If you use social media quite frequently, you must be aware of the #10YearChallenge that has taken Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by storm these days. Under the said challenge, people have been posting pictures showing how they used to look a decade ago in comparison to how they look now. While there are some cases in which people seem to have not changed even a bit, there are others in which the past and present pictures of the person are completely unrecognizable. Being automotive enthusiasts, we decided to take 10 popular cars and bikes and make them undergo the #10YearChallenge. Being popular products in the market, these have been going strong and it is interesting to see how some of them have changed a lot in a decade while some look the same as before, just like human beings.
Royal Enfield Bullet
The Royal Enfield Bullet is one of the oldest motorcycles in continuous production and the same is going strong in India at present. The Bullet has essentially remained almost the same over these years, all thanks to its old school charm that has been accepted widely. The bike now comes with disc brakes and an ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) in favour of better safety.
Honda Activa
The same story goes true for India’s best selling scooter Honda Activa as well. Take the 2009 model and compare it with the Activa 5G that is currently on sale and you hardly see any major difference in the silhouette of the vehicle. Needless to say, with the passage of time, the present generation Honda Activa gets features like LED headlamp, digital-analog instrumentation and more.
Hero Splendor
When one speaks about popular motorcycles in India, the Hero Splendor is one such name that you just cannot miss. Currently, the best selling motorcycle in the Indian market, the Hero Splendor used to come as Hero Honda Splendor back then. Now the motorcycle is marketed as just Hero Splendor because of the split between the two automakers. While the design of the Splendor is intact even today, it now gets some additional features like alloy wheels, electric start and more.
Yamaha YZF-R15
Yamaha R15 is one such motorcycle that gave some motorcycling goals to performance bike enthusiasts in India. The most powerful 150cc bike on sale in India, the R15 is currently in its third generation model that offers some significant changes and improvements over the first gen model that was on sale a decade ago. For instance, the bike now features LED headlamps, split step-up seats, fully digital instrumentation and more.
Bajaj Pulsar
The year 2009 saw the launch of the Pulsar UG-4 (fourth generation) model. For the first time ever, the Pulsar 180 received the beefier styling of the retired Pulsar 200. Ten years down the line, the styling of the Bajaj Pulsar 180 has been retained essentially but the bike has received some added features like a rear disc brake, graphics and a revised instrument cluster.
Maruti Alto
Once India’s best selling car, the Maruti Suzuki Alto is still a preferred choice of buyers when they are on the lookout for a budget family car. During the decade, the car has gone through a major overhaul in design while gaining some features under its sleeve. On the visual front, as against the traditional design in 2009, the Alto looks more modern now.
Hyundai Santro
The Santro essentially kick-started the amazing journey of Hyundai in India and was one of the popular models by the company ten years ago. Last year, the company launched the new generation model of the Santro in India that came with a completely new design and some interesting features, some of which are segment first. Not only the car now looks more modern but is equipped with an automatic transmission and better safety too.
Mahindra Scorpio
Back in the year 2009, the Mahindra Scorpio was a popular name in the SUV territory which is going strong even today. The Scorpio received a comprehensive upgrade in the year 2014 after which the car got a new fascia and appearance along with some added features and a better cabin. While many appreciated the new face of the Scorpio, others said the older one appealed more to them.
Tata Safari
Ten years back, Tata Safari was one of the most talked about SUVs in India but the name somehow got faded with the passage of time. The existing model is called the Safari Storme and compared to the 2009 model, the new one gets a sharper fascia along with some added features and a more premium cabin. Essentially, the overall silhouette of the SUV and the core design have remained unchanged over the years.
Honda City
The last one in this list to undergo the 10 Year Challenge is the Honda City. The present generation model of the Honda City looks sharper and smarter than the 2009 model. The existing model gets a chrome strip on the grille, connecting the two sleek headlamps. Compared to a decade old model, the new Honda City gets more stylish looking diamond cut alloy wheels that just add to the charm. Apart from visual updates, the car has gained new features and a better cabin in the last 10 years.