The Hindu Business Line : Baleno: A value for money

I have been using an LML Trendy for the last eight years. But now the parts for this scooterette are not so easy to come by and so I have decided to buy a new two-wheeler. I like the new-look Kinetic Blaze, part of the Italiano Series, with its 165cc engine. Which one should I choose for good mileage - the Kinetic Blaze or the Honda Activa?

Umesh Chougule

The Kinetic Blaze is a large scooter that sports an extremely modern and young design. It is a performance-oriented scooter that is meant to offer an engaging ride to young riders, who may have otherwise been planning to buy a bike in the same engine size category.

Kinetic is attempting to infuse some excitement and woo younger two-wheeler users back into the scooter category with its Italiano series. But class leading fuel efficiency is not going to be one of the plus points of the Blaze. Compared to the Honda Activa, the Blaze's fuel efficiency will tend to be lower.

Going by your experience with the LML Trendy, which is really a scooterette, somewhat like the TVS Scooty ES, the Honda Activa should prove to be an attractive upgrade in most areas of performance. The Blaze may prove to be too much to handle both in terms of aggressive performance and lower mileage.

Ours is a family of four and a dog. I am a resident of Noida, my daughter lives in Mumbai, and my son is farming near Godhra. I and my wife like to travel and visit our children. We are looking for an automobile, which can carry us, and our dog. We can't take the train since they don't allow the dog to travel with us. Can you suggest a low-cost car solution?

AKN

One of the most pet-friendly vehicles that is currently available in the country, which we feel will be perfectly suitable for you, is the Toyota Innova. The Innova is roomy and can accommodate four passengers in addition to your pet. Its relatively tall roof means that the headroom it offers won't make your dog feel claustrophobic and better still the twin air-conditioner in the top-end variants will mean that the pet will be comfortable even in the third row seat.

The Innova is also perfectly suited for long drives with comfort levels for rear-seat passengers on a par with most premium sedans, especially with the captain seats option for the second row. The Innova D-4D, 2.5-litre diesel engined version will be the more economical of the two engine options.

The Toyota Innova will however, cost nearly Rs 10 lakh with all the favoured options. If that is too expensive and beyond your budget, the option to consider in the lower priced, diesel-engine utility vehicle segment will be the Mahindra Scorpio. Further, down the pricing matrix, the Maruti Suzuki Wagon-R Duo, with petrol and LPG fuel option may be the closest you can get to the cost per kilometer that a diesel vehicle can offer. But LPG use on the highway may not be possible in the absence of fuel pumps vending the gas.

I intend buying the Maruti Baleno LXi. Can you please let me know if it is worth investing about Rs 5.5 lakh in this model? Is it good value for money and how about its resale value, if I want to sell it after two-three years. My normal driving is office to home only in city.

Malay Vora

I read in newspapers that Maruti is planning to stop production of the Baleno by December and would launch a new version by May-June next year.

Given this scenario, is the Baleno still a good buy? Or you would suggest a different car for me? My budget is strictly Rs 6 lakh.

Deepak Gupta

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno is great value for money, even before you consider the additional discounts that may be offered by the company's dealers. For a car in its size class, the Baleno is surprisingly well loaded with features that comparable cars offer for a much higher price.

But that is of course because demand for the car has just not taken off given its dated design and unexciting pedigree. It is obvious that Maruti is discounting the product to push sales and that is reason enough for its much lower resale value.

The current Baleno's resale value will be further affected, if and when it is withdrawn from production. Going by market rumours, Suzuki is likely to both withdraw the Baleno completely and replace it with a new premium sedan with a new name or may launch the new model as an upgrade to the current Baleno.

The new sedan is said to have been developed on the Suzuki SX4 platform and may be launched by March next year. There is also news that Suzuki is planning to launch a three-box version of the Swift. Even if the names are retained, the current Baleno and the Zen may actually be the first Maruti models to face the axe.

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.

More Stories on : Automobiles | Question 'N' Auto

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