AutoQ is our weekly round up of the top automobile stories
1. Kia Clarifies Software Update for DCT Automatic Seltos Variants
A few days ago, The Quint had reported that some owners of the Kia Seltos with the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission had been facing issues with their cars, which were being fixed with a software update.
Kia has clarified about the software update.
Two senior company officials we spoke to said that a few DCT automatic Kia Seltos owners had faced issues of the transmission overheating in bumper-to-bumper traffic and a couple of others had issue with skipping gears – where the transmission skipped odd gears and only selected even gears which has been reported on this Team-BHP thread.
These owners who had complained about the issue to their respective dealers were called in for a software update specifically for the transmission, that Kia claims takes care of these issues.
Read the story here.
2. Royal Enfield May Launch 2020 Himalayan With BS6 Engine Soon
Looks like Royal Enfield is bringing the 2020 version of the Himalayan adventure bike to consumers sooner than expected. The popular motorcycle manufacturer has shared a new teaser video on its social media channel which suggests the new Himalayan is just around the corner.
The teaser says ‘Coming Soon – Royal Enfield Himalayan’ which, in all likelihood, means the company will most likely upgrade the bike with BS6 engine without giving it a complete design overhaul.
Before the launch of Hero Xpulse, Himalayan was the most affordable adventure bike that a person could buy in the Indian market. But with increasing cost, and upgrades to BS6 engine, will make sure the new Himalayan gets a higher price tag than before.
Read the story here.
3. Auto Sector Sees Worst Fall in Car Sales Since 1997: Industry Body
The automobile industry recorded its worst-ever sales decline in two decades in 2019, with an unprecedented slowdown hampering vehicle off-take across segments, according to industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
As per data released on Friday, 10 January, all vehicle segments reported de-growth last year as low consumer sentiments, weak rural demand and economic slowdown took toll on demand.
The report states that this is the second straight month of declines for passenger vehicles after a minor uptick in October 2019. Out of the total units sold, 142,126 passenger cars were sold during December as against 155,159 in 2018.
Read the story here.
4. Competition Watchdog Probing Maruti for Insurance Tie-Ins: Report
Have you ever bought a Maruti Suzuki vehicle and found the dealer bundling specific insurance plans with the car? Well, that’s allegedly what the Competition Commission of India (CCI) is investigating.
The CCI is looking at allegations that Maruti is engaging in “tie-in arrangements” where a manufacturer promotes preferred insurance or lubricant brands, according to a Reuters report, quoting sources.
Apparently the CCI had received complaints that buyers were sold only specific insurance products, which is anti-competitive as it prevents other insurance providers from selling their policies to a buyer.
Following up on the Reuters report, The Quint reached out to Maruti Suzuki for its response to this alleged case.
Read the story here to know more.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)