Darab Mansoor Ali

India's passenger vehicle market put up a strong first half in 2026, crossing 25.91 lakh units in cumulative sales across petrol, diesel, CNG, EV and strong hybrid powertrains. That's a healthy 18.4 percent jump over the 21.88 lakh units sold in H1 2025, with virtually every powertrain category posting year-on-year growth, the lone exception being strong hybrids, which stayed flat. Here's a detailed, powertrain-wise breakdown of which cars led the charts and what's driving the shifts beneath the numbers.

Skoda has finally unveiled the first facelift or update for its Slavia. Ever since it was first unveiled in 2021, the Skoda Slavia has been a popular sedan in a market dominated by crossovers and SUVs. The Skoda Slavia has found its footing by appealing to the enthusiasts and executives that wanted something sleeker or more sporty while moving around in the city. With the new update, Skoda is making the Slavia more relevant for the year 2026 and more efficient. The updates, however minor, are everywhere. Exteriors, interiors, drivetrain, tech – everything has been given a slight refresh. In this article, I will tell you what I think about the new Skoda Slavia, what changes we are getting, and finally, if it is worth considering while spending your hard-earned money on this mid-size sedan.

BMW India has just done something completely new and unusual (in a good way) in the entry-luxury space. They have built a car specifically for the person sitting behind the driver, not in front of the wheel. The new BMW X1 Long Wheelbase has been launched at an introductory ex-showroom price of Rs 49.90 lakh, slotting in alongside the standard X1 and the fully electric iX1 in BMW's smallest SUV family. And after spending some time with it, my first impression is fairly simple: this is one of the most sensible product decisions BMW India has made in a while, provided you understand exactly who it's meant for.

So Skoda has done something interesting. The company refuses to believe the sedans are dead in India. Skoda Superb, one of the most sought-after executive sedans in the country, is now back. This time, Skoda has decided to bring it with a diesel engine. Yes, at a time when internal combustion engines in general are on the decline and there is a sort of a confusing sentiment around petrol in India, Skoda has taken a bold step and decided to bring the 2 litre TDI engine with the fourth generation Superb which will be coming to India by the end of the second quarter of next year.

Dreame is becoming a popular robot vacuum brand. The Xiaomi-backed brand has launched their new D30 Ultra in India recently, which is the most premium robot vacuum in their D series of entry-level robot vacuums. Priced at around ₹60,000 in India, the Dreame D3 Ultra brings new features like object detection, mop washing, and more in the D series for the first time. I have been using the Dreame D30 Ultra for the past few days and here is everything I think about this new robot vacuum from Dreame.

JSW MG Motor India has launched its new Hector Tomahawk, which is available in both electric and plug-in hybrid options? The plug-in hybrid starts at a price of ₹21.79 lakh (showroom), while the EV version of the car starts at ₹13.99 lakh with battery as a service (BaaS) and ₹19.49 lakh and ₹25.69 without BaaS, respectively. Now, the MG Hector Tomahawk is not interesting because of the fact that it comes with multiple powertrain options, but because of the fact that it is the first car that MG has made on its brand-new platform called the MG Adapt. The MG Adapt platform is an architecture that can support different kinds of powertrains, like electric, plug-in hybrid, a strong hybrid, and more.

Let's talk about the Renault Duster. It is the car that started the C-SUV segment in India. Given that, and the sort of fan following the car had created in its first innings in India, the Duster is a sort of an icon here. Early this year, we saw a new version, which takes on the legacy but is more relevant to the tech-first connected world today. The Renault Duster has been reborn. The new Duster was launched with three engine options, two of which have been available from the get-go:

India's passenger vehicle industry continued its upward run in August 2026, with almost every major carmaker posting healthy year-on-year gains, despite the rising concerns around petrol and ethanol mixing. Maruti Suzuki held firmly onto the number one position, Tata Motors consolidated second place by pulling further away from Mahindra, and Hyundai stayed in fourth, with sister brand Kia leapfrogged Toyota to claim fifth spot, underlining how quickly the pecking order among India's mid-sized manufacturers can shift from one month to the next.

The Google Pixel 11 series was launched last month, and this is one device from Google that has not been able to make much of an impact in terms of the number of units in people's hands across the world. However, it almost always creates the same amount of hype that any other Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy Fold, or any of your Vivo – Zeiss, Xiaomi – Leica partnerships create.

Skoda Kylaq – the car that changed Skoda's fortunes in India. The first sub-4-metre compact SUV, or the first properly affordable car from Skoda in India, the Skoda Kylaq has been integral in Skoda's journey to the sixth-largest car brand in India. Now, I have not had the chance to experience the Skoda Kylaq for more than 10 minutes ever since its launch, but last week, I was approached by the Skoda team about an available review unit. I was quick to jump on the opportunity because this is an important car for India.