The Countryman, no doubt, is an aspirational five-seater SUV as it beautifully balances the retro looks with state-of-the-art technology. According to Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India, “The new MINI Countryman inspires you to take the path to new experiences and new horizons of the mind. This versatile sports activity vehicle (SAV) is just as home in an urban jungle as it is in the great outdoors. Its adrenaline-pumping engine, elegant interior design features, and latest technology blend harmoniously together.”

The Countryman easily stands out in the crowd as it retains MINI’s unique boxy rugged design with signature oval-shaped angular headlights. The LED adaptive headlamps are housed in an external piano black casing. The revised mesh grille is all-black in colours like the lower bumper, which also houses the fog lamps and vertical air dams. To add a sporty flair to its exteriors, the Countryman showcases black racing stripes on the bonnet, contrasting black roof and wheel arches along with silver roof rails. Coming to the rear, the crossover gets the trademark Union Jack LED taillights with vertical reflectors on the bumpers. It also gets silver-coloured skid plates at the front and rear.

The Cooper S comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, while the JCW Inspired version gets bigger 18-inches with run-flat tyres, a white coloured roof and a Comfort Access System that allows you to open the car door and start the engine without taking the key out of the pocket. This system is also in sync with the boot, which can be opened by swiping your foot underneath the rear fender.

Step inside the cabin and the circular touchscreen welcomes you in the middle of the dashboard. Moving below and the centre console sports physical buttons and metal finished retro toggle switches. The Cooper S is equipped with a 6.5-inch touchscreen with an LED ring around it. At the same time, the JSW Inspired gets a bigger 8.8-inch infotainment unit including navigation system, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless phone charger, Harman Kardon music system, adjustable rear seats, 2-zone automatic climate control, panoramic sunroof and an all-digit 5.5-inch instrument cluster. On the other hand, the front seats are electrically adjustable, and the driver side comes with a seat memory function. The Cooper S’s cabin is slightly subdued with carbon black interiors and upholstery, while the top variant JCW Inspired takes the luxury quotient to the next level as it gets an option of either Chester Malt Brown or Chester Satellite Grey colour trims.

Now, coming to the million-dollar question, what lies under the hood? The new Countryman is only available in petrol and is powered by the 2-litre 4-cylinder engine with TwinPower Turbo technology, which churns out 189bhp and 280Nm of torque. Just to give you an idea of how quick it is off the mark; both the variants do 0-100km in just 7.5 seconds and boast a top speed of 225kmph. The Cooper S is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT), and the JCW Inspired takes a notch higher with the seven-speed Sport DCT that offers quick gear shifts, paddle shifters and launch control for faster acceleration from standstill.

To make the driving more involving, the MINI Countryman has three driving modes. The individual mode lets you customise the suspension set up and driving dynamics according to your preference. Apart from this it also comes with Green (Eco) and Sport mode.

As expected, the Countryman comes fully loaded with safety features like front airbags, brake assist, cornering brake control, anti-lock braking system (ABS), Dynamic Stability Control and much more.

The Countryman doesn’t really have any direct competition, but in terms of a compact luxury SUV, the Audi Q2, Volvo XC40 and the upcoming new Mercedes-Benz GLA are the other options available in the market along with the BMW X1. (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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