Toyota has finally plonked a diesel heart in the venerable Corolla, but how does Toyota's latest oilburner fare against its closest rivals? Abhishek Nigam rounds up the contenders

About eight months back, we had compared the two topmost diesel contenders in the D-segment range, wherein the Chevrolet Cruze was pitted against the then reigning champion the Skoda Laura. The very same cars are being pitted against each other yet another time, but this time we also have a third contender, the Toyota Corolla Altis D-4D. Both the Laura and the Cruze have had the market pretty much for themselves for quite some time now with no competition from the land of the rising sun at all. While the big 'H' and the big 'T' were busy dominating the petrol market, it was about time that one of them takes the plunge and Toyota was more than glad to oblige. Already one of the most sensible buys in its class, the Corolla then should pretty much be the ideal buy. Read on to find out.

Walk past the three cars and you realize none of them is actually new as far as looks are concerned. The Czech from Germany was never a standout looker and even in its latest avatar is more of the elegant kind rather than the 'hey, look at me' kind. The grille though similar in shape is wider now and has more chrome as well. The tail lamps receive a mild update as well and so does the rear bumper. The car also receives newly designed 5-spoke alloy wheels.

Moving onto the Cruze, things start getting more dramatic. Muscular, chiseled and dripping with attitude, the Cruze is definitely the one to arrive in. The unusual double decker front grille treatment coupled with the swept back head lamps and the muscular swage line gives it an extremely aggressive demeanor.

The Corolla falls right in between looking neither too aggressive nor as bland as its predecessor. The new Altis though follows the design cues of its bigger and more radical sibling the Camry. The car has gained on aggression, being bold and attractive at the same time. The Diesel variant gets a mesh grille apart from the badging to differentiate it from its petrol variant.

Time to step inside the cars then. Getting into the Altis first up, one is greeted by familiar surroundings. The dash looks smart in beige-grey combo with fake wood inserts adding a touch of grandeur. Rest your backside on the large front seat and you find adequate support for most kind of driving styles. The rear passengers are well pampered as well with the seating position being spot on. Another bonus is the near flat floor at the rear with the transmission tunnel being nary a hindrance unlike other cars. Quality of the materials is also pretty good and everything feels pretty good to touch and feel and is pretty much free of creaks and rattles.

Out of the Corolla and into the Cruze, one feels a lot livelier and not to mention funky. The centre console is a mix of grey, silver and glossy black surfaces. The seats are pretty comfortable and offer good support in all the right areas. At the rear however, the Cruze takes a back seat to the Laura and the Corolla Altis. Not only does it have less legroom but headroom also suffers thanks to the sloping silhouette. While things look pretty attractive, quality of materials could be way better.

With the Bajaj Avenger being the only bike to have firmly held its ground in the Indian cruiser segment over the years, Varad More now looks at the new Avenger DTSi in its latest 220 avatar

There is a keen sense of freedom that reflects each time one straddles a motorcycle. The joy of cruising over inviting open roads is unfathomable. And what better tool than a comfy powerful cruiser motorcycle for laidback rides on the highway Unfortunately, Indian cruiser lovers have been left wanting as there have traditionally been very few models to choose from. Over the past decade however, the only bike to have firmly held its ground in the cruiser segment is the Bajaj Avenger, which has successfully withstood the test of time. Introduced in January 2001 as the Kawasaki-Bajaj Eliminator powered by a 175cc Kawasaki engine, back then it was one of the most expensive set of 2-wheels on sale in India. How things change though - in its latest avatar, Avenger 220 DTSi is one of the most affordable and powerful Indian motorcycles available in the market today.

The Avenger has seen a host of engine transplants through its tenure. In 2005 Bajaj Auto plonked the indigenously conceived 178cc DTSi motor from the Pulsar 180 DTSi into the Eliminator albeit in a different tune and re-badged it as the Avenger. Two years later, the 198cc DTSi engine from the Pulsar 200 also made its way onto the Avenger. These strategic developments allowed the Pune-based bike-maker to price the new Avenger competitively and bring it into the affordable price-band but without letting the Avenger brand lose its lustre. While demand for the sportier Pulsars and Karizmas sky-rocketed amongst the masses, those looking for a comfortable, stylish and laid-back motorcycle took to the Avenger without any qualms.

In its newest iteration armed with an all-new 220cc motor borrowed from Bajaj Auto's flagship, Pulsar 220 DTSi, the Avenger packs in more grunt and thrust to cover distances with lesser efforts but more thrills. Since its inception, the Avenger has turned heads and it has been one of most gorgeous bikes to have rolled out of the Bajaj factory. In its newest form, there are no amends made to the new Avenger's exterior design apart from fresh graphics but it still retains its confident poise and low-rider persona. The ergonomic triangle of handlebar-footpegs-seat is perfectly designed which makes for a very relaxed and laidback riding position without the rider having to stretch his arms to reach the handlebars. The lightweight aluminium footpegs too are placed correctly to accommodate lanky fellows as well as shorties like yours truly ? ideal for the Avenger's intended use to cover distances without exhausting the rider over long hauls. A different aspect of the Avenger is also its versatile nature that is often seen missing in big, burly cruisers. For instance, despite its stretched wheelbase and extended rake with a bulk of 154kg, the Avenger is still one of the easiest bikes to ride in crowded city traffic. This underlines the all-around performance of the Avenger as an everyday bike as well as a trusty set of wheels for long distance touring. Ergonomically, the Avenger has always had the right ingredients ? low saddle, wide and raised handlebars and feet-forward peg positioning together give it a true-blue cruiser-like riding posture along with oodles of style.

Cruiser motorcycles are very different in their behaviour to the usual sporty street-bikes and everything about these low-slung machines built to leisurely traverse across boundaries is significantly different than their sportier counterparts. The powerful new engine and its throaty groan from the re-configured exhaust system throw light on the bike's new-found vigour and zeal. Residing inside the Avenger's dual cradle frame, the 220cc DTSi engine borrowed from the biggest Pulsar yet, also sports a different engine setup to suit the Avenger's cruiser character. Thanks to this, the 17Nm of torque peaking at 8,500rpm is evenly spread out over a flat curve and it is available on tap from lower down the rev-range as the engine comfortably pulls into triple digit figures without feeling stressed. Slotted in fifth gear, the seamless power delivery from the 220cc engine provides smooth acceleration right from 40km/h all the way upto its top-speed of over 120km/h. This vastly helps in minimizing the gear changes required during riding in bumper-to-bumper traffic and allows the rider to stay in a higher gear for smooth riding experience without having to worry about knocking or stalling the engine.

The iconic Vespa is set to make yet another comeback - in 2012 - but as Adil Jal Darukhanawala states, this time it will be on its own steam and with a machine that marries modern tech with classic charm. 

It was always on the cards for the better part of four years but uncertainty about the way the two-wheeler market in India was shaping up had caused the Roberto Colanino-led management team at Piaggio to delay the relaunch of the iconic Vespa, the first real success story in the Indian automotive sphere. The wait is now over and by 2012 Piaggio will be back in India, on its own steam, and putting the latest incarnation of the Vespa back on our roads.

The exact model will in all probability be from the LX125 model range and this is likely to have that classy waspish shape back on our roads. As many do know this isn't the first or the second time the famous Italian two-wheeler marque is attempting a comeback to India. It first got on to Indian roads courtesy of a technical and commercial JV with Bajaj Auto in 1959-60. In fact, it was the Firodias who did much of the spadework then for this entity as at that point in time they were part of the Bajaj conglomerate and the first fruits of this JV was an early version of the Piaggio Ape three-wheeler with the 150cc three-speed scooter following in its wake.

Given the socialist thought process prevalent then, the cute and cuddly Vespa built at the Bajaj works at Akurdi near Pune was a trend setter for its time even though it had its hands full trying to stem off the sizeable competition from yet another Italian rival - the Lambretta made by API in Mumbai. The Bajaj-Piaggio technical collaboration was to run out in 1969 but was extended annually till 1971 whereupon the government refused to extend it. In its garb of self-sufficiency, it precluded any worthwhile joint ventures in industry and Piaggio had to bow out of the country. Bajaj Auto though went from strength to strength, working out large capacities, getting in the latest models - the Super, the Chetak, the Cub being just three such and storming to the top of the scooter volume heap globally.

When the first phase of economic and industrial liberalization was resorted to in the early 1980s, Piaggio saw an opportunity and even though it did talk with Bajaj Auto, by that time its former Indian partner had acquired critical mass way beyond the Italian firm's wildest imagination. It tried to find suitors to get back to business on Indian terrain and it found not one but two of them. The first was the state owned Hyderabad Allwyn which started producing the slim line Vespa Primavera model with a 100cc engine while the bigger story was the JV with Lohia Machines which saw the launch of the Vespa XE, first with a 125cc mill and then with a proper 150cc offering.