Car News That Mattered This Week (March 17-23): Price Hike Announcements, Fresh Spy Shots, Special Edition Launches, And More

Along with spy shots of an India-bound EV, last week saw MY updates for an entry-level EV, special edition launches are more

The last week was quite packed with news related to the Indian 4-wheeler automotive sector. We saw spyshots of Kia Carens EV and facelifted Renault Triber along with model-year updates for the MG Comet, and special editions for the Jeep Compass and Mahindra XUV 700. Here is a look at all the big events that happened last week. 

Mahindra XUV700 Ebony Edition Launched

If the previously available black edition of the XUV700 wasn’t enough already, Mahindra has now gone ahead to launch an even stealthier-looking Ebony Edition of the SUV. It gets a full-black treatment inside and out for a slight premium over the standard model. In other news, Mahindra also reduced the price of the XUV700 by a big margin but only for some variants.

Jeep Compass Sandstorm Edition Launched

In an attempt to reinvigorate the sales of the Compass, Jeep launched the Sandstorm edition of the SUV recently. The limited-run edition essentially packs a few accessories, body decals, and new features for some of the variants for a premium.

Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series Launched 

The first Mercedes-Maybach SL model, the Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series, was launched last week. The carmaker is offering the roadster in limited numbers, with deliveries stated to start next year. 

Mahindra Thar Roxx Gets Additional Features 

As if the Mahindra Thar Roxx wasn’t already a well-loaded offering, the carmaker has gone a step further and given it some model year updates to make it even more appealing. It now gets a handful of new comfort and convenience features without any changes in price.

MG Comet EV Model Year 2025 Updates 

The MG Comet EV received model-year 2025 updates that introduced new features to some of the variants along with a price hike only for some variants.  

Tata Avinya X Steering Wheel Design Patented 

Tata filed a design patent for the steering wheel of the all-electric Avinya X concept. The design of the steering wheel was similar to the one present on the model showcased at Auto Expo 2025. 

Citroen Basalt Dark Edition Teased

Citroen posted a short video teasing the upcoming Dark edition of the Basalt, hinting at an imminent launch. This will be the first car from Citroen to get an all-black edition in India. 

Volkswagen Golf GTI Spyshot 

Shortly after Volkswagen confirmed that the Golf GTI will be heading to India, the hot-hatch has now made an appearance in India. It will come to our shores as a completely built unit (CBU) and will be sold in limited numbers. 

Renault Triber Facelift Spyshots 

The Renault Triber, which will be getting a long-awaited facelift sometime later this year, was spotted with heavy camouflage for the first time.

Kia Carens EV Spyshot 

The Kia Carens EV was spotted last week in South Korea while it was stationed at a charging port revealing some of its key features. The spy shots also revealed some details about the design, which hints at the Carens EV being inspired by the EV6. 

Tata Appoints Vicky Kaushal As Its Brand Ambassador

Tata Motors appointed Bollywood actor Vicky Kaushal as its brand ambassador, while also revealing that the Tata Curvv will be the official car for IPL’s 18th season. 

Carmakers Announce Price Hikes 

Multiple major carmakers, such as Maruti, Tata, Hyundai, Mahindra and Kia, have announced price hikes that will come into effect in April 2025. Most of the carmakers stated the reason for this hike to be rising input costs. 

Follow the CarDekho WhatsApp channel to get instant updates from the automotive world.