Latest news with #Variable
India Today
4 days ago
- Automotive
- India Today
Hyundai Verna gets a new variant and wireless connectivity adapter
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has expanded Verna's range by launching a new SX+ variant of the sedan, available in both manual and iVT (Intelligent Variable Transmission) options. The addition aims to offer customers a more premium and versatile driving experience in the midsize sedan Verna SX+ boasts a host of high-end features including a Bose premium 8-speaker sound system, leather seat upholstery, front ventilated and heated seats, LED headlamps, and front parking sensors. The new variant builds on Verna's futuristic design, advanced technology and a 5-star Global NCAP safety (Ex-showroom):Verna SX+ 1.5 MPi MT: 13,79,300Verna SX+ 1.5 MPi iVT: 15,04,300Alongside the new trim for the Verna, Hyundai also introduced a Wired to Wireless Adapter for seamless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The adapter is now compatible with seven Hyundai models including the Grand i10 Nios, Exter, Verna, Aura, Venue, Venue N Line, and Alcazar. Commenting on the launch, Tarun Garg, Whole-Time Director and COO of HMIL, said, "At HMIL, we are consistently driven by our vision of 'Progress for Humanity' and customer-centric innovation. The introduction of the new VERNA SX+ variant aligns with our goal to democratize premium features and elevate ownership experience for our customers. Additionally, the Wired to Wireless Adapter reaffirms our commitment to offering accessible and advanced connectivity solutions across our product range. We are confident that these interventions will be appreciated by our customers."advertisementThe Verna is offered with two engine choices. The first is a 1.5-litre MPi petrol engine that produces 115PS of maximum power and 143.8Nm of peak torque, paired with either a 6-speed manual transmission or an IVT automatic. The second option is a more powerful 1.5-litre Turbo GDi petrol engine, delivering 160PS and 253Nm of torque, available with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).The 1.5 Turbo GDi variant is quick as it can accelerate from 0 to 100kmph in just 8.1 seconds. Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
New mortgage rules explained, including how much you can now borrow and will house prices rise
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. The change could enable house buyers to borrow an extra £26,000, but it's likely to push up prices From gorgeous Georgian town houses to jaw-dropping penthouses, converted campervans to bargain boltholes. Take a peek at the finest homes across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Changes to mortgage affordability rules mean house buyers can now borrow around 13 per cent more This could help up to 80,000 more first-time buyers get on the property ladder, analysis suggests But it could push up house prices by as much as £19,000 New mortgage rules could help first-time buyers borrow up to £26,000 more, but they are expected to increase house prices | Photo by Ketut Subiyanto: New mortgage rules could help up to 80,000 first-time buyers take their first step on the property ladder, analysis suggests. But they could also push up the average house price by as much as £19,000, research by Savills shows. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What are the new mortgage rules, and why have they changed? Mortgage lenders are required to carry out affordability checks on borrowers to ensure they can cope with interest rate rises or changes in their circumstances. But concerns were raised that the restrictions in place were unduly limiting the ability of some borrowers - especially first-time buyers - to secure loans even when the repayments were affordable. The Bank of England changed its guidance in March, meaning lenders are no longer required to 'stress test' borrowers at the Standard Variable Rate plus one per cent, if borrowers take on a fix of less than five years. The Financial Conduct Authority advised the same month that firms had the 'flexibility to design their test 'in a way that is appropriate for the customer's mortgage'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Many firms add a margin to the lender's current reversion rate,' it added. 'With interest rates currently falling this may be unnecessarily restricting access to otherwise affordable mortgages.' How have lenders reacted? A number of mortgage providers have already changed the way they apply the affordability test, increasing the amount buyers can borrow. Santander was the first to do so, at the end of March, reducing affordability rates by up to 0.75 per cent, which it said meant customers could borrow between £10,000 and £35,000 more than before. That meant first-time buyers with a joint income of £49,500 could now borrow up to £210,000, rather than £197,000, based on a two or three-year fixed mortgage, while existing homeowners earning a combined £63,500 could borrow up to £278,000, up from £260,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Halifax, followed suit in mid-April, saying the changes meant typical customers could now borrow around 13 per cent more, which worked out at roughly £38,000 extra for a family with a household income of £75,000. HSBC said later that month that its own changes meant a first-time buyer would be able to borrow up to £39,000 more, while NatWest said a typical family would now be able to borrow up to £33,000 more. In May, Nationwide announced its own changes, which it said meant applicants could borrow on average £28,000 more. How much more can house buyers borrow? As you can see from above, how much more house buyers can borrow depends on the lender and their own circumstances. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But Savills worked out that first-time buyers with a household income of £62,000 would be able to borrow an extra £25,900, which is 12.8 per cent more than before, if stress tested affordability is reduced from 8.25 per cent to 7 per cent. It said the relaxed lending rules were expected to increase the number of first-time buyer transactions by between 47,000 and 80,000, or 14-24 per cent. What impact will changes have on house prices? Savills has calculated that the new mortgage rules could cause house prices to rise by an extra 5 to 7.5 per cent over the next five years, on top of the increase already forecast for this period. 'Relaxed lending rules will certainly change the course of travel for the housing market in the medium to long term, but there will be a strong interplay between the extent to which house prices and first-time buyer transactions increase,' said Lucian Cook, head of residential research at Savills. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The more increased borrowing capacity impacts prices, the less impact there will be on transactions.' He added that the impact would not be felt immediately but over the course of the next five years. The current uncertain economic outlook would likely make buyers less willing to take on substantially more debt in the short term, he said. Based on mortgage changes increasing borrowing capacity by £25,900 for first-time buyers with a joint income of £62,000, Savills said this could increase house prices by between 5 per cent and 7.5 per cent, or £12,950 to £19,425. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Do you have a house hunting story or tips to share? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers. 🏠 Whether you're planning to move or just curious what your home is worth, Purplebricks offers free valuations and fixed-fee selling support from local experts. 👉 Request a valuation or browse current listings in your area.
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
New mortgage rules explained, including how much you can now borrow and will house prices rise
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. The change could enable house buyers to borrow an extra £26,000, but it's likely to push up prices From gorgeous Georgian town houses to jaw-dropping penthouses, converted campervans to bargain boltholes. Take a peek at the finest homes across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Changes to mortgage affordability rules mean house buyers can now borrow around 13 per cent more This could help up to 80,000 more first-time buyers get on the property ladder, analysis suggests But it could push up house prices by as much as £19,000 New mortgage rules could help first-time buyers borrow up to £26,000 more, but they are expected to increase house prices | Photo by Ketut Subiyanto: New mortgage rules could help up to 80,000 first-time buyers take their first step on the property ladder, analysis suggests. But they could also push up the average house price by as much as £19,000, research by Savills shows. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What are the new mortgage rules, and why have they changed? Mortgage lenders are required to carry out affordability checks on borrowers to ensure they can cope with interest rate rises or changes in their circumstances. But concerns were raised that the restrictions in place were unduly limiting the ability of some borrowers - especially first-time buyers - to secure loans even when the repayments were affordable. The Bank of England changed its guidance in March, meaning lenders are no longer required to 'stress test' borrowers at the Standard Variable Rate plus one per cent, if borrowers take on a fix of less than five years. The Financial Conduct Authority advised the same month that firms had the 'flexibility to design their test 'in a way that is appropriate for the customer's mortgage'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Many firms add a margin to the lender's current reversion rate,' it added. 'With interest rates currently falling this may be unnecessarily restricting access to otherwise affordable mortgages.' How have lenders reacted? A number of mortgage providers have already changed the way they apply the affordability test, increasing the amount buyers can borrow. Santander was the first to do so, at the end of March, reducing affordability rates by up to 0.75 per cent, which it said meant customers could borrow between £10,000 and £35,000 more than before. That meant first-time buyers with a joint income of £49,500 could now borrow up to £210,000, rather than £197,000, based on a two or three-year fixed mortgage, while existing homeowners earning a combined £63,500 could borrow up to £278,000, up from £260,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Halifax, followed suit in mid-April, saying the changes meant typical customers could now borrow around 13 per cent more, which worked out at roughly £38,000 extra for a family with a household income of £75,000. HSBC said later that month that its own changes meant a first-time buyer would be able to borrow up to £39,000 more, while NatWest said a typical family would now be able to borrow up to £33,000 more. In May, Nationwide announced its own changes, which it said meant applicants could borrow on average £28,000 more. How much more can house buyers borrow? As you can see from above, how much more house buyers can borrow depends on the lender and their own circumstances. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But Savills worked out that first-time buyers with a household income of £62,000 would be able to borrow an extra £25,900, which is 12.8 per cent more than before, if stress tested affordability is reduced from 8.25 per cent to 7 per cent. It said the relaxed lending rules were expected to increase the number of first-time buyer transactions by between 47,000 and 80,000, or 14-24 per cent. What impact will changes have on house prices? Savills has calculated that the new mortgage rules could cause house prices to rise by an extra 5 to 7.5 per cent over the next five years, on top of the increase already forecast for this period. 'Relaxed lending rules will certainly change the course of travel for the housing market in the medium to long term, but there will be a strong interplay between the extent to which house prices and first-time buyer transactions increase,' said Lucian Cook, head of residential research at Savills. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The more increased borrowing capacity impacts prices, the less impact there will be on transactions.' He added that the impact would not be felt immediately but over the course of the next five years. The current uncertain economic outlook would likely make buyers less willing to take on substantially more debt in the short term, he said. Based on mortgage changes increasing borrowing capacity by £25,900 for first-time buyers with a joint income of £62,000, Savills said this could increase house prices by between 5 per cent and 7.5 per cent, or £12,950 to £19,425. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Do you have a house hunting story or tips to share? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers. 🏠 Whether you're planning to move or just curious what your home is worth, Purplebricks offers free valuations and fixed-fee selling support from local experts.
Hindustan Times
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
2024 Honda Amaze 1.2 Petrol MT: Fuel efficiency tested in city & highway conditions
With the latest update, the Honda Amaze continues to be powered by the 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol engine with either a 5-speed manual or a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) Check Offers Fuel efficiency remains one of the top parameters for car buyers in India, especially for the budget concise buyers such as the sub compact sedan segment buyers. ARAI claimed mileage figures look attractive on paper but the actual figures can vary significantly depending on how and where the vehicle is driven. Therefore, we decided to put the newly updated 2024 Honda Amaze to the test and see how it matches the reality of daily driving. The Amaze is one of Honda's most cherished models in the Indian market. With the latest update, the sedan continues to be powered by the 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol engine with either a 5-speed manual or a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). Honda claims the manual variant offers 18.65 kmpl under standard test conditions. But what does that translate to in daily use? Also Read : Honda Elevate and Amaze now available with retrofitted CNG kits 2024 Honda Amaze Petrol Manual: Real-World Mileage We recently got behind the wheel of the 2024 Honda Amaze with a 5-speed manual transmission and drove it for a total of 147.7 km. The route included a mix of highway and city driving, though the majority of the distance was covered within city limits. This included stretches of congested traffic, frequent stop-go situations, and some sections of relatively free-flowing roads. Also Read : Honda Amaze prices hiked by up to ₹ 30,000, introductory pricing ends At the end of the test, the Amaze returned a fuel efficiency of 15.1 kmpl. This measure was derived from the vehicle's onboard trip meter and the driving was done with a light foot, no hypermiling was attempted. The air conditioning was used during most of the journey and the vehicle was driven in a realistic manner mimicking how most owners would use it daily. The 2024 Honda Amaze with the manual transmission had a real world fuel consumption figure of 15.1 kmpl, about 81 per cent of claimed fuel efficiency The 2024 Honda Amaze with the manual transmission had a real world fuel consumption figure of 15.1 kmpl, about 81 per cent of claimed fuel efficiency which is well within the margin one should expect for city driving. Given the amount of city driving and the traffic conditions encountered, this figure is impressive, and suggests that the Amaze does have the potential to be a sensible everyday driver for those who do want fuel efficiency without compromising comfort or drivability. Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2024, Best SUVs in India. First Published Date: 12 May 2025, 17:15 PM IST
India.com
07-05-2025
- Business
- India.com
This company of Ratan Tata gives bonus every 3 months, amount is separate from salary, paid 100pc quarterly variable allowance to…
Late Ratan Tata- File image Tata Group's IT sector company, TCS, has paid full Quarterly Variable Allowance (QVA) to more than 70% of its employees for the January-March quarter. Tata Group companies are known for providing excellent employee benefits. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is the largest private-sector employer after Indian Railways, announced that it has paid 100% QVA to over 70% of its employees for the January-March quarter. In a statement, TCS said, 'We have paid 100% Quarterly Variable Allowance (QVA) to more than 70% of our employees. For employees in other grades, QVA is dependent on the business performance of their respective units. This is in line with our standard practice across all quarters.' The company clarified that for employees in other grades, the QVA payout is determined by the performance of their respective business units, which is consistent with TCS's established policy across quarters. 'We have paid out 100 per cent QVA to over 70 per cent of the company. For all other grades, the QVA depends on their unit's business performance. This is in line with our standard practice across quarters,' TCS said in a statement. TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) reported a 1.7 per cent decline in the March quarter net profit to Rs 12,224 crore, driven largely by a margin contraction. It logged a total revenue of Rs 64,479 crore in Q4 FY25, up 5.3 per cent over the year-ago period. While announcing its Q4 and FY25 earnings last month, TCS had said that it would be deferring annual wage hikes to its 6.07 lakh employees due to the business uncertainties triggered by the tariff issues. The company's chief human resources officer Milind Lakkad cited business uncertainties for the delay in annual wage hikes, which generally set in from April. He, however, did not give a timeline for when the company will announce the hikes. (With inputs from PTI)
