The Hindu Business Line : Old world charm

I am fascinated by the new HM Ambassador 1800 ISZ petrol model. Though there are new models from various new car companies, I still want to own the Amby. My monthly average commute is about 500 km and almost all of it within Hyderabad city limits. There is very little information about the Ambassador nowadays, which is why this query.

What is the cost of the new Amby classic and what are the new features in the vehicle. Does it have bucket seats? What about mileage? Is the maintenance cost higher than the comparable old Amby? I would buy Amby for the sheer ownership experience.

N. Venkataraman

The Hindustan Motors Ambassador oozes old world charm and has a lot of positives that are inherently beneficial to users, especially after the number of changes that the company has put it through to make it a modern day passenger car.

Unfortunately, the Amby is still slotted by the average car buyer of today as an old, oversized car that is technologically not on par with the more modern sedans available currently.

Ask the average entry-level sedan buyer of the prospective cars that come to his mind and he is more likely to recall the Maruti Suzuki Esteem, Ford Ikon and the Opel Corsa, but not the Ambassador, though, priced at about Rs 4.5 lakh (ex-showroom, for the airconditioned, power steering petrol version). At this price, it actually competes with a few small cars.

The ubiquitous Amby's image as a favourite amongst `taxiwallahs' and the Government `babu' has also pulled down its appeal amongst the individual car buying population.

But despite the fact that nothing much has changed on the outside, the Amby's interiors and its heart have undergone considerable changes over the last few years.

For starts, the finish and trim quality have been improved. Depending on the variant, the Amby now comes with bucket seats, power steering, a more powerful airconditioner and disc brakes at the front for better braking performance (a feature that this car used to be criticised for in the past). The Amby now also sports wider 15-inch wheels and radial tyres.

The improved suspension and smoother gearbox may not match the refinement that some of the other more modern sedans offer, but it is still much better than its predecessors. The car's cold start characteristics have also been fine-tuned to be more consistent. The Amby already offered loads of interior legroom and massive boot space and this has not changed.

But the Ambassador is not a frugal performer and the mileage average in city will tend to hover around the 8 kmpl for the petrol version. Maintenance costs have remained nearly unchanged, though with the multi-point fuel injected ISZ 1800 engine it will not exactly be possible to ask the road side mechanic to repair the Amby.

The Amby is hated for its dated design and awkward handling. Its size makes it difficult to drive and park in city conditions, a feature that the compact and technologically more advanced sedans of today are preferred for.

But if you like the Amby that much, we surely cannot offer a counter argument.

I am planning to buy my first car shortly. I am not an experienced driver and look forward to improve my driving skills with the car that I buy. The cars that I have short-listed are Tata Indica V2 DLX, Fiat Palio 1.2 ELX and the Hyundai Getz GLS. The important factors to be considered, from my perspective, are ride and handling (being an inexperienced driver), roomy interiors, good after-sales service with low maintenance cost in the long run, good rear seat comfort for the occasional long distance travel and value for money, in that order.

Fuel efficiency is a concern but not a major one. The Getz seems to be a good car. But I think it is overpriced at the moment. What is your opinion? Does it provide enough value to justify sedan-level pricing?

If your choice were the Getz, would you recommend waiting for a couple of months to see if the prices come down?

Anand B.

Our choice will be the Hyundai Getz for its great handling characteristics, excellent exterior size to interior space ratio and its powerful, yet relatively fuel-efficient 1.3 litre engine.

The Getz's pricing will continue to be a difficult issue for Hyundai to convince its customers about. With entry-level sedans such as the Ford Ikon and the Maruti Esteem priced so closely in the Rs 4.5 to Rs 5.5 lakh range, the Getz will, on the face of it, seem to be over priced in comparison.

But you get a lot more in the Getz when compared to all the other two-box cars that are available and it even manages to match up to many of the sedans in the entry-level and beyond.

For example, the Getz is wider than the Esteem and the Ikon. And though its wheelbase is about 30mm lesser than the Ikon's, it will still be able to offer more room inside than the former and would only be found lacking in the boot space criteria. The interior legroom and shoulder space at the rear seat are the biggest plus points with the Getz. Once inside, the Getz does not feel like a small car and the trim quality that you will get in this Hyundai car will be superior to the other similar priced entry-level sedans.

Fuel efficiency at about 10-12 kmpl in city conditions will be better than the Ikon's and will be on par with what the Esteem can offer.

The Getz's whole focus rests on its practical, user-friendly features, engaging drive and the sedan quality interior trim and space packed into small car dimensions.

The issue of whether it is a value for money car for that price rests solely in the way you look at what it offers. If you are not attempting to buy a sedan just for its three-box looks, then the Getz will seem to be so much more attractive.

The price of the Getz is unlikely to come down in the next few months, though you may be able to wrangle some dealer-specific bargains in your city.

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.

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