The Hindu Business Line : Searching for fuel efficient vehicles

I am planning to buy a cruiser bike and am interested in the Enfield Thunderbird, as I feel the bike is excellent for long distances. Recently, I heard that Bajaj is launching a 220cc version of its Pulsar with lots of new premium features. I travel about 100-200 km on weekends visiting neighbouring tourist spots. I am looking for a low-maintenance bike with good brakes, suspension and fuel efficiency. Which bike do you suggest? Should I wait for the new Bajaj Pulsar? - S. Ram Pradeep

You are intending to buy a cruiser bike, but the Bajaj Pulsar is more like an upright sports performance bike. The bike from Bajaj that may be able to offer you a similar biking experience as the Enfield Thunderbird is the Avenger.

That said, the new Bajaj Pulsar could also interest you, as it will come loaded with enough features to wean away potential entry-level car buyers. But if the rumour mills are right, priced at Rs 90,000, the new Pulsar will be more expensive than the Enfield Thunderbird that you have shortlisted.

It may be prudent to wait for this new Pulsar to be launched before you choose between the two, if you do think that is the type you want. While both these bikes will be able to offer you good braking and suspension, fuel efficiency is not their forte.

The new Pulsar is expected to be launched by October. It will be the first bike from Bajaj with a fuel-injected engine.

I am a businessman based in Agra. My work takes me out to nearby cities such as Delhi, a distance of 200-250 km, a few times every month. I love to drive and am a performance enthusiast. I like the performance of my Fiat Palio (sport version) and I also own a Maruti Zen two-door (Carbon). Now I need a sedan that delivers on performance, one that I can enjoy on long drives. I have narrowed the list down to the Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi, the Cheverolet Optra 1.6 LS, the Optra SRV and the Toyota Innova (my family of five goes out for a vacation once a month).

My son wants me to buy the Optra, but for me fuel efficiency and low maintenance are also crucial factors. Can you suggest a car from the aforementioned choices or any other keeping in mind the skyrocketing fuel prices and the performance aspects?

Kashish Tandon

With rising oil prices, it is going to be an eternal toss-up between fuel efficiency and performance,not just for car buyers in India but globally as well.

For those looking at the mid-priced car segment, this quandary is even more pronounced and it can be safely said that the trade-off between the two expectations is personal; it is not the same for any two persons.

While at it, we must also remember that this whole performance issue tends to get overblown given the fact that most of us just can't get to drive our cars on the edge of their performance limits for much more than short bursts even on the highway.

In your case, given your expectations regarding fuel efficiency and low maintenance, it may be a good idea to choose the Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi diesel model. But if you are keen on sticking it out with petrol and are also looking for a car that fetch you a good resale price, then the Honda City will be best option. The City's 1.5-litre, i-DSI engine has been tuned for good fuel efficiency, and while its performance is a tad bit sluggish in the low rpm range as a result, it can get satisfyingly peppy once the needle slips past the 3,000 rpm level.

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