Hyundai Motor has revealed details of the all-new KONA N. The KONA N will be available with an eight-speed wet-type dual-clutch transmission and a 2.0-litre turbo engine producing 280 PS of power.

“The addition of the N DCT allows us to expand on the N brand’s ‘Fun to Drive’ philosophy,” says Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, Vice President of Marketing & Product at Hyundai Motor Europe. “By integrating it into the all-new KONA N, we’re enabling all sorts of high-performance driving features and turning the KONA N into a true ‘hot SUV.’”

How does a wet type transmission help?
The wet-type DCT is structurally similar to a manual transmission, making it efficient at power delivery and shifting response. The system utilises a High-Flow Electric Oil Pump, which is responsible for gear lubrication and clutch cooling and a High-Pressure Electric Oil Pump that supplies oil to the accumulator and maintains the required pressure to control the gear shifts.

What is the N DCT?
N DCT is an improved version of the company’s in-house developed 8DCT, an eight-speed wet-type dual-clutch transmission. It gets increased durability, allowing it to handle the demands of high-performance vehicles.

The 2.0-litre T-GDI engine, it results in great performance via unique gear ratios. The transmission control unit is also calibrated for N, for faster shifting and enabling a range of exclusive driving features. The N DCT has been tested on the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife for approximately 1,350 laps for durability during its development.

Features of the N DCT
The N DCT enables exclusive functions like N Power Shift, N Grin Shift and N Track Sense Shift. These features enhance the car’s capabilities by using dedicated shift logic management.

N Power Shift (NPS) engages when the car accelerates with more than 90 per cent of throttle, this allows increment of torque during upshifts to deliver maximum power to the wheels. This gives the driver a “push feel” when upshifting.

N Grin Shift (NGS) maximises engine and DCT performance for 20 seconds. To get maximum acceleration, the car will directly shift down to the most appropriate gear. To activate the system, the driver must push a dedicated button on the steering wheel and a countdown on the cluster will show countdown for this function. After the “boost” has ended, drivers must wait at least 40 seconds to use it again. It can be a benefit when overtaking, merging on a highway or aiming for lap records.

Finally, N Track Sense Shift (NTS) optimises adaptive shift for racetrack driving. It recognises when the conditions are optimal for dynamic driving on a racetrack and activates automatically. Based on motorsport data combined with the driver’s behaviour, the car selects the right gear and shift timing to provide optimal performance.

These dedicated N features are in addition to five different drive modes of the N Grin Control System: Normal, Eco, Sport, N and Custom. Unlike with a traditional automatic transmission vehicle, in vehicles with N DCT, the driver can choose to turn off the creep function via the N custom settings. The KONA N with N DCT also allows the option to switch to manual mode using paddle shifters or the gear knob. (MT)

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Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, has reported its best-ever annual performance in FY2026 with wholesales of 641,587 units, up 15 percent YoY. This includes 631,387 units in the domestic market, up 14 percent, while exports came at 10,200 units, up 281 percent YoY.

For March 2026, the company’s sales came at 66,192 units, up 28 percent, while exports came at 779 units, up 204 percent YoY.

Interestingly, electric vehicles recorded its highest-ever quarterly sales of approximately 27,000 units, a 69 percent increase YoY. Annual EV volumes reached 92,120 units. On the other hand, sales of CNG vehicles crossed 170,000 units, up 24 percent YoY.

The Nexon and Punch models were the top-selling SUV models in the second half of the financial year. Recent launches, including the Sierra, a refreshed Punch and petrol variants of the Harrier and Safari, also saw continued customer traction.

The company expects the passenger vehicle industry to reach record annual volumes of approximately 4.7 million units, reflecting an 8 percent growth. Tata Motors emerged as the second-ranked player in the industry based on Vahan registrations during the second half of FY2026.

Shailesh Chandra, MD and CEO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said, “PV industry sales are expected to reach record volumes of around 4.7 million units for the year, reflecting 8 percent year on year (YoY) growth. The industry witnessed a strong rebound in the second half, posting double digit growth, supported by GST 2.0 implementation and a robust festive season. For Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, FY26 has been a landmark year marked by multiple milestones. We achieved our highest ever annual sales volumes of over 640,000 units, delivering industry beating growth of 15 percent YoY and ended it with strong positive momentum. Looking ahead, industry momentum is expected to sustain, led by growth in SUVs, CNG and EV. At the same time, the industry will need to closely monitor geopolitical developments to mitigate potential supply-side risks.”

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Honda Cars India (HCIL), a leading manufacturer of passenger vehicles, has recorded domestic sales of 7,585 units in March 2026, up 5 percent YoY, as compared to the 7,228 units sold last year. The company also reported exports of 2,451 units for the month.

The sales growth was supported by demand for the Amaze and Elevate models. Honda Cars India intends to expand its vehicle lineup in the upcoming financial year, with the launch of its first battery electric vehicle (BEV) scheduled for the second half of the year.

Kunal Behl, Vice-President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India, said, “Demand for all Honda models specially Amaze and Elevate continues to be strong with exciting promotions and product offerings which helped us achieve 5 percent growth during Mar 2026. We are excited to enter the new fiscal with plans to expand our lineup, including the launch of our first BEV in the second half. We remain highly optimistic that our strong focus on customer satisfaction will continue to drive growth and sustain positive momentum.”

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Nissan Motor India (NMIPL), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has recorded its best-ever monthly sale in March 2026, its highest in the last five years.

The company sold a total of 10,388 units in March 2026, which includes 4,408 units in the domestic market, while exports came at 5,980 units. This marks a 98 percent growth in domestic wholesales compared to February 2026.

The company attributed the smart uptick on the back of beginning of customer deliveries for the Nissan Gravite MPV, while the Nissan Magnite maintained its sales momentum. The expansion of its network presence also supported increasing customer traction.

The start of Gravite deliveries is identified as a milestone in the company’s growth phase in India. Nissan intends to sustain this trajectory by strengthening sales and service experiences and further expanding its network footprint across the country.

Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, said, “March has been a defining month for Nissan in India, the strong growth in domestic sales reflects the positive customer response to our product portfolio. With the commencement of customer deliveries of the all-new Nissan GRAVITE, we would like to thank our customers for their love and appreciation for the Nissan Brand. The over-whelming response to the product reinforces our confidence in the opportunities ahead. Together with the continued momentum of the Nissan Magnite, the dedication of our Network Partners and support of Nissan Finance & other Banking partners, we remain focused on strengthening our Sales & Service experience, while further expanding our network footprint for sustaining long-term growth in the Indian market.”

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  - Bidyut Ghosh April 02, 2026 11:35 AM

  This is excellent move from Nissan India

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) reports 20 percent uptick in its wholesales for FY2026 with 406,081 units sold, as compared to 337,148 units last year.

The company recorded growth across both domestic and export markets during the financial year. Domestic sales rose by 19 percent to 367,107 units, while exports grew by 41 percent to 38,974 units.

In March 2026, Toyota Kirloskar Motor reported a 24 percent increase in total sales, with 37,194 units sold compared to 30,043 units a year ago.

The company attributes a robust demand for its product portfolio, which was supported by the introduction of the Land Cruiser 300, as well as new grades and special editions for the Innova Hycross, Fortuner, Camry Hybrid and Hilux. Technical updates included a new six-speed automatic transmission for the Urban Cruiser Hyryder AWD variant.

The company also standardised six airbags across the Rumion, Glanza, Urban Cruiser Taisor, and Urban Cruiser Hyryder models. The Innova Hycross achieved a five-star Bharat NCAP rating during this period.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor expanded its market reach through customer-centric initiatives and brand engagement activities, including the Toyota Experiential Museum (TEM) and a tour by brand ambassadors Drum Tao. These efforts were intended to increase reach among younger audiences and reinforce the brand's mobility positioning.

Sabari Manohar, Executive Vice-President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “We delivered a positive performance this financial year, driven by sustained demand across our SUV, MPV and compact segments. The introduction of new products and customer centric initiatives during the year further helped position Toyota as a dynamic, technology driven and youth‑oriented brand. This momentum reflects the continued trust in Toyota’s quality, reliability and overall ownership experience. In a rapidly evolving market, such consistency underscores the strength of our fundamentals and positions us well for long‑term sustainable growth. We sincerely thank our customers, dealer partner, Government and other stakeholders for their trust & unwavering support. We remain focused on strengthening our product and technology offerings in line with our multi‑pathway approach of hybrid & electrified vehicle technologies in the mobility space. Looking ahead, we remain committed to creating long‑term value while continuously improving every touchpoint across the customer ownership journey.”

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