Fatafat Weekly car News: April F15Highlights by aBTOTEX, 2025

Here’s this week’s “Fatafat” edition—your quick pit stop through the top 10 auto updates from April 14–20, 2025:

1. Volkswagen Tiguan R‑Line Hits Indian Roads!

The 2025 Tiguan R‑Line has officially gone on sale in India at ₹49 lakh (introductory ex‑showroom, pan‑India), marking Volkswagen’s first fully imported R‑Line model here . Performance‑oriented styling, sport bumpers, and 19‑inch alloys come standard, with deliveries kicking off on April 23, 2025 .

2. Skoda Kodiaq 2025 Launched with Luxury Focus

Skoda India unveiled the second‑generation Kodiaq on April 17, offering two variants—Sportline and Selection Laurin & Klement—with prices ranging from ₹46.89 lakh to ₹48.69 lakh (introductory ex‑showroom, pan‑India) . Key upgrades include a 12.9‑inch touchscreen, massage seats, and a Canton 13‑speaker sound system in top spec .

3. Made‑in‑India Honda Elevate Bags 5 Stars in Japan

The Honda Elevate, exported to Japan as the WR‑V, scored a full 5‑star safety rating in JNCAP crash tests, achieving an overall score of 90% . It excelled with 95% in preventive safety and 86% in collision safety, underscoring India’s growing prowess in globally competitive vehicle exports .

4. Golf GTI Confirmed for India in May

Volkswagen India has confirmed the launch of the Golf GTI in May 2025, featuring a 265 PS, 2.0‑litre turbo‑petrol engine that sprints from 0–100 km/h in 5.9 seconds . Expect limited CBU volumes and an ex‑showroom tag near ₹52 lakh .

5. Kia Aims for 43% Electrified Mix by 2030

Under its Plan S 2030 roadmap, Kia India targets that 43% of its annual sales will be EVs and hybrids by 2030—18% fully electric and 25% hybrid—while scaling up to 400,000 units annually in India .

6. Kia EV3 Crowned 2025 World Car of the Year

The all‑new Kia EV3 clinched the prestigious 2025 World Car of the Year award at the New York International Auto Show, judged by 96 automotive journalists from 30 countries . This marks Kia’s sixth World Car Award win since 2020.

7. Ventilated Seats Are the New Must‑Have Feature

A Park+ Research Labs survey of 6,000 Indian car owners finds that 78% now prioritize ventilated seats above all else, while only 11% rate sunroofs as essential . Rising heat and comfort demands are reshaping feature wishlists across segments.

8. Oben Electric Bets on Vertical Integration

Bengaluru‑based Oben Electric is charting a unique course by designing and manufacturing nearly all critical EV components in‑house—from LFP battery cells to IPMSM motors and VCUs—at its Jigani facility, targeting 100,000‑unit annual capacity by FY26 .

9. Ultraviolette Unveils Tesseract & Shockwave

At FAST FORWARD India ’25, Ultraviolette Automotive launched its first electric scooter, the Tesseract (261 km IDC range, ₹1.20 lakh for first 10,000 customers), and the Shockwave enduro motorcycle (165 km range, ₹1.49 lakh for first 1,000 customers), with deliveries slated for Q1 2026 .

10. Audi A6 Global Reveal: Sleeker and Smarter

Audi has globally unveiled the sixth‑generation A6 Sedan with a fresh design language, mild‑hybrid powertrains, and a fully digital cockpit featuring OLED lighting and dual large touchscreens . Production begins in Neckarsulm, with customer deliveries starting in summer 2025.

That’s a wrap for this week’s Fatafat Auto Roundup! Which update fired you up the most? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and stay tuned for another turbo‑charged edition next week.