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S. MuralidharN. Shiva Kumar, Noida

I am looking for a petrol engine car that is sturdy, has good road clearance, large boot space, capable of comfortably seating five passengers, well suited for Indian roads and within the price bracket of Rs 4 lakh plus?

Will the Tata Indigo suit my requirements, and is this vehicle "road-proven"? I have driven the Indica and find that it is capable of taking rough handling and a bit of off-road conditions too.

I love four-wheel drives and am driving a Maruti Gypsy King since 1998. Instead of a car, can you suggest a utility vehicle, such as the Mahindra Scorpio, which is in the price range of about Rs 4 lakh?

There are a number of options in the two-box (small car) and three-box (mid-size car) segments in the price range of Rs 4-5 lakh.

Going by the interior space, boot size and road clearance parameters that you laid out as major considerations, the options in the small car segment could be the Maruti Wagon-R, Fiat Palio, the Opel Corsa Sail and Tata Indica. The Hyundai Santro will marginally lose out on the boot space criterion, though it will score over a few others in interior space.

As for the Indica, (as in the past) I will recommend only the diesel-engine version. So, in your case it may not be part of the shortlisted candidates.

The new Fiat Palio NV or Opel Corsa Sail may best suit your requirements. However, if you frequently go out of town and larger boot space is important, a three-box car may be the better option.

In the Rs 4-5 lakh price bracket, there are a number of new mid-size car variants that have been launched specifically for car buyers like you. So, lower-end variants of the Ford Ikon, Opel Corsa, Maruti Esteem and the Tata Indigo are all available in this range.

The Tata Indigo is just a stretched out (3-box) version of the Indica, with a bit more attention to detail. Looks, both externally and internally, have been improved and the suspension is better.

The car has been road tested extensively, but off-roading is definitely not its forte. Again between the petrol and diesel engine variants of the Indigo, the latter is surely the better bet. The Ford Ikon or Maruti Esteem in this segment (depending on your budget and tastes) will suit your requirements best.

If you want to continue your love affair with sports utility vehicles, the Mahindra Bolero or the Tata Sumo are the only options within your budget (unless of course you do not mind a pre-owned vehicle).

The Mahindra Bolero is the better option here. The vehicle is more contemporary, has better fit and finish, and is available in a number of variants, including a four-wheel drive.

In the Auto Focus Column, Business Line will feature a new question and answer section _ Question `n' Auto _ to offer suggestions and solutions to readers. Readers are invited to send their queries related to the world of automobiles _ such as which bike to buy, which second-hand car to opt for and financing for cars _ to: q&a@thehindu.co.in

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