2021 Audi A4: Top 3 Rivals

The Audi A4 Facelift was the first car to be launched by the German carmaker in 2021, and it was the sixth BS6 compliant vehicle to be launched by the company in India. It is certainly a handsome-looking car. The front end is completely revised, which comes with a newly designed bumper and the signature single-frame grille is also wider, offering an aggressive look. The LED headlights too are completely new and the LED daytime running lights too get a new pattern, differentiating it from the previous model. On the inside, the car is offered with two colours - Atlas Beige and Okapi Brown. It also gets an all-digital Audi Virtual Cockpit, three-zone climate control, wireless charging, ambient lighting with 30 colours and sunroof among others.

The dashboard design is similar to the outgoing model, but the 10.1-inch touchscreen is brand new.

The biggest highlight inside the cabin is the new 10.1-inch MMI screen. It's an all-new unit and gets smartphone connectivity in the form of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The new A4 gets a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine under the hood which makes 187 bhp and 320 Nm of peak torque. The motor is paired to a 7-speed S-tronic gearbox.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class looks imposing and also gets a slightly tapering roofline.

The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class made its global debut in February and is in its sixth-generation now. The design of this W206 C-Class is heavily inspired from the new S-Class, not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. The silhouette itself is reminiscent of the 2020 S-Class. Obviously it's compact compared to the flagship but the same outline is apparent and it is a significant departure from its predecessor. It sports a neatly integrated tablet like touchscreen unit, which is raked at a certain angle. It also gets a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster along with a 11.9-inch touchscreen for the second-generation MBUX infotainment system. Lower trims in some of the markets will get a smaller 10.25-inch driver's display and an even more compact 9.5-inch centre screen. Then, it's a bit more spacious on the inside with a 25 mm longer wheelbase measuring at 2865 mm. Speaking of dimensions, it is 65 mm longer and 10 mm wider compared to the outgoing model and looks sportier, courtesy the sharp design and a slightly tapering roofline. Moreover, its boot space remains unchanged at 455 litres.

The interior of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class too is inspired from the new S-Class.

The C300 which gets a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged motor 252 bhp and 400 Nm of peak torque and is coupled with an integrated starter-generator that adds a temporary boost of 19 bhp and 200 Nm. This iteration comes in both rear wheel drive (RWD) and the 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD) setup and both trims can clock triple digit speeds in just 5.9 seconds, further ticking a top-speed of 209 kmph. Then there is the C200 and C200 4Matic sold in Europe and are expected to come to our market as well. This C-Class will likely get a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder motor putting out 198 bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. The 4Matic AWD does the 0-100 kmph stint in 7.1 seconds while the RWD does same in 7.3 seconds. While the 4Matic can reach the top-speed of 241 kmph, the RWD can do 246 kmph. the company will also offer diesel variants of the C-Class with a common 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine. The C200d, C220d and the C220d 4Matic, all will get the same powertrain but in different tune. In the base C200d it puts out 159 bhp and 380 Nm of peak torque. Then in the C220d it churns out 194 bhp and 440 Nm of peak torque and in the AWD C220d 4Matic it puts out 257 bhp and 550 Nm of peak torque. The AWD diesel can do a 0-100 kmph sprint in 5.7 seconds while hitting a top speed of 250 kmph.

BMW 3 Series

The new BMW 3 Series looks slightly sportier than the outgoing model.

The BMW 3 Series is offered in three body styles in our market- the 3 Series sedan, 3 Series Gran Limousine and the 3 Series GT with a sloping roofline. The only thing differentiating the 3 Series GL from the standard 3 Series Sedan are the dimensions. The BMW 3 Series GL has a 110 mm longer wheelbase compared to the space between the wheels of standard car and those extra muscles have been added gracefully in its rear door. The wheelbase of the car is 2,961 mm, while the overall length is 4,819 mm which is also up by 110 mm At 1,827 mm it is exactly as wide as the regular sedan but a height of 1,463 mm makes it is 28 mm taller. Now that added wheelbase makes for 43 mm more legroom on the inside and that's the only change when compared to the standard car.

The 12.3-inch instrument cluster and the 10.25-inch screen are offered on both models.

Features like the 12.3-inch instrument cluster and the 10.25-inch screen are offered on both models. The latter gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. You also get features like wireless charging, air purifier, three-zone climate control and the connected car tech among others. As far as added features are concerned, it offers a 16-speaker Harmon Kardon audio system and a panoramic sunroof. Under the hood, you get 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, twin-turbo petrol and diesel engines that churn out 254 bhp and 187 bhp respectively. Both engines also put out 400 Nm of peak torque and are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Volvo S60

The 2021 Volvo S60 has received a comprehensive update.

The 2021 Volvo S60 is a new model ground-up and completes the 60-series family of Volvo in India along-side the XC60. In typical Volvo fashion, the S60 gets a 9-inch vertically mounted Sensus touchscreen, which can be used to operate all functions of the car and is fully compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The car gets seven airbags along with a host of safety systems which include city safety assist, run-off mitigation, oncoming lane mitigation and so on. The car also gets autobrake technology which helps the driver to avoid potential collisions. It is the only system on the market which can detect pedestrians, cyclists and large animals.

The cabin of the Volvo S60 is done elegantly and is minimalist in nature.

As far as the drivetrains are concerned, the S60 gets a 2.0-litre petrol engine couple with an 8-speed automatic gearbox for now. Globally, the car gets the 2.0-litre engine in more powerful state of tune and then there's a hybrid model on offer as well. The 2.0-litre engine makes 187 bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque, which are reasonable numbers. Although we hope Volvo brings in a sportier engine option for the S60 in the future.