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Kushan Mitra

Kushan Mitra

The Pioneer

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Indian auto industry in AI age—a few codes can transform a vehicle more than a new suspension

Today, the manufacturing of two- and four-wheelers has become akin to that of consumer electronics, like smartphones.

yesterday 4

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Kushan Mitra

Hyundai, Maruti, Nissan—sales are down at home, but ‘Made in India’ exports are driving growth

Maruti-Suzuki's Jimny, manufactured in Gurugram factory, has become such a hit in Japan that there’s a waiting list. In India, the carmaker had to...

02.03.2025 10

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Kushan Mitra

Is Tesla late to the party? EV space in India is as busy as Elon Musk

Despite Tesla’s tremendous brand image and Musk being one of the most influential figures on the planet, he may struggle to compete in India’s EV...

23.02.2025 60

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Kushan Mitra

Nissan did too little too late in India and Honda is not coming to save it

Without Honda to save Nissan, it could very well be a Chinese manufacturer that rescues it. Just like Lenovo bought ThinkPad and Motorola, and SAIC...

16.02.2025 1

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Kushan Mitra

BMW iX1 eDrive20L is a luxury car meant for cities. Biggest draw is its Rs 50 lakh price tag

BMW iX1 eDrive20L is proof that the German carmaker takes the Indian market quite seriously. It might just convince fence-sitters about the utility of...

09.02.2025 30

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Kushan Mitra

Kia Syros stands out in a world of lookalike SUVs—and that’s not a bad thing

The Kia Syros provides ample luggage storage. It’s a perfect SUV for rear-seat passengers—better, in fact, than some vehicles in a larger class.

02.02.2025 40

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Kushan Mitra

Skoda Kylaq thrills on the road but doesn’t match Nexon or Brezza in features, market reach

After driving the Kylaq, I think if Skoda built a small hatchback on this platform with lower ground clearance and tighter suspension, it could become...

26.01.2025 10

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Kushan Mitra

Is 2025 the year of EVs? Bharat Mobility Global Expo is all about Avinya X to MG Cyberster

The Expo was truly electrifying and 2025 will see a lot of new electric cars. But I’m still hesitant to declare India’s EV transition a success.

19.01.2025 60

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Kushan Mitra

Creta Electric isn’t radical, it’s relatable. What’s new and what’s not

With the Creta Electric, Hyundai is clearly targeting buyers who might want to switch to electric but remain hesitant and prefer a familiar brand and...

16.01.2025 10

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Kushan Mitra

Mahindra Thar Roxx beats Maruti Dzire at ICOTY 2025 in closest result in award’s history

The other two ICOTY 2025 categories—Green Car of the Year and Premium Car of the Year—went to MG Windsor.EV and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

12.01.2025 10

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Kushan Mitra

Osamu Suzuki changed Indian motoring forever. Gave us simple, reliable cars

Suzuki took a gamble on India when much bigger names would not, knowing full well he’d have to work under the Government of India as a public...

05.01.2025 3

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Kushan Mitra

Inside 2024 dashboard—BMW M5 on race track, driving on a frozen lake, altitude sickness

It is one thing to drive on a track, and quite another to drive on a frozen lake near the Arctic Circle in Finland—an adventure I had earlier this...

29.12.2024 9

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Kushan Mitra

The ‘new car’ of the future isn’t from a showroom—it’s your old one updated like an iPhone

The last time I upgraded iOS on my iPhone, it was like learning to use a new device. And that’s what an SDV is all about. They’re redefining what...

22.12.2024 7

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Kushan Mitra

Honda Amaze packs ADAS at an affordable price. First in segment

Honda Amaze is the first passenger car priced below Rs 10 lakh with ADAS and it is also the first compact sedan to have it.

16.12.2024 10

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Kushan Mitra

Endeavour & Sierra returning, a dozen new EVs to be launched—2025 looks promising

First 3 months of 2025 will see many car launches, particularly from carmakers who lost their way in the Indian market & are now taking their last,...

08.12.2024 3

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Kushan Mitra

Mahindra’s BE 6e and XEV 9e ‘just happen to be electric’. They are all about tech

One criticism has been that Mahindra has used a lot of foreign parts and technology on these two vehicles. But anyone can source the best parts,...

29.11.2024 8

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Kushan Mitra

Competition in Rs 20-30 lakh segment will boost EV sales. Govt must offer more incentives

Why must electric vehicle owners pay 18% GST when they purchase power from public chargers? A reduction in this rate, even temporarily, would help...

24.11.2024 3

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Kushan Mitra

New Maruti-Suzuki Dzire has all the safety bells and whistles. That’s what sells now

Tata Motors and Mahindra discovered the selling power of safety a long time ago. Mahindra recently said their Thar ROXX is the first body-on-frame...

17.11.2024 3

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Kushan Mitra

BMW i5 M60 proves EVs can be fun too. Cars haven’t lost their soul

There will be a crazy electric vehicle like the BMW i5 M60 every once in a while but most will be boring toaster-shaped and silent ‘mobility...

03.11.2024 3

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Kushan Mitra

Tata Motors’ new Nexon shows CNG story is the one to watch, not just electric

CNG sales are also being pushed by the central government, as gas is cheaper to import than crude petroleum.

27.10.2024 10

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Kushan Mitra

What’s the best place to be in a Mercedes E-Class? The back seat

The electric Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV and the latest generation of the Mercedes E-Class made me appreciate how difficult chauffeuring can be.

20.10.2024 2

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Kushan Mitra

Ratan Tata laid strong foundations for Tata Motors—not a nano contribution to Indian auto

‘A promise is a promise,’ said Ratan Tata in January 2008, delivering his promise of India’s most affordable car. His words became immortal.

10.10.2024 3

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Kushan Mitra

BMW isn’t feeling the ‘electric’ shock. A strategy is paying off in this soft EV market

BMW hasn’t felt the need to push electric vehicles onto its customers, unlike its German luxury vehicle rivals.

06.10.2024 2

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Kushan Mitra

The BaaS effect—How MG’s battery plan can make Windsor an attractive pick for EV buyers

With many more electric cars on the way, the Maruti Suzuki eVX and Hyundai Creta EV in particular, the EV space is getting interesting.

29.09.2024 10

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Kushan Mitra

Tata Curvv a great car with Coupe-SUV, panoramic sunroof all Indians want. Do watch your head

While Tata Motors does have base models of the Curvv without a sunroof or a single-pane one, I wish they could offer these options on the...

22.09.2024 6

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Kushan Mitra

Why it’s the best time to buy a car since 2019—deep discounts not the only factor

After a couple of years of months-long delivery delays and price-gouging on certain models, discounts are back in focus.

15.09.2024 4

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Kushan Mitra

Jawa failed to compete with efficient Japanese bikes. It is now making a mark after relaunch

Ideal Jawa, the company that produced Jawa and Yezdi bikes, was started in 1961 by Rustom and Farrokh Irani. They were producing Jawa motorcycles...

08.09.2024 2

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Kushan Mitra

India must try EREVs. Takes care of range and charge anxiety, is successful in China

Extended-range electric vehicles feature an on-board generator—a small internal combustion engine that charges the battery. This setup can...

01.09.2024 4

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Kushan Mitra

EV lifespan is getting shorter. They are becoming like smartphones

Unlike electric vehicles, internal combustion engine cars undergo only minor cosmetic and other changes over the years. Their lifecycle is better...

25.08.2024 2

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Kushan Mitra

Five-door Mahindra Thar ROXX is big, comfortable SUV. Just don’t throw it into corners

The Thar ROXX is nothing like its three-door sibling, and this is evident not just in the features and the quality of the interiors, but also in...

17.08.2024 4

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Kushan Mitra

Citroen’s Basalt is a good-looking car and great to drive. It misses out on gadgets

Basalt ticks off the main boxes and the audio system does its job. Consumers might be willing to overlook the lack of gadgetification if the price...

11.08.2024 3

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Kushan Mitra

Tata Curvv is India’s newest EV. It’s broken the affordability barrier

While there will be variants with petrol and diesel engines, only an electric option will be available when it is launched in September.

08.08.2024 2

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Kushan Mitra

BMW 5-Series stretches itself by 11 cm—and trades performance for comfort

The new 5-Series is innovative, but sometimes, the most significant innovations are simple. In this case, 11 centimetres.

28.07.2024 3

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Kushan Mitra

India needs an emissions-based vehicle tax system to boost newer technologies

Maruti Suzuki chairman RC Bhargava said that hybrid vehicles are cleaner than BEVs. An EREV or PHEV may be cleaner than a mild hybrid, but none of...

21.07.2024 2

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Kushan Mitra