Japanese Auto Giants In Indian Car Market

Turning back the pages of history one would find out that when it comes to cars Japanese companies played a major role in giving a face to Indian automotive sector. It is a fact that cars which were once aristocratic luxury to Indian population turned into a common mode of transport after collaboration between many companies from Japan and India. Japanese brands stand strong in market and are tough competitors to Indian and other global brands which sell cars in the country. Bringing new concepts and Technology to cope up to needs of consumers, realization of taste and requirement of the population and cost optimization are major aspects that have driven some of these Japanese giants to success in Indian car market.

Maruti Suzuki

It would be difficult to separate Maruti Suzuki from Indian car industry while speaking about history of automotive sector in the country. Maruti Suzuki which was once Maruti Udyog was the first company to have produced 1 lakh cars in India. The company which started rolling out cars from 1983 has grown up to hold the highest market share in Indian car segment today. The company has produced some wonderful models to cater to needs of Indian customers who are basically conservative in nature. Models such as Omni, Maruti 800, Maruti 1000 and Maruti Alto crossed 1 lakh production mark in short duration. The company has also presented SUVs, sedans and the latest Life Utility Vehicle Ertiga to Indian market which have managed to have good share. Maruti Suzuki has a large network of dealerships and service centers in the country today.

Honda

Honda, one of the largest manufacturers of cars in the world entered Indian market in mid 90s. Ever since its entry to Indian market the company has delivered products which are known for their comfort level and quality. Although the cars from Honda were limited to one class of population in the beginning days, liberalization, economic growth of the country and changes made by the company in market approach have increased the popularity of Honda. Today the cars from Honda are known for their quality and reliability. Honda City, Honda Civic, Honda Accord and most recently Honda Brio are some of the popular models from this Japanese giant.

Toyota

Toyota entered Indian market in 1997 when it joined hands with Kirloskar Group to sell cars in the country. The company has made a strong mark in MUV segment with its models like Innova and Qualis. The cars were popular among travelers and in commercial businesses which were into tourism. These models have high fuel efficiency, low cost of maintenance and practicality in interior space which has made them suitable for long drives. Some sedan models from Toyota like Cruze, Etios and Camry have also done a decent job in India. The company also imports some of its large size SUVs like ToyotaLand Cruiser Prado to India.

Nissan

Nissan entered Indian market in 2005 with the introduction of an imported SUV to the population. The company has maintained a profile with limited number of cars. As of now Nissan has one car in each segment namely hatchback, SUV, sedan and MUV. The launch of Nissan Evalia which took place recently was one of the customer focused products from the company. Nissan imports few of its models to India like the 370Z and X-Trail. Nissan has a joint venture with Renault and produces cars for them in its Chennai plant in Tamilnadu.

Mitsubishi:

Mitsubishi sells cars in India through a joint venture with Hindustan Motors. Lancer sedan was one of the most popular models of this brand which was known for its style during its release. Mitsubishi Pajero and Mitsubishi Outlander are two of its large size SUVs which is popular among off roaders. Most of these models are assembled in the country to reduce overall cost of production. Due to poor network of dealers and service centers the company currently has lesser hold in market share. But with some of its sport oriented models and with a history of motorsport, the company has managed to have its fan base in the country.

Essai routier: Kia Sportage 2013

Lorsqu’on réserve un véhicule pour faire un essai routier, il arrive souvent qu’on ne sache pas quel niveau d’équipement le modèle en question va offrir.  Alors, imaginez ma surprise lorsque j’ai pris possession du Kia Sportage 2013… pour m’apercevoir qu’il est une copie conforme du modèle essayé en 2011.  Même la couleur!  Comme je ne veux pas vous faire un « copier-coller » de l’essai de 2011, je vais approfondir sur certains points soulevés dans cet essai.  Je vous suggère évidemment de lire cet essai routier du Kia Sportage 2011.

Comme à cette époque, la gamme Sportage 2013 se présente sous quatre appellations : LX, EX, EX Luxe et SX.  Ce dernier modèle, mis à l’essai, est le seul qui offre le moteur turbo de 2,0 litres.  Pour les autres modèles, c’est le 2,4 litres qui est boulonnée d’office.  Le modèle SX est le vaillant sportif et c’est pourquoi on lui a permis d’avoir des jantes sport de 18 pouces exclusives et deux pots d’échappement.  Il vous gâtera aussi avec son volant chauffant, son navigateur avec caméra de recul et sa boîte à gants refroidissante de série.

Les baquets avant en cuir sont chauffants et celui du conducteur est aussi climatisé.  J’ai eu l’occasion de tester ce dispositif dans un Sorento et, l’impression que j’ai eu, c’est d’avoir le postérieur mouillé.  Il n’en était rien mais c’est tout de même une drôle de sensation et pas vraiment agréable.  Peut-être lorsqu’il fait très chaud…  Ces sièges baquets manquent de support latéral.  Le tableau de bord est très lisible et bien éclairé.  J’apprécie aussi le fait qu’en éclairage de nuit, tout est rétroéclairé, même les commutateurs des glaces arrière.  C’est très rouge mais Kia a su tempérer ce rouge avec un peu de blanc pour les cadrans.  Comme vous l’avez probablement lu dans l’autre texte, j’aime bien ce tableau de bord à deux étages où l’écran à cristaux liquides surplombe les commandes et l’affichage de la ventilation.  Parlant de ventilation, le mode automatique du modèle SX est performant et très silencieux.  La température demandée est atteinte rapidement et sans que le ventilateur s’emballe inutilement.  Le système audio du Sportage n’est pas, lui, très performant.  En fait, il faudrait simplement qu’il y ait des ajustements indépendants pour chaque source.  Lorsque j’ajuste la musique avec mon iPod branché (fil maintenant inclus dans le SX!), le son est excellent.  Si je retourne à la radio FM, il n’y a pas assez de basse et de medium.  Si j’en ajoute, mes CD ne joue plus bien.  Vous comprenez?  Certains systèmes plus modernes ont des ajustements pour chaque source.  À Kia de corriger le tir!

Mon équipement de voyage préféré : le GPS.  Maintenant en équipement de série dans le Sportage SX 2013, ce GPS fait relativement bien ce qu’il doit faire, soit vous diriger du point A au point B.  Sans plus!  Les cartes sont plutôt fades et les données ne sont pas récentes.  La programmation est simple, mais j’aurais aimé pouvoir le faire vocalement, en roulant.  Peut-être dans une future mise à jour.  De toute façon, le système multimédia ne comprend pas le français.  Les données sur la circulation sont fournies par Sirius Traffic, donc payant.  C’est presque dommage que le navigateur soit en équipement de série, car j’aurais pu vous recommander des modèles portatifs plus performants et agréables à utiliser.  Et probablement moins chers!  L’écran du navigateur sert aussi pour la caméra de recul, un indispensable dans le Sportage.  Vous avez remarqué le pilier derrière la portière arrière?  C’est original mais ça nuit énormément à la visibilité, tout comme la lunette arrière très étroite.

Malgré une console centrale assez large, l’espace pour les jambes ne fait pas défaut, à l’avant comme à l’arrière.  L’accès à bord n’est pas facile à cause de portières étroites.  Attention à votre tête!  C’est beau un VUS trapu, mais il y a des inconvénients.  L’espace de chargement est de bonnes dimensions et on peut baisser la banquette pour un plancher presque plat.  Le rangement sous le plancher de la soute à bagages est bien pensé.

Récemment, plusieurs constructeurs ont commencé à apposer des turbos sur leur moteur afin d’obtenir de bonnes performances, tout en abaissant la consommation d’essence.  Il faut croire que Kia a failli à la tâche puisque les 260 chevaux du moteur 2,0 litres turbo sont fringants, mais ils sont aussi gloutons.  Alors que le 2,4 litres dépasse les 10,0 litres aux 100 kilomètres en conduite combinée, le 2,0T abaisse la consommation d’essence légèrement sous la barre des 10 litres.  Rien pour écrire à sa mère!  Et il faut avoir le pied léger, car si on désactive le mode ECO et qu’on s’amuse, on risque de voir la consommation flirter avec les 12 litres.  C’est beaucoup pour un quatre cylindres.  Lors de mon précédent essai, le moteur avait barboté au démarrage et je dû mettre un bémol sur sa fiabilité.  Cette fois-ci, avec une température extérieure semblable au premier test, le moteur a tourné sans gigoter.  Sa sonorité n’est pas très mélodieuse et me rappelle le son de mon tracteur à gazon.  Pour ce qui est du rendement, ce moteur est performant, un peu bruyant en accélération, mais il ne faut pas oublier que c’est un quatre cylindres.  La transmission gère bien la puissance et le mode manuel de cette boîte automatique à six rapports est rapide.  On peut donc s’amuser un peu sur des routes sinueuses.  Sa suspension de VUS est très bien, de même que la direction bien dosée.  L’efficacité des freins à disques ABS ne m’inspire aucun commentaire négatif.  Le modèle SX roule sur des pneus Hankook de 18 pouces, alors que les autres déclinaisons se contentent de 16 pouces.

Après quelques années sur le marché sous cet aspect, le Kia Sportage fait encore tourner les têtes.  Son style impose quelques inconvénients, notamment une visibilité déficiente et un accès moins aisé, mais si vous pouvez vivre avec ces petits travers, le Kia Sportage 2013 devrait vous plaire.  Ayez seulement le pied léger, car il vous le fera payer à la pompe!

Questions, commentaires, opinions?  Venez discuter de Kia Sportage sur le forum de Passion Automobile en cliquant ici.

Essai réalisé précédemment : Kia Sportage 2011

Conditions de l’essai

Réalisé du 12 au 16 novembre 2012.

Journées de soleil et de nuages, entre -3 et 11 °C.

Modèle essayé : Kia Sportage SX 2013

Prix selon www.kia.ca (25 novembre 2012) :

·         LX : 21 995 $

·         EX : 27 595 $

·         EX Luxe : 34 095 $

·         SX : 37 395 $

Prix du modèle essayé :   39 295 $ + taxes

Distance parcourue : 439,1 km (63 % autoroute)
Consommation selon Ressources Naturelles Canada :

·         Ville : 10,3 L/100 km

·         Route : 8,1 L/100 km

·         Cotes révisées le 2 novembre 2012

Consommation dans la vraie vie:   10,4 L/100 km

Régime-moteur à 100 km/h : 2 000 tours/minute

Régime-moteur à 115 km/h : 2 400 tours/minute

Véhicule fourni par Kia Canada.

Photos prises à Ste-Elisabeth, Québec

Automatic Transmission In Indian Hatchbacks

Automatic Transmission was something unknown to Indian cars before the 1990s. In recent times there have been many global brands offering automatic transmission units in basic cars in India. One of the primary reasons for this may be increase in road traffic across metropolitans and other cities which make it tedious to drive geared cars in India. Automatic transmission units either give complete relief or partial relief from the act of pushing the gear lever around. There are various types of transmission assembly which work using different principles and behave differently to aid various driving styles. Some of the hatchbacks currently available in Indian market which have automatic transmission systems are listed below.

Hyundai i10

Hyundai i10 Automatic

Hyundai i10 the cousin of Santro came to India in 2007 as a basic hatchback. The model is doing as well as Hyundai Santro, serving a segment higher with more options. The car which is currently available in market with the 1.2L Kappa engine has a 4 gear automatic transmission system which allows the driver to pick between D, 2 and L modes. In D mode the gears change automatically from 1 to 4. In 2 mode the gear shifting is limited to 1^stand 2^nd gears which would be useful for driving on steep roads and while parking in garage. Other positions on the lever have parking (which lets the gear to get locked when car is parked), neutral and reverse options. The engine makes use of Variable Timing Valve Train technology to deliver higher efficiency and smooth power delivery to wheels through automatic transmission unit.

Maruti Suzuki A Star

Maruti A Star Automatic

Maruti Suzuki A Star, a car known for its fuel efficiency across the world is available in 4 speed automatic transmission unit. The car uses a similar gear lever shift mechanism as in Hyundai i10 where the gear lever lets the driver pick between gear limits. The unit is coupled to 1.0L K series engine which delivers 68 hp of power. The combination of a smaller engine and an automatic transmission unit means high fuel economy and a comfortable drive.

Honda Brio

Honda Brio automatic

Honda Brio, the compact hatchback from Japanese auto major got its automatic transmission on Indian shores in 2012. A five speed gear box which has a torque converter is used in the car. With more number of gears the car gives one extra mode for driving. The D mode changes gear to the fullest extent starting from 1. The D3 mode keeps the gear limit within 3 which would be useful in busy roads. All other modes remain the same like in Hyundai i10 and Maruti A Star.

Mahindra Reva i

Reva i Automatic

The electric powered car from Bangalore based company has received both positive and negative responses globally. The car uses a completely automatic transmission system which does not have a gear lever too. The car uses lead acid batteries to power its wheels and AC. The eco friendly car drives at a maximum speed of 80 km/hr.

Volkswagen Beetle

Volkswagen beetle Automatic

One of the cars that have been in production lines for more than 60 years in continuous is still fancied by people from many parts of the world. The Volkswagen Beetle that came back to Indian grounds few years ago has a six speed tiptronic transmission system where the driver can intervene automatic transmission process and change gears as per his mood and road needs. The transmission system works automatically if there is no shift from the driver. This system is mated to a 2.0L 114 bhp engine which generates a torque of 172 Nm. Driving this car is a real pleasure in the presence of smoothly shifting gears.

With increase in competition among automobile brands more and more Indian cars could get automatic transmission system since it is a convenience feature. Many saturated markets like USA have these systems and other technological features in most of their models. Cars in India are slowly growing to these levels where companies are expected to provide more features within the stated price tag.

Fall Wrap-Up & the "Biggest Day in Wyoming Bouldering"

Dearest readers, its been quite some time.  I've come to the firm conclusion that never again will I take 20 credit hours for the rest of my college career.  It takes valuable time away from the things that are really important in life...namely rock climbing and blogging about rock climbing.

...

Its not like I haven't gotten out at all, just not quite as much as I would've liked to.  I did have a pretty great Vedauwoo season though.  I finally committed myself to manning up and getting on some harder routes- Friday the 13th (5.10a) and Plumbline (5.9+) became my major objectives this Fall.  I only went to Plumbline once, and came within 5 feet or so of sending before I had to hang on gear.  This caused me to realize that maybe it wasn't necessarily my climbing strength that kept me from sending that day, but my lead head yet again.  I placed 8 cams in the route, which is 35-40' tops, quite the monumental waste of energy!  Lesson learned, I tried to be a little more sparse with gear placements on my first redpoint attempt on Friday the 13th. 

 My first time on the route, I practically aided my way up, and with all my beta perfectly worked out, I went for it again with high hopes to send.  My hopes were shut down, but not entirely.  In fact, I was able to climb the entire first half (aka the 5.10a half) completely clean, which is a pretty big landmark for me.  Again, more efficient gear placement seems to be my key to sending harder crack climbs.  In stark contrast, I've felt more comfortable than ever on easier cracks; I even led both pitches of Ed's Crack (5.7) on only 2 pieces of pro...may as well have soloed it!

Plumbline

 Friday the 13th

 Rebecca topping out Ed's Crack 

Working as a UW route setter has also been great this year.  This year will be our last season with our current wall, which will be torn down and replaced with a free standing column with lead routes and 200 square feet of bouldering space!  This also marks the 10th anniversary of the Friday Night Bouldering Series, which we hope to continue once the new wall is completed.

Looking fresh for the Costume Comp

Mikey Mills throwin' down

But now for the real business...

I was only able to make it out to Neverland 3 times this Fall, and fortunately, winter still seems to be holding off.  I was still rather out of shape our first trip, and didn't really send anything.  We went to the grove, where I came quite close to finishing a 30' 5.12a traverse Davin put up, but the ever persistent pump struck me yet again shortly after the crux sequence.  I also felt out Downtown Stickworm Town (V6/7), which I know I can send right now, just a matter of getting back out there.

 The traverse problem

Our next venture a few weeks later was much more successful.  After a long hard night of post-comp partying, I was a little concerned that my performance would be rather lackluster, which it was initially.  With an arctic wind blowing across the  Neverland landscape, Bryan, Davin, Nathan, and I fled to the Finger Paint Cave, which remains exposed to the sun and sheltered from the wind in the morning hours.  After a few hungover attempts, I sent Triangle Man (V3) and almost instantly felt ready to climb hard.  Nathan and I then walked a little ways right of the cave and cleaned two more warm-ups while Davin and Bryan worked the 2 Finger Paint Cave projects.

 Nathan on Triangle Man

 

 One of our new warm-ups- V3ish

Davin working Finger Paint (V11), which he finished the next week

With plenty of time left in the day and the relentless wind still blowing, we headed to the quiet caves and recesses of Douthitt Gap, where Nathan and I repeated Cold Wind Blows, which we confirmed to be V4.  Nearby, Bryan put up a fun and powerful prow which I also repeated and called V5, while Davin established Firecracker (V8) on the same boulder.  Feeling pretty strong, I was actually able to work through the first few moves of Firecracker, which gave me quite a bit of incentive to start projecting more problems in the V8 range.

We finished off the day in the massive cave that we visited back in March when Neverland was but a frozen hell on Earth.  Nathan established a really fun and long V3 which finishes on a jug slightly below the the lip of the cave.  I repeated it, Bryan gave a half assed attempt in his approach shoes, and we called it a day, everyone thoroughly worn out.

 Cold Wind Blows

 Bryan on Firecracker

 Cave problem

Finally last weekend, we returned to Douthitt, but this time with an epic crew: Evan, Meredith, Bart, Joyce, Nicole, Rebecca, Tad, Kyle, Brandon, Josh, Josh's Girlfriend (I'm not good with names!), Davin, and I.  Somewhat surprisingly, it was a lot of fun to have everybody out there at once.  It was a really positive group which divided into a few smaller ones so no single problem was ever overwhelmed.

Posse in effect

  About half of us started the day at the classic Columbine Cave, which I had never climbed before.  The Widow and the Fly (V4) had been on my tick list for a while so I was excited to get on it.  I sent it in 3 goes after warming up on the easy V2 just to the left of it.  Tempted to work So Sexy So Soon (V7) which traverses almost the entire cave, I opted to head downhill to a long boulder where the rest of the group had been cleaning new lines.

 The wind polished Columbine Cave

The Widow and the Fly

At the other boulder, some 6 problems were clean and established, 3 of which I repeated.  The furthest left one is a tall wind polished face with excellent crimps and good feet, about V2.  On the right side, a crimpy traverse and a short, thuggy line with cool pockets and a sidepull went up, both in the V3 range.  Off to the side, Davin finished a short funky problem with hard liebacks and fat pinches- Vhard.

Nicole on the traverse

Bart on the pocketed route

Around noon, Evan, Meredith, and I walked the hillside to scope out new lines.  We found a few really cool ones on the very top of the hill, but were pretty enticed by a beautiful wind polished face just above where we had been all day.  Being on the backside of the notorious When Black Mambas Attack (V11), we figured it must have already been done long ago, yet Davin informed us that it was still a virgin line.  Overly excited to put up the next Neverland classic, Evan and I furiously cleaned the boulder and worked out beta. The first 3-4 moves are the crux, consisting of half pad crimps and delicate foot placement, which leads to a cruisy V2ish finish.  After some 45 minutes, Evan beat me to the FA of Copperhead (V5).  I sent shortly after he did, and its undeniably the kind of boulder problem that just puts a smile on your face- a true classic.

 The crux sequence of Copperhead

The big, but casual topout

After the excitement of Copperhead, we walked up the hill to check out a few more nice moderates that went up on a tall black granite face. About half of the group then left for the day and the rest of us headed across the gap to the big cave area.  There, Davin showed off a few great hard roofs that he finished the week before, while Tad and I worked on a fun and powerful new line just right of the roofs.  Unfortunately, the topout was horrifically wet from recent snowmelt, and we hopelessly flew off of it time and time again- it will go quick next time when its dry.

With so many people newly exposed to the vast amounts of high quality rock and the extra long season, it looks like Neverland may finally start getting the attention it deserves from the Laramie climbing community.