The Hindu Business Line : Fiat Palio 1.9 is a good option

I hear that from this October heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems will become compulsory for all passenger cars. I presume that this would mean the withdrawal of the lowest priced variants of many cars that are being offered by companies to woo customers (for the base version) into buying the variant that does not feature air-conditioner as part of standard fitment. In most cases, as soon as the standard version of the car is out of the showroom, the buyer gets the air-conditioner retro-fitted. What are the diesel compact cars that offer good driveability even with a HVAC system? Is Hyundai Motor India planning to launch a diesel version of the Getz this fiscal?

R. B. Koganti

The HVAC system is different from a regular air-conditioning system that only cools the interiors and does not provide for heating. Similarly, there are other cars, which only feature a ventilating fan and do not provide for cooling or heating.

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) is, in collaboration with the Government and other industry bodies, working out the standards for HVAC systems in passenger vehicles. There are no such standards currently and there are no laws, as yet, that mandate the type and features that car HVAC systems should offer.

New standards and the law mandating that all cars should be compliant with such a norm will be in place soon. But the deadline is not expected to be October 1, 2005. Many car models are being offered without HVAC to cater to the less demanding taxi segment of the market and for car owners who live in climes where air-conditioning may not be required.

Some cars/mini-vans may not be suitable for a full-feature HVAC system, but it is not clear if these vehicles will have to be withdrawn from the market if and when the standards regarding these systems are put in place. It is also possible that these standards may be made mandatory only for passenger vehicles sold in the metros.

Of the two diesel-powered compact cars in the market (Euro III emission norms compliant and available in the metros) the Fiat Palio 1.9 is a good option to consider. It features an efficient HVAC system and will be able to offer class-leading build and finish quality. The Palio's fuel efficiency for a diesel car in this segment will, however, be slightly lower than that of the Tata Indica. But the usual problems, such as poor resale value and relatively lower after-sales service, will have to be considered before the decision to buy the Palio is finalised. The only other option in this segment is the Tata Indica.

There is no official information about the impending launch of a diesel version of the Hyundai Getz; but the possibility does exist.

I am planning to purchase a new Bajaj Discover DTS-i (self-start with `mag' wheels). What is your take on this bike. It has a new feature called `ride control'. What is its use? Is this a popular bike in its segment? What is your opinion about the price-value proposition of the Bajaj Discover DTS-i?

Anil Pai

Bajaj recently launched the Discover DTS-i with alloy wheels and new spring-in-spring rear suspension. The bike definitely represents a better value proposition than most other competing bikes in the 125cc segment. The `ride control' feature is based on a technology that Bajaj developed in-house and first introduced in the Bajaj CT-100, the company's now popular entry-level bike.

The ride control switch was essentially designed to improve mileage. The CT-100's ride control switch enables the rider select between economy and power modes — the former for better mileage and the latter for better pick-up and performance.

According to Bajaj, motorcyclists inadvertently speed up in lower gears or cruise in lower speeds in higher gears. This affects a bike's drivability and mileage. To achieve the best possible fuel efficiency, motorcycles need to be ridden in a specific range of engine rpm or speed in each gear. This is what manufacturers do while testing a bike's fuel efficiency under standard test conditions.

Bajaj's R&D, which came up with the blue manual selection switch, has achieved a lowering of fuel consumption by simply reducing the play of the throttle. When the ride control switch is flicked on, the rider feels a small resistance at the throttle whenever a gear-change is required. The mild resistance, somewhat like the tightening of a spring-loaded mechanism, reduces fuel wastage both during quick spurts of acceleration and slowing down.

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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