The Hindu Business Line : Question & Auto

I am looking to buy a family car and am considering the Toyota Innova diesel as an option. But I am wondering if an Innova upgrade is on the anvil this year from Toyota? Is any other competing product in the multi-utility vehicle (MUV) segment expected to be launched this year? What other cars in the same price segment as Innova could be an option? Someone suggested the seven-seater Logan. When will it be launched? My guess is that it will be in a different segment. Am I right? Are there other cars that would give the same level of comfort in the less than Rs 9 lakh segment (ex- showroom)? — V. Anand Kumar

The Toyota Innova is currently one of the most refined family vans/people’s movers in the market. The other options in the same (family van or MUV) segment are the GM Chevrolet Tavera and the Tata Winger.

There could be a marginal change to the Innova that may be considered by the Toyota later this year, but there is no specific information from the company about any such plans for the vehicle. It is rumoured that Toyota is planning to launch a sports utility vehicle on the same IMV platform on which the Innova is based on. However, again, here too there is no official confirmation from the company that this launch will happen this year.

The other vehicle launches in the same segment that might happen later this year or in 2009 are possibly the Renault Logan MCV (or Steppe) and the Mahindra Ingenio. These vehicles will be positioned alongside the Toyota Innova in terms of price and value, but are more likely to make it to the market only next year.

The refinement of the Innova’s interior and its excellent driveability, despite its relatively large overall proportions, make it a good buy for someone looking for a seven-seater. But if you are considering a family vehicle that can accommodate five and only occasionally will be needed for transporting seven, then there is a bigger list from which it can choose the more suitable vehicle.

That list could include vehicles such as Mahindra Scorpio, Tata Safari and the Tata Sumo Grande. All of these vehicles have diesel engine options and will be priced around Rs 9 lakh.

I am planning to buy a Tata Indigo CS Diesel sedan. I am considering this vehicle because of its good looks, the fact that it is diesel and because I have not heard much complaints about the Indigo. The price is also quite attractive. Can you tell me whether my decision is okay or can you suggest any other option other than the Indigo CS? Any forthcoming models? — Rahul Kadam

My budget to buy a new sedan is Rs 4.5 lakh. Only the Tata Indigo CS can match my budget. Will the CS’s engine be suitable for addition of a gas kit? How will this car fare in the resale value parameter? — Raviram K.

The Tata Indigo CS is a very affordable and, therefore, an attractive proposition for buyers looking for an entry-level sedan. It has decent finish quality, will help you break into the three-box segment and is priced almost as though it were a premium hatch. However, the package you will get at this price will include an interior that is just marginally better than the hatchback Indica.

The other options that you can consider in the same segment could include the ageing Ford Ikon and the brand new, rather yet to be launched, Suzuki Swift D’Zire. Both of them will either be or is likely to be more expensive than the Indigo CS, though in terms of finish quality and refinement they will be better than the Tata sedan. The Swift D’Zire, the sedan version of the hot hatch, Suzuki Swift, is likely to be launched by the end of this month.

The Indigo CS’s diesel variant is priced at Rs 4.5 lakh for the trim that has HVAC and power steering as standard. The engine is the same 1,400cc, turbocharged, inter-cooled diesel mill that is offered with the regular Indigo. Both the petrol and diesel engines can accommodate the retro-fitment of a gas kit for LPG or CNG respectively. Look for a reputed aftermarket kit manufacturer’s workshop. The quality of integration will still not be as good as factory fitment.

It is still too early to speculate or even make a calculated guess about the resale value of the Indigo CS. The model has just been introduced. It is also entirely possible that Tata Motors may want to reconsider the future of the Indigo CS if the 4,000mm excise duty advantage for small cars is either nullified or the ceiling is reduced to 3,800mm, which might then lead to the Indigo CS losing its pricing advantage.

I want to buy an automatic transmission car and I am looking at the Hyundai Santro Xing AT and the Suzuki WagonR AX. Which will be the better car in terms of mileage and reliability? My average commute is only about 20 km per day within the city. — Ravichandran Vinothkumar

Both the Suzuki WagonR AX and the Hyundai Santro Xing AT are tried and tested cars and so reliability will not be an issue. In terms of fuel efficiency of the two cars compared to their respective manual transmission options, both of these automatics will be able to offer only lower mileage numbers. However, the differential would be lower in the case of the auto gearbox version of the Santro Xing compared to its manual gearbox variant. On average, automatics, especially if they are not very advanced technologically speaking, tend to be less fuel-efficient than their manual transmission counterparts.

On the other hand, if the driver is not particularly adept at the use of a manual gearbox, the automatic can actually be able to offer him a higher overall mileage, especially in stop-and-go traffic.

The Hyundai Santro Xing AT is offered with a slightly more advanced, four-speed automatic transmission with two drive modes and features like a high performance torque converter and a hydraulic-electronic control. The Suzuki WagonR is offered with a slightly older three-speed automatic gearbox.

Take your pick based on preferences and availability.