The handsome lines of the Škoda Kodiaq have remained unchanged, and that’s a good thing, because it is a rather good-looking car. While its cousin, the Volkswagen Tiguan, hides its bulk, the Kodiaq embraces it, creating a large silhouette, which is nevertheless quite svelte in form. Imagine an NBA player — big and tall, yes, but athletic too. That’s the silhouette of the Škoda Kodiaq for you. Visually, the 2026 Sportline trim gets the horizontal lights, which were previously exclusive to the L&K (that’s a theme that’s going to repeat itself a few times over the course of this review). I also love the black grille surround on the Sportline, which makes the Kodiaq look more contemporary.

The Kodiaq has one of the best interiors in its price class, hands down. The quality of materials, the interplay of the textures and the colours, all of it makes the cabin feel properly premium. The tactility of the dials is great too, though a little more resistance would have stopped me from overshooting the desired number of clicks. Also, while I understand this is entirely my personal opinion, I feel that multifunction knobs shouldn’t have more than two functions, which will make them just switch between the two, instead of the three-function setup here, which makes it cycle and thus not possible to figure out which mode it’s in unless you take your eyes off the road. Also, combining the volume control for the passenger and the drive mode selector for the driver, along with the AC blower speed for both in a single dial, is irritating at best, hazardous at worst. The 2023 model had a row of switches that worked much better than the setup here, but this is the one we’re stuck with for now.

That being said, the Kodiaq is packed to the gills with features, particularly in the L&K that we drove. However, for model year 2026, the Sportline customers will get to enjoy a host of features previously exclusive to the L&K and the 360-degree camera. As for the L&K exclusive features, it is the only one that comes with massaging seats, but unfortunately, those are also paired with ventilated seats, as the Sportline still continues with seats that are heated only. Also, the Sportline, despite being more expensive than the 5-seater Lounge, doesn’t get access to the drive modes (Eco/Normal/Sport/Offroad/Snow/Individual) and hill descent control. 

That being said, the Kodiaq is lovely to drive as it has always been. The 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol makes 204PS and 320 Nm, which means the Kodiaq can sprint to 100kmph in around eight seconds, despite the roughly 1,800 kilos of mass it carries. Also, the body control of the Kodiaq is phenomenal, without compromising ride quality—try as we might, we couldn’t get a cornering shot with any kind of noticeable body roll, despite gliding over broken tarmac and unpaved roads alike. Brakes are the same story, and actually the ABS calibration on gravel was way better than I expected it to be—the Kodiaq stopped without any drama on our gravel test route despite braking from over 60kmph. 

Overall, the 2026 updates aim to sweeten the deal on the Sportline trim. However, the fact remains that the Kodiaq is a bit outclassed in terms of features in its segment, unless you opt for the top-of-the-line L&K trim. On the other hand, even the Lounge trim gets the phenomenal powertrain, suspension, and braking systems that are found on the more expensive variants, and for someone who is less interested in features and more interested in interacting with their machines on a winding road, few SUVs make as much of a case for themselves as the Kodiaq.

Words: Sayantan De
Photography: Swapnil Dhawale

The post 2026 Škoda Kodiaq First Drive Review first appeared on Turbocharged.

The convoy of Majestors ready for the first drive looked imposing, standing tall on the tarmac of Aamby Valley, exuding a sort of quiet menace, highlighted by the monochrome colour palette of black, white, and this grey that you see here. The looks are firmly in line with the global Maxus D90 sold elsewhere in the world, which means slit-like LED DRLs, with triple vertically stacked headlamps. The grille is large enough to warrant its own postcode, which adds to the imposing road presence of this behemoth (it measures more than 5m in length and over 2m in width). The 19-inch wheels are shod with proper high sidewall (55 aspect ratio) tyres, which gives it a proper off-roader stance. Overall, it looks a lot better and more modern than the Gloster, which I feel is primarily due to the lack of chrome on the grille, which is black and has an intricate pattern. 

MG left no stone unturned in its quest to load the Majestor up to its gills with features, and really, if I were to list every single one of those, I’m going to run out of pages, so here are the best ones. There’s three-zone climate control, along with ventilated seats for the front row. The middle row also has access to a 220V domestic power outlet, something which is rare on an ICE-powered car. Every row gets reading lights too, and the interior, finished in carbon fibre and brushed aluminium, looks really good. Unfortunately, there are still some fit and finish issues, particularly with the stitching, with frayed loose ends, and misalignment. Also, the hard plastics don’t do justice to a nearly half-crore rupee car (estimated), and the worst bit is that almost all the touchpoints are where you’ll encounter them. I feel that if MG spends a little more time with the interior and upholstery, it will elevate the in-cabin experience to a whole new level.

The in-cabin experience that leaves no room for improvement is insulation, as the potent turbo-diesel doesn’t intrude into the cabin. And what a turbo-diesel it is! It feels gutsy and muscular, propelling the nearly two-and-a-half tonne behemoth of this three-row SUV to rapid paces with very little elapsed time. Yet, when crawling off idle, the 2.0-litre motor’s 478.5Nm makes progress feel effortless over rugged terrain. It does make 215PS too, in case you wondered. But that near 500Nm is what grabs the headlines, and keeps shaking it until it has spilled all its secrets (that was a bit too violent an imagery, wasn’t it?). The 8-speed automatic does a really good job of keeping the engine in the meat of the torque plateau. Speeds rise without much drama, and thus, when you do look down at the speedo, you may get slightly alarmed at the number being displayed. It is quite easy to achieve maximum retardation, though, as the large disc brakes on all four wheels transform the massive kinetic energy into heat and brake dust and bring this moving living room to a quick halt. Also, through spirited cornering and lane-change maneuvers at highway speeds, the Majestor manages to retain its composure and displays a high degree of lack of body roll. On the road, it is easy to forget that it is, in fact, a pukka ladder-framed off-roader.

The MG Majestor comes with a 12-way adjustable driver seat and an 8-way adjustable front passenger seat, with 8 different massaging patterns. But I will hazard a guess that, as you’re reading TURBOCHARGED, you’re not interested in that, so let me tell you about the three differential locks which, when coupled with that monstrous torque, 219mm of ground clearance, and approach and departure angles of 27.6 and 23.5 degrees respectively, the MG Majestor is well nigh unstoppable on the trail. The good folks at MG had a gruelling off-road course set up for us to try out the off-road chops of the Majestor, and if you know when to engage your low-range and diff-locks, you will be able to go through almost anything. The craziest bit is though the CCO, which stands for ‘Crawl Control Operation’, but I think it should stand for ‘Cheat Code On’ — once enabled, it acts as a proper off-road cruise control, making the car climbing over obstacles, reining in the speed during steep descents, and basically making serious off-road driving child’s play. It doesn’t deploy the front and rear diff locks for you, though, and I am glad that some room has been left for the driver’s judgment. 

Yes, the MG Majestor is available as a 4×2, but so many other SUVs are also available as 4x2s that opting for the Majestor and choosing the 2WD version feels like going to the water park with a raincoat — that’s missing the point. The one thing the 2WD Majestor has going for it is the second row with two captain’s seats instead of the bench, which is the only option in the 4WD version. However, having been an off-roading enthusiast since time immemorial, I have also noticed that off-roading enthusiasts have more friends on average than off-roading non-enthusiasts, and an extra seat does make sense! All MG needs to do is price it attractively, and they will laugh all the way to the bank, as regardless of how they price it, it will be the most affordable car in India to come with three diff locks, and off-roaders know that the value of that can’t be measured in gold.

Words Sayantan De
Photography Saidatta Naik

The post MG Majestor First Drive Review first appeared on Turbocharged.

The Land Cruiser has always differentiated itself by having horizontal grille design elements, ever since the FJ40, all the way to the LC200. The LC300 interprets this in an even bolder way, with four enormous horizontal chrome slats on the grille, though this is for the ZX trim — the GR Sport trim gets a single slat and a black mesh grille. Another thing to note is the height of the bonnet, which sits at a height of roughly two-thirds of the entire vertical dimension of the LC.

Somewhat disappointing then is the fact that the rest of the design borders on uninspiring, as there is little to no immediate difference between the 300 and the 200, apart from the angle of the inside edge of the tail lamps being reversed. From the side, there is a noticeable kink after the C-Pillar, which is absent on the 200 series. Toyota knows that too much of an avant-garde styling would scare away the traditional customers of the full-size Land Cruiser, so while the grille is imposing, the rest of the car plays it relatively safe. This philosophy is reflected elsewhere, too – the total number of colours on offer is 2 – black and white. Also, no asymmetric diamond cut wheels here, traditional symmetric design finished in a subtle graphite gray marks the dividing line between those who follow the trends and those who are timeless.

The interior does show some march of progress, though, as the lovely analogue dials of the 200 have been replaced with a digital driver’s display, but hold your horses, as it depicts the speed and the rpm using the same font and overall style as the 200 series. Honestly, it is one of the most legible driver’s displays I have seen in recent times. Even when the driving mode is changed, the display doesn’t undergo radical transformations that have become the norm; instead, the background colour changes subtly. Also, unlike many vehicles, the lane departure warning doesn’t require holding the button down for an eternity, or promising your newborn to the dark gods. A single tap is all it takes to silence it — what a revolutionary concept!

Speaking of revolutionary concepts, the entirety of the extremely complicated and advanced 4-zone climate control system can be operated only by the buttons on the dashboard. Furthermore, there’s a simple flap covering the phone connection and charging ports if those are not being used — simple yet effective. The infotainment has proper GPS navigation, as the Land Cruiser often treads where there is no cellular signal. That same mindset is why Toyota has blessed it with an 80-litre fuel tank. Of note are the seats as thrones of higher comforts can seldom be found in, particularly an ultra-soft initial cushion which is then supported by firmer foam underneath it. Of course, the front seats are heated and ventilated, as the Land Cruiser’s natural habitat extends from Siberia to the Sahara and every terrain imaginable in between.

The engine is all-new, called the F33A-FTV; it is the first time Toyota has ever produced a diesel engine with a V6 configuration. The engine doesn’t sound as refined from the outside as it feels behind the wheel, but I was happy to hear some proper diesel clatter after ages, and the sound made me a bit nostalgic! It’s a gutsy motor, with 700Nm on tap, sent to all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission. Yes, like a proper Land Cruiser, the 300 series comes with full-time 4WD, where a low-range transfer case is combined with a centre differential, which is lockable in the LC300. That’s serious hardware, which suits it just fine, as it is a serious car.

The 0-100kmph time of 8 seconds feels scarcely believable when one’s standing next to it, thanks to the sheer size, but despite a kerb weight of over 2.5 tonnes, the Land Cruiser gets up to speed effortlessly. Braking is a bit of an issue, though, as when decelerating from higher speeds, there are instances where the wheels occasionally lock up a bit, and not just off-road. The steering system is rack and pinion, not recirculating ball, which has been the case since the 100 series came out. Yet, it requires absolutely no effort to turn the massive 265/55R20 tyres. Toyota offers a full-size spare wheel, which shows up on the TPMS screen too!

The independent front suspension does not impede in any noticeable way for minor off-roading, but the live-axle at the rear provides epic articulation. The suspension was so comfortable, though, that it felt like an air suspension, but no such frivolity here — it is made of cold steel only, something that can be depended on when one’s out there, on the no-man’s lands of our planet. The heavily-assisted steering filters out most of the road, but is communicative enough to hustle this giant with supreme confidence. I even managed to elicit a chirp from the tyres during some spirited cornering through canyon roads. There’s body roll, obviously, but once the Land Cruiser exhausts the lean angle available on its suspension, it settles into the groove and simply powers out of the other side. The ride comfort becomes exemplary off the road, though, as obstacles that would have been felt simply disappear underneath the LC’s wheels.

It takes some doing to call a car with a ₹2.16 crore price tag (ex-showroom) good value-for-money, but that’s exactly what it is. It is far more mechanically and electronically simple than the Mercedes-Benz G500 D, and far more robustly made than the Land Rover Range Rover. While there are other SUVs out there, everyone, even its contemporaries in terms of legacy, must take a bow in terms of value-for-money to the king of the SUVs, which is the tagline Toyota uses on its brochure as well!

Words Sayantan De
Photography Saidatta Naik

The post 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 First Drive Review first appeared on Turbocharged.

Exclusively shot on the OPPO RENO 15 PRO

It was quite a surprise because the exclusive first-drive review of the Denza B5 taught me a lot about how the Chinese actually approach carmaking. At first, the Denza B5 PHEV looks intimidating, thanks to its gargantuan size, which is mainly composed of right angles. But it doesn’t look odd, quite the contrary! The imposing stance suggests it would be powered by a massive V8, or at least a V6 with twin turbochargers, but that is far from reality. As sitting under that huge bonnet is a 1.5-litre turbocharged, at least it has a turbocharger, four-cylinder motor. Sounds puny, right? But it produces 184PS and 260Nm, which sounds low for an SUV that weighs almost 3 tonnes. Then how does this behemoth move? Well, it’s 2026, and the answer is electric motors.

 As I drove the Denza B5 in Colombo, I realised how far Chinese cars have come in terms of quality, fit and finish. Everything inside the cabin was super plush with a lot of attention to detail. Denza is a sub-brand of Chinese carmaker BYD, and that is where the powertrain comes from. The B5 uses the underpinnings of the BYD Shark 6, which is a ladder-frame pickup/SUV. It uses dual electric motors, one on each axle, to deliver a total of 400kW (544PS) and 760Nm, and it has 11 drive modes, enabling it to tackle any terrain. Unfortunately, I was limited to an urban environment and could only use the corresponding drive modes.

Despite its size, the B5 was absolutely light on its feet and felt more like a tallboy car to drive than a full-blown SUV. The steering was light as a feather, and the throttle response was quick. After all, it is a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle, which gives it instant torque and fast acceleration. In fact, Denza claims that it can sprint from 0-100kmph in just 4.8 seconds, something you might not expect from a beast like this. The adaptive suspension setup on the B5 is fantastic, as it doesn’t let much road undulation into the cabin. It features independent suspension at both ends, which can also be adjusted. I tested out this feature as well and saw the ride height go from 220mm to a massive 310mm, which gives it the ability to tackle any terrain you might have in mind. Apart from the ride height, the B5 also comes with 11 drive modes, including the hardcore off-road, mud, snow and more.

I drove the B5 in and around Colombo, Sri Lanka, and I must confess that despite its size and weight, it can handle. I threw it around a few corners to check the body roll and was surprised to see the adaptive suspension keep it low. The driving dynamics of the Denza B5 were confidence-inspiring, allowing me to drive it more like a car than an SUV, which shows that Chinese engineering has come a long way, but India has yet to experience this PHEV. Another aspect that impressed me was the brakes. Now, since the B5 weighs just under 3 tonnes and delivers more than 500PS and 700Nm, Denza has equipped the B5 with large brake discs and six-piston Brembo calipers. The bite from these calipers was fantastic, but not like what you would find on a performance car. It was gentle and progressive, with a tonne of feedback, and when I modulated the pedal, it responded exactly the way I wanted it to, which was confidence-inspiring. In terms of safety, Denza says the roof is strong enough to withstand 12 tonnes of impact force without budging, which is reassuring. Overall, the Denza B5 might be a mighty beast with a 1.5-litre heart, but the electric powertrain is punchy enough to make it go anywhere at the tap of your right foot. We do hope that BYD India brings the Denza brand to India, as the B5 would become a crowd favourite in an instant.

Oppo Reno 15 Pro and the Denza B5

Oppo has been pushing the boundaries when it comes to smartphones, and their Reno series has been at the forefront of blending affordability, performance and top-tier specifications. We chose the Reno 15 Pro for this assignment because, during testing, we realised it has one of the best camera modules in its segment, and the picture quality is brilliant, to say the least. Hence, when we got the opportunity to drive the Denza B5 in Sri Lanka, we went prepared. The 200MP ultra-clear main camera does the heavy lifting, delivering eye-catching photos. You can clearly see that the Oppo Reno 15 Pro’s main camera has captured the details of the Denza B5 beautifully. It can capture sharp details with amazing clarity, which is on par with some smartphones from a segment above. In fact, it’s not just the main camera that impresses; the supporting 50MP ultra-wide module also captures good details with a wide field of view. The 50MP Telephoto lens also helps you capture distant objects with sharp detail. We also loved the 50MP ultra-wide selfie camera with a larger 100-degree field of view, which lets you freeze moments with more of your buddies or take more creative shots using the rule of thirds.

Once you are done capturing your favourite moments, as we did with the Denza B5, you can view all of it on the super hi-resolution 17.23 cm OLED screen, which is an FHD+ screen with 2772 × 1272 pixels resolution and has a refresh rate of 120Hz and over a billion colours, 1.07 to be precise. It is also HDR10+ certified, features splash touch, and has a 95.5 per cent screen-to-body ratio. Another aspect that makes the Oppo Reno 155 Pro a real pro is the hardware that powers this smartphone. It comes with the MediaTek Dimensity 8450 chipset, featuring 8 CPU cores and an ARM G720 MC7@1300MHz GPU, making it an ultimate performance machine. We were able to take pictures, record video, and even edit them on the phone itself, using both third-party apps and the native editing tools. The Oppo Reno 15 Pro performed flawlessly during heavy video and photo editing, with no lag or thermal throttling. We enjoyed shooting with the Oppo Reno 15 Pro, and we must confess that it makes for a perfect on-the-go shooting monster that can tackle any camera-related task with gusto. Good work, Oppo!

You can also read our review of the Oppo Reno 15 Pro here.

The post India Exclusive – Denza B5 First Drive Review first appeared on Turbocharged.

The Punch.ev also supports fast charging, where you can charge it from 20 to 80 percent in just 26 minutes using a 65kW DC fast charger, and can get a top-up range of 135km in just 15 minutes. For the battery pack’s thermal management, Tata Motors has worked on the cooling system of the Punch.ev, which now delivers better thermal efficiency, improving performance, fast charging, and range. 

Apart from the larger battery, Tata Motors is also offering a 30kWh battery pack, which starts at ₹6.49 lakh with the BaaS option; without it, it costs ₹9.69 lakh. Talking of powertrain, Tata Motors stated that the drive unit is now lighter and more compact, which has helped them with space and weight management, as well as reducing the use of semiconductors and wiring harnesses. By doing so, Tata Motors was able to accommodate a bigger battery pack in the Punch.ev. The motor in this compact SUV produces 95kW of peak power (129PS) and 154Nm, and it gets three drive modes – Eco, City and Sport. The Punch EV also features four regen modes, controlled via the steering wheel paddles. Tata is also claiming a 0-100kmph time of less than 9 seconds. 

Design-wise, the Punch.ev looks exactly like the ICE version, which got a facelift last month, as we covered here. But one change Tata has made to set this apart from the ICE version is the colour change of the cladding on the outside, which is now grey rather than black. The same can be said of the interior, where there are hardly any noticeable changes, except that a drive selector dial has now replaced the gear selector. The rest of the cabin remains the same. We will soon be driving the Tata Punch.ev and will bring you the review. Also, stay tuned for the video review of the Punch.ev, which will go up on our YouTube channel after the drive. 

The post 2026 Tata Punch.ev launched from ₹6.49 lakh first appeared on Turbocharged.

The update will be rolled out across both battery pack configurations of the Creta Electric — the 42 kWh version producing 135 PS with an MIDC-claimed range of 420 km, and the larger 51.4 kWh variant delivering 171 PS and a claimed 510 km range on a single charge.

On the outside, the Creta Electric borrows most of its features from its ICE counterpart while possessing certain key EV-typical features such as a closed front grille, a minimalistic front fascia, 17-inch aero-styled alloy wheels, and redesigned bumpers. It also gets an additional one-pedal driving mode for more convenient city driving.

The Hyundai Creta Electric is priced from ₹18.02 lakh to ₹24.54 lakh, squarely rivaling the Tata Harrier EV, MG ZS EV, Tata Curvv EV, Mahindra BE 6, and the upcoming Maruti Suzuki eVitara and the Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella EV.

The post Hyundai Creta Electric now charges 10-80 percent in just 39 minutes first appeared on Turbocharged.

Powertrain-identical to the MG Rakan 4×4 launched in Kuwait, at the heart of the Majestor sits a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine paired with an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission and a 4×4 drivetrain, producing 216PS and 478Nm.

The Majestor shares the same platform with the MG Gloster, albeit with a few premium-looking additions. These include (but aren’t limited to) a new blacked-out front grille, vertical headlamps, horizontal LED DRLs akin to the Hector, new alloy wheels, new LED tail lamps, and a dual exhaust along with some new blacked-out cosmetic features. Since the Gloster gets Level 2 ADAS on higher trims, we can expect it to be standard on the Majestor, given its premium positioning.

The price of the Majestor should be north of ₹50 lakh, setting it against full-size SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner and the Toyota Legender. Moreover, if Ford decides to return with the India-bound Endeavour SUV anytime this year, it could potentially rival this newcomer as well.

The post MG Majestor teased ahead of 12 Feb launch first appeared on Turbocharged.

Renault pioneered the compact SUV segment with the Duster back in 2012, gaining traction and market share until 2017. Renault still maintained some market share with the help of a facelifted Duster and its compact hatchback, the Kwid, but eventually sales stagnated.

To remedy this, Renault is aiming to obtain 3-5 percent market share by 2030 by mainly tapping into a higher frequency of launches, which should help it against dominant brands like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai.

The new Duster starts off strong with three engine options, including a strong hybrid. Deliveries of the petrol-only variant start in April, while you will have to wait until the festive season for the strong hybrid.

The post Renault to launch new model every year in India first appeared on Turbocharged.

On the inside, you have a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 10.25-inch digital driver cluster paired with a button-rich steering wheel. On the outside, the Duster features new headlamps, a fresh front fascia, new alloy wheels, a new tail lamp setup, an electric-powered tailgate and a fresh-looking sleeker logo.

Renault is offering three powertrain options; a 1.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 101PS and 160Nm mated with a 6-speed manual transmission and a larger 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine making 163PS and 280Nm paired with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed DCT gearbox. However, Renault is also offering a en engine strong-hybrid system consisting of a 1.8-litre petrol engine, a 1.4kWh battery and two electric motors.

The pre-bookings for the new Duster have already commenced and you can book one paying ₹21,000. Deliveries for the ICE-only models start in April, while delivery of the strong hybrid is expected to happen during the festive season.

The price of the new Duster is still under wraps and is company says it will be revealed in March. However, our speculations place it in the ₹10-20 lakh price bracket, putting it head-to-head with heavy-hitters like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Tata Sierra, Mahindra XUV 3XO, Škoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun, and the Maruti Suzuki Victoris.

The post New 2026 Renault Duster unveiled in India first appeared on Turbocharged.

The international-spec plug-in hybrid T2 i-DM SUV is built on a monocoque chassis while sporting a boxy design, which gives it a rugged appeal.  The T2 i-DM features both 5-seater and 7-seater layouts, based on the variants and trims. The globally sold plug-in hybrid version of the T2 i-DM is powered by a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 156.3PS at 5,200rpm and 220Nm at 2,500rpm while the two electric motors together produce 224.3PS and 390Nm.

JSW said that they will only be launching the plug-in hybrid version of the SUV, while key features like drivetrain and trims remain undisclosed as of yet. Following the SUV, a second launch is confirmed for 2027, but mystery continues to shroud this newcomer as well, since no specific details have been confirmed.

The India-spec T2 i-DM is expected to be priced between ₹15 lakh and ₹30 lakh, opening up its competition quite broadly to popular SUVs in the market. Depending on the drivetrain (FWD/4WD), it will rival the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Victoris, Tata Harrier, Tata Safari, Mahindra XUV 7XO, Jeep Compass, Jeep Meridian, Volkswagen Tiguan, and the Skoda Kodiaq.

In a segment this crowded and competitive, the India-spec T2 i-DM’s price and capability will ultimately decide if it’s here to stay, or here to sway.

The post JSW confirmed launch of its first vehicle by Diwali 2026 first appeared on Turbocharged.