airy cabin. Furthermore, the 540-litre boot is bigger than those of the GLA and Q3.
Convincingly pliant
BMW has revised the suspension for a more comfortable ride
Compared to the standard-wheelbase model, the X1 LWB offers a more pliant ride that errs towards comfort rather than corner-carving sportiness. It works quietly in the background and absorbs bad patches well. Under most driving scenarios, the underlying firmness of this suspension setup will go unnoticed. The steering wheel provides a good sense of connection to the road, and the X1 LWB changes direction confidently and swiftly.
Useful parking aids
Quality assistance tech means parking the X1 LWB is a surprisingly convenient affair
The BMW X1 LWB is equipped with a 360-degree camera system, whose quality is really good. This will help one park the luxury SUV without major issues. Should you find yourself in a tricky situation or be confused about getting out of a dead end, the Reversing Assistant is a feature that could be a great help. This system is designed to automatically back up the car by retracing the path taken to reach its current spot and can work up to a distance of 50 metres.
Competitive pricing
The X1 LWB is priced rather well
At Rs 49.90 lakh (ex-showroom), the BMW X1 LWB costs Rs 1 lakh less than the standard-wheelbase model. When compared to its Mercedes-Benz GLA rival, the X1 LWB is up to Rs 5.1 lakh more affordable.
Reasons not to buy the BMW X1 LWB
Missing equipment
The long-wheelbase version has fewer features than the regular X1
For reasons known only to BMW, the X1 LWB doesn’t come with adjustable rear sunshades, ventilated or massaging seats, and even the USB slots up front aren’t backlit. This makes finding them in the dark a chore. The LWB version also lacks a dedicated climate-control zone for the rear passengers, while the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) package doesn’t include adaptive cruise control.
Uninspiring performance
This three-cylinder engine isn’t a punchy enough unit
The 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol fuel-injected engine produces 156hp and 230Nm of torque, which is 20hp more than the unit powering the standard-wheelbase X1. This E25-compliant engine comes mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) and feels more than sufficient when driving in the city.
However, when you want to overtake in a hurry or bury the accelerator pedal, there’s some delay before the X1 LWB builds speed. Push it hard, and this three-cylinder mill will make itself heard, and it isn’t a particularly sporty note either. Even in Sport mode, 0-100kph took 9.58 seconds when we tested this SUV’s acceleration.
Complicated infotainment
The system is modern but can be confusing for users
The 10.7-inch touchscreen of the BMW X1 LWB looks crisp and is very responsive to inputs as well. However, its information-dense design means users will find themselves facing a plethora of menus, and finding what you need will require some patience. Even the climate-control system is managed via the touchscreen, meaning eyes off the road. All of it feels more challenging than it needs to be.
Royal Enfield has just updated the Continental GT 650 for 2026. While the mechanicals remain where they were earlier, the popular cafe racer gets a few new features like LED indicators, USB type-C port and cosmetic updates like a black instrument cowl. The Rocker Red colour now also gets a blacked out engine case and cast-alloy wheels, both of which were previously limited to the Apex Grey colour. The Interceptor, the platform sibling, is yet to see an update for 2026 but how do the 650 twins differ? Let’s examine it in detail.
All prices ex-showroom, Chennai
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 vs Interceptor 650: What’s shared?
Engine, chassis, and more
Both have quite a lot in common. They share the steel tubular, dual-cradle frame, the 648cc twin-cylinder engine making 47.4hp of power and 52.3 Nm of torque, tyre sizes, suspension, and most of the dimensions. Both also get alloy and wire spoke wheel options, but not on all the colours. In addition to this, most of Royal Enfield’s first-party accessories for one of these bikes should also be compatible with the other.
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 vs Interceptor 650: Design
Continental looks better, but is less practical
The biggest difference between the two is in the appearance. The Continental GT has a clip-on style handlebar, placed lower than the Interceptor. The rider footpegs are also set further back, altering the rider’s triangle noticeably. While the Continental’s handlebar makes it steadier at higher speeds—thanks to the added load on the front wheel—it does put more strain on the wrists, especially over long distances. The upright riding position on the Interceptor makes it far more practical to live with, although at the cost of the ‘cool factor’. The Continental GT 650 also gets Vredestein tyres, replacing the CEATs on the Interceptor.
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 vs Interceptor 650: Dimensions and weight
Interceptor is heavier by 4kg
The Interceptor is 45mm wider and 25mm taller than the Continental GT 650. The Interceptor also has a larger 13.7-litre fuel tank, compared to 12.5-litre unit on the Continental. Naturally, that means the Interceptor is 4kg heavier at 218kg.
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 vs Interceptor 650: Features
Continental now gets more features
Both the models do share most of the features, such as the semi-digital instrument cluster with twin-pods and dual-channel ABS, but with the update the Continental GT has gotten features like a USB-C charging port (vs USB-A on the Interceptor), LED indicators, and an instrument cowl as standard.
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 vs Interceptor 650: Colour options
Interceptor gets more colours
There’s no crossover between the two motorcycles in the colour options with both having distinct colour choices. Like we mentioned earlier, some of the colours get black, cast-alloy wheels while others stick to wire spoke wheels. On the Continental, Apex Grey and Rocker Red get alloys whereas on the Interceptor, alloy wheels are limited to only one colour, Black Ray.
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 vs Interceptor 650: Price
Continental is more expensive
With the new updates, the Continental GT 650 now starts at Rs 3.58 lakh and goes up to Rs 3.97 lakh. As of the writing of this piece, the Interceptor starts at Rs 3.39 lakh and goes up to Rs 3.69 lakh without any of the new features.
Interestingly, the Bear 650, the other platform sibling of these two, gets more modern features like a TFT instrument cluster, USD fork, and a slightly more powerful engine owing to its different two-into-one exhaust system. It remains to be seen if Royal Enfield will bring these updates to the Interceptor 650 anytime soon.
The Kylaq, Skoda’s most affordable offering in India, was introduced in 2024 and marked the brand’s return to the sub-4m space after years. Currently, the Kylaq is Skoda’s best-selling model in our market and has sold over 50,000 units since its launch as of February 2026. Here’s a breakdown of the powertrain options, comfort and convenience features, safety kit and exterior colours available on each trim of the Skoda SUV.
Skoda Kylaq variant-wise price and powertrain options
The base Classic trim misses out on an automatic transmission option
Skoda Kylaq ex-showroom price as of August 21, 2026 (Rs lakh)
Trim
MT
AT
Classic
7.59
–
Classic+
8.25
9.25
Signature
9.43
10.43
Signature+
10.77
11.77
Sportline
11.32
12.32
Prestige
11.75
12.75
Prestige+
11.99
12.99
The Skoda Kylaq has an ex-showroom price ranging from Rs 7.59 lakh to Rs 12.99 lakh. Except for the base Classic trim, the remaining trim levels offer both manual and automatic gearboxes. Powering the Kylaq is a 115hp, 178Nm, 1.0-litre direct-injection turbo-petrol engine that also does duty in the Kushaq and the Slavia. Transmission duties are handled by either a -speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Notably, in Classic+ guise, the Kylaq is the most accessible car with a torque converter gearbox.
Skoda claims a top speed of 188kph and that the manual version is capable of a 0-100kph sprint in 10.5 seconds. In our Kylaq real-world performance tests, the automatic version achieved a 0-100kph time of 11.69 seconds. Skoda also claims an ARAI-rated fuel economy of 19.68kpl for the manual and 19.05kpl for the automatic; our Kylaq real-world mileage tests saw the manual average 12.86kpl, while the automatic went 11.03km on a litre of petrol.
Skoda Kylaq variant-wise colour options
Offered in seven colours on the outside, two on the inside
The compact SUV is offered in seven colours, namely, Candy White, Brilliant Silver, Cherry Red, Carbon Steel, Deep Black, Lava Blue, and Steel Grey. While all trims come in a monotone finish, select paint jobs on the Sportline come with a black roof. Additionally, the Sportline trim exclusively gets the Steel Grey colour option. The interior of the Skoda Kylaq gets a black and grey colour scheme as standard, but the Sportline has an all-black theme. Here’s a table comprising the available exterior colours on the Skoda Kylaq depending on the trim level chosen:
Colour
Classic
Classic+
Signature
Signature+
Sportline
Prestige
Prestige+
Candy White
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dual-tone
Yes
Yes
Brilliant Silver
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dual-tone
Yes
Yes
Cherry Red
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dual-tone
Yes
Yes
Carbon Steel
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
–
Yes
Yes
Deep Black
–
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Lava Blue
–
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Steel Grey
–
–
–
–
Dual-tone
–
–
Skoda Kylaq standard safety kit
Gets six airbags, ABS, EBD, traction control and more.
As standard, the Skoda Kylaq comes equipped with six airbags, ABS, EBD, ESC, traction control, brake disc wiping, roll-over protection, central locking, rear parking sensor, and ISOFIX mounts.
Skoda Kylaqvariant-wise features
Skoda Kylaq Classic: Rs 7.59 lakh
Gearbox option – 6MT
Skoda Kylaq Classic trim
LED headlights with LED daytime running lamps (DRLs)
Leatherette seat upholstery with Sportline inscription
LED projector headlamps
LED fog lamps with cornering function
Wireless phone charger
Skoda Kylaq Prestige – Rs 11.75 lakh-12.75 lakh
Gearbox options – 6MT, 6AT
Skoda Kylaq Prestige trim
Features over Signature+
Dual-tone 17-inch alloys
LED projector headlights
LED rear turn indicator and reverse lamp
Front LED fog lamps with static bending function
White ambient lighting
Leatherette upholstery on seats, front armrest and doors
Chrome parking brake tip
Ventilated front seats
Wireless phone charger
Anti-theft alarm
Skoda Kylaq Prestige+ – Rs 11.99 lakh-12.99 lakh
Gearbox options – 6MT, 6AT
Feature over Prestige
6-way powered front seats
Which Skoda Kylaq variant should you consider?
The mid-spec Signature+ trim offers good value for money
Starting at Rs 10.77 lakh, the mid-spec Signature+ trim offers dual digital screens, a single-pane sunroof, a rear parking camera with sensors, auto AC with rear vents, all-LED lighting and 16-inch silver alloy wheels, making it a value-for-money offering. While you do miss out on features such as a wireless phone charger and powered and ventilated front seats, the premium you have to pay for these is not justifiable. Moreover, this trim is available with both manual and automatic gearbox options.
However, if you are on a budget, you can consider the lower Signature trim, which offers a smaller touchscreen with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, rear wiper and washer, rear AC vents and a sunroof. This trim also comes in both manual and automatic variants, and priced at Rs 9.43 lakh and Rs 10.43 lakh, respectively, they still offer a lot of value.
Although the Classic+ trim is also well-equipped for its price, the lack of an infotainment system makes recommending it a bit more challenging. However, the 7-inch OEM infotainment system with wired smartphone connectivity, offered with the higher Signature trim, is available in the online classifieds marketplace under Rs 10,000. If you are open to retrofitting it at your authorised dealership, the Classic+ trim becomes the most value-for-money option on a strict budget.
Yamaha had just updated its 125cc scooter, the RayZR 125 Fi Hybrid with additional features and new colours. It’s now offered in a total of four different variants in a span of roughly Rs 22,000. What exactly are the different variants and what do you gain by stepping up? Let’s see.
Let’s first get what is shared between all four out of the way. They have the same 125cc single-cylinder engine that makes 8.2hp of power and 10.3Nm of torque. Like the model name implies, all four also get Yamaha’s mild hybrid system that increases the torque by a very small amount. There’s a starter motor generator that enables a silent start, and a stop-start system. They all also have a unified braking system (UBS), same tyre and rim sizes, a rear drum brake, 21L underseat storage, and there’s no change in any of the dimensions (like seat height) either. And finally, despite the additional features on the higher variants, they all weigh the same 99kg.
All prices mentioned are ex-showroom, Delhi.
Yamaha RayZR 125 Fi Hybrid variant breakdown
Drum
In case the name hasn’t given it away, the base variant comes with a 130mm drum brake at the front. It has an LCD instrument cluster that shows all the basic information like speed and a fuel gauge, but it does not get any connectivity features. It’s available in a single Metallic Black colour and costs Rs 79,880.
Disc
This variant swaps the drum brake for a 190mm disc brake at the front. This variant also adds Y-Connect, Yamaha’s connectivity suite, that adds basic features like phone battery level, call, email, and SMS alerts, and reporting of things like fuel consumption, maintenance recommendations, last parked location on the app. This variant costs Rs 87,680 (Rs 7,800 extra) and is available in three colours, Dark Metallic Blue, Ice Fluo Vermillion, and Metallic Black.
Street Rally LCD
The next step up is via the Street Rally version of the RayZR that’s mechanically identical to the regular RayZR. However, it gets hand guards, and additional side reinforcements to the front apron for a more muscular look. The colours and decals look slightly different on it, and for these extras, Street Rally LCD adds Rs 6,250, coming in at Rs 93,930.
Street Rally TFT
Finally, the most feature loaded RayZR of them all. This received most of the recent updates, with a TFT instrument cluster that supports turn-by-turn navigation and music control to the existing Y-Connect feature suite. In addition to that, this variant also gets ‘Yamaha Scooter Answer Back’ that helps you locate your scooter via the app in a crowded parking garage, for example. The Street Rally TFT gets two colours, Matte Titan (exclusive to this variant) and Matte Black. The top variant will set you back by Rs 1,00,440 squeezing just past the one lakh rupee mark.
Royal Enfield has just announced a new, commemorative edition of the Classic 350 Gorkha Edition. Meant as an acknowledgement to the bravery and discipline of the Gorkha Regiment of the Indian army, the variant has prominent hat-tips to the most celebrated army unit in the world. If all of that sounds appealing to you and you want to bring one home, here’s what you need to know about it.
1. How is the Gorkha Edition different from the regular Classic 350?
Being a commemorative edition, the Gorkha Edition has a special colour called Gorkha Green which resembles a lot of army vehicles. It features two crossed Khukris on both the side panels, the official insignia of the Gorkha Regiment. There’s also a ‘Gorkha Edition’ sticker on the fuel tank, just above the fuel lid. The overall design and the dimensions remain unchanged otherwise.
2. How much does the Gorkha Edition cost?
Royal Enfield has priced the Classic 350 Gorkha Edition at Rs 2.11 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) which puts it right in the middle of the range that starts at Rs 1.87 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs 2.24 lakh. There’s another variant called ‘Commando Sand’ which also costs the same as the ‘Gorkha Edition’.
3. Which engine does the Classic 350 Gorkha Edition have?
The Classic 350 Gorkha Edition continues with Royal Enfield’s tried-and-tested J-series engine. Unveiled first with the Meteor 350 back in 2020, this single-cylinder, air-cooled unit has 20.2hp of power and 27Nm of torque.
4. What is the seat height of the Classic 350 Gorkha Edition?
The seat height on the Classic 350 Gorkha Edition is 805mm (unchanged from the regular Classic 350).
5. What features does the Classic 350 Gorkha Edition get?
The Classic 350 Gorkha Edition has a semi-digital instrument cluster, assist and slipper clutch, and a type-C USB port for charging your devices on the go. Note that Royal Enfield had recently updated all variants of the Classic 350 with the exact same feature set.
6. Does it get dual-channel ABS?
What separates the Classic 350 variants mainly are two things, the colour scheme and ABS. Of the eight available colours, the base ‘Redditch Red’ variant has single-channel ABS, with all the other colours—including the Gorkha Edition—getting dual-channel ABS as standard. Braking duties too are covered by the same 300mm disc at the front and 270mm disc at the rear.
7. What’s the weight and ground clearance like?
They continue unchanged as the Classic 350 at 195kg kerb weight and 170mm of ground clearance. If you like the Royal Enfield J-series engine but are fazed by the weight, the Hunter 350 remains the lightest Royal Enfield motorcycle you can buy today with a lighter kerb weight figure of 181kg but do note that its ground clearance is 160mm although it’s unlikely that the 10mm reduction will ever be an issue.
