• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

S. Muralidhar

I use a Maruti 800, and am thinking of buying a new B-segment car. My budget is a maximum Rs 5 lakh. My daily use is usually a trip to the office and back.

My business trips can occasionally include driving down to cities in the neighbouring States. I have zeroed in on the Santro Xing and the Tata Indigo (petrol version). Which one should I choose? In your opinion will any other car be a better choice?

P. C. GUPTA

Between the two options that you have listed, our choice would be the Hyundai Santro Xing for its better fit-and-finish and ride quality as also its higher fuel efficiency.

The ride quality in the Santro's rear seat tends to be a bit bumpy, but overall it is a very good, value-for-money package.

The Tata Indigo and the Santro Xing are not in the same league or passenger car segment.

The Indigo is an entry-level mid-size (C-segment) car and the difference in price between this sedan and the Santro Xing is some Rs 1 lakh, depending on the model variant.

So, if you are looking for an economical B-segment car, the Santro is a good choice. But, if you do not mind the bigger sticker price and want to upgrade to an entry-level C-segment car, the Indigo can be considered.

However, we recommend the turbocharged Indigo diesel engine variant rather than the petrol version.

If you are particular about buying a petrol-driven car, then the Ford Ikon Flair is a better option. With a much better build quality and an equally spacious and comfortable cabin, the Ikon Flair will also only cost about Rs 5.3 lakh (on-road), on a par with the Tata Indigo.

From among the B-segment cars, if you do not mind a marginally lower fuel efficiency number and a potentially lower resale value, the Fiat Palio may be the best option in terms of build quality, driveability and rear seat comfort.

I plan to buy a new automatic transmission car in the Rs 5-7 lakh price range.

My driving averages 20-25 km a day within the city. What is the best buy among the automatics currently available?

KONDRAGUNTA SUKUMAR

Our recommendation would be the Honda City CVT, the car with one of the most sophisticated and effective automatic transmissions available currently. The City CVT will set you back by a bit more than the budget that you have mentioned here, but it is worth it.

As we had elaborately outlined in the Auto Focus column a few months ago, the Honda City is an extremely focussed and user-friendly car in the mid-size segment.

The City CVT, short for Continuously Variable Transmission, has an automatic gearbox that is more advanced than the conventional automatic transmission.

The difference with the CVT is the absence of individual gear ratios which enables the computer controlled auto transmission to eliminate the shocks, lulls and lapses that occur when conventional auto transmissions engage into a higher gear.

The City's belt-driven auto transmission effectively acts like it has a single ratio that operates through the rev range of the engine. This, in turn, reflects in the car's performance and mileage numbers, since the wastage of energy is reduced and the availability of power and torque is optimised.

The City's auto transmission also comes with three modes: D for City traffic conditions, S for sports mode (on highway) and L for low speed modes, like while driving on a hilly terrain.

Conventional automatic transmission tends to reduce the car's fuel efficiency, compared to the manual transmission variants.

Unless the owner's driving style is very poor, the manual transmission offer 10-20 per cent more fuel efficiency than the car's automatic transmission variant.

In the Honda City, the differential is on the lower side and a mileage of 10-12 km per litre with a mix of city and highway driving can be expected.

In the long run, the higher price for the City CVT will be paid back in the form of higher fuel efficiency.

I keep changing cars every four-five years and currently own two turbo diesel Fiat Sienas.

Now, I plan to buy two high-end model diesel cars in the mid segment. But I am confused. The vehicle could either be a sedan or a sports utility vehicle (SUV). My budget is Rs 7-7.5 lakh for each car.

My family travels long distances frequently, so, the doors and body of the new cars should be sturdy to withstand rattling and offer better safety. The car should have a quiet and refined engine and a good braking system (preferably ABS).

Good ground clearance (for negotiating potholes and speed-breakers) is a must and the interiors and boot should be roomy.

The vehicle should offer a mileage of about 12 km per litre and involve low maintenance.

JAYARAM

We recommend a sedan and SUV combo for you so that the vehicles can together offer both comfort and a large, roomy interior to accommodate your family or be able to offer extra-large storage area for luggage.

In our view, the Hyundai Accent CRDi diesel and the Mahindra Scorpio GLX may be the combo that will best suit your requirements. Both will also fit into the Rs 7 lakh-7.5 lakh shopping budget that you have mentioned.

The Accent CRDi features the extremely refined and efficient common rail direct injected diesel engine from Detroit diesel.

The 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, in-line engine is a low noise unit that comes up with a huge 82 bhp of peak power.

The low interior noise levels in this car is class leading and the vehicle also offers one of the best fuel efficiency numbers among the current crop of diesel sedans.

If you are not living in one of the major metros, the Accent CRDi may face some problems due to the lower quality of diesel that is currently available in suburban and rural areas.

This is largely due to the fact that the high-pressure pumps in the CRDi engine may be affected in the long run by the lower fuel quality.

The Mahindra Scorpio is a more SUV-type family vehicle than the Toyota Qualis or the Chevrolet Tavera. In the Scorpio you will get a stylish SUV, that is extremely driveable, safe and by now, well tested on Indian roads.

Neither vehicle comes with ABS (anti-lock braking systems) as standard fitment. But that should not deter you from considering them.

Queries may be sent to: q&a@thehindu.co.in or by post to Q&A, Business Line, 859/860, Kasturi Buildings, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Investment quiz

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line