Let us buy a car

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8/7/2019 Let us buy a car http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/let-us-buy-a-car 1/31 Let us buy a car! Alright, you have decided to buy a car. It is time to answer the following questions so that you end up making the right decision. By Bijoy Kumar Y, Editor, BS Motoring Buying new or used Friends and relatives might try and dissuade you from buying a new car if you are a new driver. Don't bother...if you have the money or access to a loan, please go ahead and buy a sparkling new car. If you have learnt driving properly, you will not be putting dents on it the way your friends warned you. A new car also means fewer worries when it comes to maintenance and economy. But I want a real used bargain! Now you are talking. From my experience cars take a toll on Indian driving conditions (poor roads, heavy monsoon, bad quality of fuel are a few reasons). Always go by the km covered by the car than its age in years. Obviously, the lower it is the better. An ideal small car used deal is when you get a car that has done between 20 to 30,000 km at half its new car price. Mind you, the world is not ideal. Golden word of advice? Do not touch cars over 75,000 km in India - however enticing the deal may sound. You are simply buying a few worry lines as the car would soon need a suspension a suspension and engine overhaul that can cost a lot - and yes, you are well out of warranty by then too. (There are, of course, well cared for cars that are exceptions to the above rule!) Hatch back or sedan? Buy the car for your needs and not by the social strata that they may seem to elevate you into. With the kind of choice available in the market, it is not necessary for you to be stuck with a big, thirsty sedan when all you need is a comfortable car to commute, park and one that does not put you in the black list of the office accountants. If you are the sort who likes to pick up friends and relatives from airports and railway stations, then you need a boot. Also if

Transcript of Let us buy a car

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Let us buy a car!Alright, you have decided to buy a car. It is time to answer thefollowing questions so that you end up making the right decision.

By Bijoy Kumar Y, Editor, BS Motoring

Buying new or used

Friends and relatives might try and dissuade you from buying a new car if youare a new driver. Don't bother...if you have the money or access to a loan,please go ahead and buy a sparkling new car. If you have learnt driving

properly, you will not be putting dents on it the way your friends warned you.A new car also means fewer worries when it comes to maintenance andeconomy.

But I want a real used bargain!

Now you are talking. From my experience cars take a toll on Indian drivingconditions (poor roads, heavy monsoon, bad quality of fuel are a few reasons).Always go by the km covered by the car than its age in years. Obviously, thelower it is the better. An ideal small car used deal is when you get a car thathas done between 20 to 30,000 km at half its new car price. Mind you, theworld is not ideal. Golden word of advice? Do not touch cars over 75,000 km

in India - however enticing the deal may sound. You are simply buying a fewworry lines as the car would soon need a suspension a suspension and engineoverhaul that can cost a lot - and yes, you are well out of warranty by thentoo. (There are, of course, well cared for cars that are exceptions to the aboverule!)

Hatch back or sedan?

Buy the car for your needs and not by the social strata that they may seem toelevate you into. With the kind of choice available in the market, it is notnecessary for you to be stuck with a big, thirsty sedan when all you need is acomfortable car to commute, park and one that does not put you in the blacklist of the office accountants. If you are the sort who likes to pick up friendsand relatives from airports and railway stations, then you need a boot. Also if

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you are a rear seat passenger, bigger cars offer better ride comfort at theback - a good enough reason to buy one size bigger. A bigger car feels moresurefooted and safe at highway speeds - but that does not mean that asmaller car cannot offer similar safety standards.

Diesel, petrol or LPG

If you are going to drive more than 40-50 km a day - the slight premium youpay for a modern diesel car make sense, since diesels stretch a liter by 30 percent more than petrol engines. And modern diesel engines are as reliable,almost as refined and as maintenance free as petrol engines.

If your driving is less than 40-50 km a day, you should not waste your hardearned money on diesel engine premium. Spend the additional Rs 30,000 on agood quality LPG kit (or buy an LPG variant as new) if you still need moreeconomy from your petrol engine - as long as you have easy access to LPGfilling stations.

Sedan or SUV

SUVs are bought mostly for the sporty image and the space they offer thantheir ability to go off-road. Alas, they spend most of their life on tarmac. Hereis an important tip - a modern car is more comfortable to travel than in a SUV.So if you are buying a car and employing a driver, you are better off with asedan than a SUV. Another myth is that a SUV is better to go to hill stations.Wrong - a car is dynamically better and safer to go around corners than tallSUVs. That said, most new SUV makers have worked harder to make SUVsbehave. Another reason why people buy SUVs in India (and the rest of theworld) is because they make you feel secure. Though it may be sound right,bigger is not always safer. You should buy a machine (SUV/hatchback/sedan)that has active and passive safety features built into it - than going by sizealone.

Do I need ABS and Airbags? (I don't drive fast....)

Anti-lock Breaking System is a must have active safety feature (one thatprevents an accident) on every Indian car. ABS prevents you from gettinginvolved in an accident. It allows you to brake hard to avoid hitting obstacles(pedestrians for example) and steer around them. In cars without ABS,chances of your wheels locking up on braking and sending you on anuncontrollable skid (and crashing on to people, stationary vehicles and so on)is very high. Think of it this way - hitting a pedestrian who runs across theroad (very normal in India) may cost you a lot more trauma, money and time(average of five to seven years spend attending court cases). So insist on anew car with ABS.

Airbags are passive safety devises. They get inflated during collisions athigher speeds (no, they won't come on at bumper to bumper traffic incidents)and along with the seat belts ensure that you are not moving around inside acar that is coming to a halt very suddenly due to an impact - thus preventinginjuries which at times can be fatal. The airbags deflate in a Nano-second -

which means that they cannot suffocate you).ABS and Airbags are important safety devises and along with seat belts go on

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to makes the modern car very safe. Spend your money wisely - opt for ABSand Airbags.

Source: India Syndicate

About the author: Bijoy Kumar Y is the founder, editor of Business Standard

Motoring magazine. After brief stints with two automotive publications (IndianAuto and Car and Bike International) Bijoy Kumar Y joined Business Standard Ltd in 1995 (aged 26) to start the first dedicated automotive page in anewspaper in India which still continues to be published. With BusinessStandard he launched annuals, quarterlies and eventually a monthly automotive publication, Business Standard Motoring, in 1999. Bijoy Kumar Y ispassionate about machines and loves writing. Though a qualified lawyer, hedid his higher studies in communication and journalism to pursue what heloves doing - driving, riding and writing. He is married to Rekha Bijoy and hastwo children, Aadityan and Miura. He lives in Thane, Mumbai.

Change your car ever so often?The automobile is an adult’s ultimate aspirational toy. People use itto stamp their differentiation. Look at how musician John Lennonexpressed his anti-war philosophy in 1965. He paid £2,000 to a Dutchteam of gypsy artists to paint his thoughts in his Rolls Royce.Automobiles have inspired several artist painters. On the 100thbirthday of the automobile in 1986, pop icon artist Andy Warhol wascommissioned by DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Mercedes Benz andBMW to paint a series about cars. BMW also had artists Frank Stella,Roy Lichtenstein and Ernst Fuchs do art cars.

But an automobile is a big ticket item. How often can consumers get designercars painted by famous artists or afford to change their cars? Yet everyonewants to be different. Newer kinds of spendthrifts have emerged like thebelow 30 Digital Zappers. This generation flits from product to product andthey influence every purchase made in the home. The major perpetrator to

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disrupt market rules with recurrent newness is the mobile phone. It took thelandline several decades to change functionality, design and aesthetics.Today's tech-savvy mobile phone has not just minituarised itself, it hascollapsed many industries into a single device in the palm of the consumer'shand. At home, a refrigerator spent a good 40 years with you earlier, the

music system at least 15 years, while the thought of discarding a TV set wasunheard of. Then Japanese and Koreans arrived to topsy turvy our belief thatelectric and electronic appliances vacate the trend-wagon every three to fiveyears. If home appliances could be changed so radically, why notautomobiles?

In this backdrop, auto designers would do well to re-think about how toconnect to consumers' changing needs. Long work hours in developingcountries are making working couples spend less time with each other.Grappling to find pressure busters, people are becoming more self-indulgent,and their high spend patterns getting into diverse new areas. In the autoindustry, consumers cannot change vehicles like they do phones.

"Style your own car"

Regular-change auto remodelling accessories could be the auto industry'squick solution to participate in the consumers' frequent changing habit.Certain physical elements can be altered to change the car's appearance,without disturbing its internal master engineering. These could be the bumperor steering wheel, bonnet, wheel cap, side mirror, gear holding, upholstery,among others. Remodelling accessories should never be considered asreplacement of damaged features. Instead, the auto industry should promote"style your own car" as the contemporary new dimension that takes carowners into the quick changing paradigm.

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Consumers generally keep a car for three years. For today's change mentality,that's an eternity, total frustration creeps in. Remodelling their cars willdefinitely perk them up. Multiple visible looks can be generated for people touse different remodelling accessories on different occasions. They need notgo for superficial accessories such as crazy horn sounds, music on reverse

gear or stylish hubcaps, among others. Easy-fix remodelling accessories canrepresent an India-centric trend: India represents only 3.5 per cent of theglobal automobile market. Considering its 1.2 billion population, every automanufacturer is focusing on capturing this throbbing potential. The scope forinvention using India's unique diversity of culture, social, language, food,geography is tremendous. With the economy on the boom trend, people arelooking for personal identification, status or cultural difference. By testingremodelling accessories in India, this new concept can open a new businesshorizon in the global market. Easy-fix remodelling accessories can redefinethe service station. Creating a new dimension of activities, it can become anew revenue stream.

Remodelling accessories must be relevant to socio-behavioural clusters: Overthe past decade, we've tracked Indian consumers and have identified eightsocio-behavioural consumer clusters in every income group. Society's driversare the clusters of Critical, Novelty seeker, Flamboyant, Techy and Gizmo

lovers. Remodelling accessories for this group can be complex andexhibitionist, whereas for society followers, the Low key, Value seeker andSober, they can be simple yet functional. A wide variety in each type willinvite consumers of every socio-behavioural cluster to change to get out of boredom. Auto manufacturers can consider offering easy-fix remodellingaccessories for at least 10 features in the car. Each feature will have fourchoices each for the driver and follower groups; for example, eight pieces of the rear view mirror feature. These should flaunt widely different charactersto connect to these different socio-behavioural clusters of consumers.Packages can range from $200 to $2,000 for an automobile that costs about$12000.

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Rapidfire change running across industries

Product planning for tomorrow's vehicle can in-build design that allows easyfixing of remodelling accessories. This could start a new industry. Avoidmarketing them as gadgets. Take a cue from Swatch, an oft-changingproduct, which was never marketed as a temporary doodad. Swatch isreputed as serious, low priced, highly aspirational, accompanying everydaylifestyle and the mood change driver of different people in the world.Remodelling accessories could be modelled after Swatch to change theautomobile industry's perception where all vehicles look more or less thesame. American automobiles have a Barbie doll image, Italians show off delicate women, the French ooze fashion and English cars are a royalexperience. German cars reflect hardcore sophisticated engineering, theSwedes stress on safety, Japan on quality and cost efficiency, which Koreansdiligently follow. This new idea showcasing diversity through remodellingaccessories could acquire for India a futuristic image and be our contributionto the auto world.

New BMW 5 Series launched:Five out of five?BMW has launched the New 5 Series in India! The prices for the fournew versions launched are 523i - Rs 38.9 lakh, 535i - Rs 58 lakh,525d - Rs Rs 39.9 lakh, 530d - 45.9 lakh

Bijoy Kumar Y, Consulting editor, India SyndicateEditor, BS Motoring

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All four models launched are on-sale right now. The 535i is a CBU, while theother three models are CKDs. The 523i and 525d come with 8 speedautomatic gearboxes. The 530d and 535i come with 8 speed gearboxes withsport function paddle shifts. The 535i comes with a twin turbo petrol enginewith a straight six, while the 523i comes with a straight six naturally aspiratedpetrol engine that makes 204 bhp. The 530d and 525d come with straight sixdiesel engines, the former making 245 bhp while the latter makes 204 bhp.

What is a perfect day in the life of a motoring journalist like? Well, you couldwake up in a comfortable hotel next to the ocean, somewhere in Portugal.Then have an early breakfast and hit a twisty bit of road that borders theAtlantic in a brand-spanking-new car.

For example the new BMW 5 series. Once you have scared yourself silly byblasting across the landscape you could head towards the friendlyneighbourhood racetrack with a bit of Formula One history. And then do someserious apex hunting in a car that is more talented than its driver ever couldbe. After that park the car and get ferried to a nice enough sea foodrestaurant and share the stories with likeminded journalists. Sounds like fun?

Well, we call it work.So how is the new 5 series, you ask? While the 3 series can be termed smalland the 7 series tad too big, the 5 series represent the right size of automobile. No wonder then that, along with the E-Class Mercedes-Benz, the5 series is one of the largest selling sport sedans in the whole world. In theIndian context the new 5 series is very important for BMW to continue its newfound domination over the three-pointed star - more so since a newMercedes-Benz E-Class is in the process of re-capturing the lost glory for itsmaker.

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To begin with the new 5 series look sportier in a traditional manner comparedto the model it replaces. Allowances have been made in the design so thatbeefier, more powerful versions carrying the 'M' badge can be derived ateasily. All the elements that makes a classic BMW is intact though - the kidneygrille (larger and bolder now), the kink on the C-pillar (so what if it has beencopied by almost every luxury car maker?) and the shark-fin antenna forexample. The multi-surface hood gives the feeling that it is hiding serioushorsepower and the deep scalpel line that forms the watermark gives itsprofile certain degree of character. Overall the result of the design exercise isone that of relief - the last generation will now be remembered for theweirdness than flamboyance.

A far more serious story is in the innards of the car - and it is as expected, astech laden as they come. Like the rest of the platform, the new 5 seriesshares bits and pieces with the new 7 series. The all new i-Drive and the pistolgrip gear lever for example. The uncluttered lay out of the instrument console

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features quality materials ranging from moulded form to best of wood inserts.The car is wider on the inside and the rear seat can actually occupy fiveadults in some comfort. BMW has added active steering with four wheel steer(like in the 7 series) as an option and the list continues with features such asblind-spot warning, lane departure warning, head-up display, bi-xenon lights

that follows the corner, pedestrian detection system, frontal distance warningsystem for easy parking and a collision warning system that applies brakes if you get too close to another car....enough? All ingredients that makes it acontender for the World Car of the Year 2010 for sure.

There were two engines for us to sample and I concentrated on the 535i SEwith the six cylinder petrol that displaces close to 3000 cc to develop 302 bhpat 5800 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 1200 rpm. This is a versatile motor thatmakes sense on congested streets as well as highways. Power is transmittedto the rear wheels via an all new eight-speed automatic gear box that allowsthe car to settle down to a relaxed cruising mode when required.

A much improved ride from the suspension-tyre combination is a welcome

story while the lack of feedback from the electric steering was the negativeone. But hey, you can't have everything, right? BMW has understood that indeveloping markets their cars are increasingly chauffeur driven and theimportance of comfort and luxury has been accepted and implemented. Thetrick is not to lose out on the performance DNA that defines the cars fromMunich - a hot session at the Estoril race track assured that it is very muchintact.

Expect the new BMW to reach showrooms carrying a Rs 50-60 lakh price tag.And expect even more aggression from the dealers to take the fight straightto the E-class territory.

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Making of Honda Jazz"How is it made?" The most natural question that springs toeveryone's mind after coming across a beautiful piece of engineering. Take Honda's cars, for example. We visit their

manufacturing plant in Greater Noida for a dekko at close quarters.

Honda Siel Cars India Limited (HSCI) was incorporated in December 1995 as ajoint venture between Honda Motor Company Limited of Japan and SielLimited with a commitment to provide Honda's latest passenger car modelsand technologies to Indian customers. The investment made by the companyin India to date is Rs 1,620 crore for the Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) plantand Rs 784 crore for the Tapukara (Rajasthan) plant.

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HSCI's first state-of-the-art manufacturing unit was set up in Greater Noida in1997. This green-field project is spread over 150 acres of land (over 6,00,000square metres) and has an annual capacity of 1,00,000 units. The Tapukaraplant encompasses over 600 acres of land and will have an initial productioncapacity of 60,000 units per annum at an investment of about Rs 1,000 crore.As reported in CAR India earlier, the first phase of this facility was inauguratedin September 2008.

The company's range of products includes the Honda Jazz, Honda City, HondaCivic and Honda Accord, which are manufactured at the Greater Noida facilitywith indigenisation levels of 77 per cent, 76 per cent, 74 per cent and 28 percent respectively. The CR-V, on the other hand, is imported from Japan as a

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completely built unit (CBU). Honda's models are associated with advanceddesign and technology, apart from proven qualities such as durability,reliability and fuel-efficiency.

Honda Siel's Greater Noida plant allows the manufacture of various models.However, here we shall concentrate exclusively on the Jazz. Although theinstalled capacity is for 1,00,000 units, it has the potential to go up to1,25,000 after taking care of a few bottlenecks. The number this year will beabout 70,000 units.

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The whole manufacturing process for the Jazz starts from welding. The pressis located in Tapukara and backward integration of the parts (such as thepowertrain) is also done there.

The Jazz boasts of localisation to the extent of 80 per cent. This has becomepossible owing to extensive indigenisation of both in-house and outsourcedparts and components, the latter being taken care of by the company'spurchase department.

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One good thing about the Jazz is that, except for the battery wherein lead hasto be used due to some technological issues, all its components are lead-free.Although Indian law does not stipulate that all the components should be freefrom such hazardous elements, it is in keeping with Honda's philosophy and,as such, all the suppliers also have to sign an undertaking that theircomponents do not contain such hazardous elements.

Budget Bash: Etios vs Manza vsDzireAs Toyota join the entry-level sedan party, Sarmad Kadirigatecrashes the bash to pick the best partner to jive around townwith.

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We normally associate Toyota with premium cars, but, for the first time, theworld's largest car maker has developed a low-cost car like the Etios. This isprobably the most affordable sedan in its entire global line-up, creating abenchmark of sorts in affordability. Obviously, one would not expect a Corollafor Rs 7 lakh.

Having said that, the Etios has to live up to Toyota's standard and also elbowout Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors, who have been masters of cost-effectivecars in India. Maruti Suzuki's Dzire and Tata Motors' Manza are currently themost popular models in this category and so they make for the obvious choiceto be pitted against the Toyota, the new challenger.

To be honest, none of these three will bowl you over with its design. TheMaruti looks better as a hatchback, but the sedan's three-box design does nothave a natural flow and looks as if the boot has been added as anafterthought. The focus is on practicality rather than on inspiring awe.Meanwhile, the Tata Manza seems to be an improvement over its forebearsand carries the sharp bonnet design, which has become a Tata design DNA,also seen on the Aria and the Vista. Unlike the Maruti, the boot on the Manzalooks naturally incorporated and, overall, the design is decent, but willcertainly not woo you in your midsummer night's dream.

Like most Toyota designs the brand-new Etios has not been designed to takeyour breath away. The approach is safe and well-balanced with anunmistakably Toyota grille. The headlights and fog lamps are simple andsmall. The crease on the door looks crisp and rises sharply towards the rearwheel arch, adding some character to the car. The angular boot with largetriangular tail-lights is not exciting either. Overall, the Toyota is ratherunderstated like the other two cars in this comparo, but seems moreappealing now due to its freshness.

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While the Manza and the top-end Etios run on 15-inch wheels, the baseversions of the Toyota comes with 14-inch wheels like the Dzire's. The Manzais also the largest in external proportion, being the tallest, widest and longest,with the Etios coming a close second. However, the Maruti and Toyota offerbetter ground clearance of 170 mm, which is vital for our road conditions.

The Etios VX has dual colour seats which are flat and comfortable, but do nothave a rear centre armrest. It has one of the largest glove-boxes in thesegment and also has an a-c vent to keep the contents cool. The front lookssubtle with the sharply arched grille, staying true to typical Toyota design.The roomy 595-litre boot of the Etios is unheard of in this segment.

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So far as the interior design goes, the Etios remains the most radical. Theinstrument console is placed in the middle of the dashboard and is tiltedtowards the driver, making it easy to read. It offers several cup/bottle holdersand a large glovebox-cum-chiller. The air-conditioner vents are smartlydesigned and positioned, which rotate and swivel to position the draught as

per your liking. However, there are several signs of cost cutting, whichbecome evident with the missing climate control and electronic outer rear-view mirror (ORVM) adjuster. The seats of the Etios are wide, offer the rightbackrest angle and are quite comfortable. The fabric looks rugged and built tolast. We got to test the top of the line VX variant, which has a sporty redcombination for the seats' fabric and a matching red gear knob. The bestaspect about the VX's interior is probably the flat-bottom steering wheelwrapped in leather.

The Manza's rear seats are wide and contoured. The centre armrest has cup-holders, which is a good touch. This Tata has the best interior and even a DCsocket for rear-seat passengers. The Manza's offers 460 litres of boot space,but the intrusion of the C-pillars looks akward. The dual tone interior of theManza looks upmarket. The Dzire offers the least space and it becomesuncomfortable to fit three adults on the rear bench. It has the smallest bootwith 440 litres of space. The Maruti's dashboard and console look neat but aface-lift would be welcome.

The Dzire interior has a combination of black and grey, which will soon get amuch-needed upgrade with the onset of the all-new Swift and Dzire scheduledlater this year. The rear seats of the Maruti are comfortable, though a littletight for three adults compared to the well-cushioned seats of the Etios andthe Manza. The Toyota does not have a centre arm-rest in the rear like theother two, the rear seats don't fold nor are they contoured as in the Manza,which gives the passengers a more snug feel in the Tata. The good build andfinish are as expected of Toyota, but the plastic quality of the Etios failed toimpress. It lacks the upmarket feel. In comparison, the Manza uses a bettercombination of quality material, which gives the interior of the Tata an edge

over others. The trump card in respect of the Toyota's interior is its massive595-litre boot space, which can easily give most cars even a segment above a

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run for their money. Since Indians are not known to be light travellers, theextra 150 litres of storage space will add a lot of weight to their buyingdecisions.

The Etios' smooth 1.5-litre motor is the largest that churns out a massive 132Nm of torque and is also the most fuel-efficient. The Manza's 1.4-litre Safiremill has good punch, but its low fuel-efficiency can put one off. The Maruti's1.2-litre K-series motor is peppy, reliable and fuel-efficient too.

As expected, all the three cars have very different driving dynamic and, asthey say, one man's poison can be another's medicine. The Dzire has themost familiar driving position and is also very engaging. The 1.2 litre, K-series,Suzuki motor is very peppy, but also the least powerful of the lot with 85 PSand a torque of 113 Nm. The Manza's 1.4 litre Safire mill, borrowed from FIAT,produces 90 PS and 116 Nm of torque. But what works against the above twocars and in favour of the Etios is the power-to-weight ratio. The Etios is just930 kg, making it over 100 kg lighter than the other two. It has a very able,and also the largest, 1.5-litre motor that can churn out 90 PS and amagnificent 132 Nm of torque. The light weight and the torquey nature of theEtios give it amazing driveability; even after driving for hours there is no signof fatigue. It is also the noisiest, with a distinct murmur and some of it doespenetrate into the cabin. Yet it is the fastest to get off the mark thanks to itsgearing, which feels a little short. Maybe because the sedan will share thegearbox with its sibling hatchback, the Liva, which will be powered by a

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smaller 1.2-litre engine. We achieved a top speed of 171 km/h, which is morethan adequate in this segment. In 0-100 km/h the Toyota is three secondsfaster than the rivals. The gear shift is smooth and due to the linear flow of torque one can speed off even on low revs without having to shift down,making the Etios very agile and great fun to drive around in town. The good

roll-on figures further strengthen its city driving and overtaking abilities. Youalso get a high driving position, which accounts for better outside visibility,though the steering wheel seems to be a mite low (even after being adjustedto the highest position) and might be an issue with taller drivers.

Aiding the visibility are the lean and inclined A-pillars, which are a bit of a

hindrance in the Manza. The Tata also has the heaviest steering and does notoffer adequate feedback. The steering on the Etios requires the least effortand has a fabulously tight turning radius.

Coming to the Dzire, it has a more neutral steering feel, which is why it hasbeen so popular, at least until now, among the enthusiasts. Like most Marutisthe Dzire has a suspension set-up that is on the harder side and opens upafter every deep ditch with an unpleasant thud. On the other hand, theManza's suspension has been tuned to absorb the unforgiving speed-breakers, due to which it sways like a boat at times.

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The low weight and linear torque help the Toyota achieve an impressiveaverage fuel economy of over 18 kpl. While the Maruti was a close secondwith a decent 17 kpl, the Tata lagged far behind at 13.5 kpl. Since the Etios ispriced competitively, there are visible cost-cutting measures like the fixedheadrest, single front-windscreen wiper and, as mentioned before, a manuallyadjustable ORVM and the missing automatic climate control. Otherwise, allthe three cars have reasonably good equipment levels with ABS, dual airbags,keyless entry and central locking. The Toyota also offers EBD.

Which one of these emerges victorious is a good Rs 7-lakh question and theanswer to it depends wholly upon what one's priorities are in a car. The Manza

is the best sedan in the entire Tata universe and does shake up competitionwith its good looking interior, comfortable rear seats and its big car feel.

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However, it falls behind in fuel efficiency, driving appeal, reliability and doesnot have the best after-sales record. This is where the Dzire scores. Nothingcomes close to the Maruti so far as their sales and service network goes, butthe car desperately needs an upgrade to maintain the appeal, as thecompetition seems better looking.

So, we'll need to have a similar shootout again once the 2011 Swift Dzire isrolled out in India. But for now, we have to admit that the Etios excelled invital areas like comfort, effortless driving, fuel efficiency and space. Theadded advantage is Toyota's brand image and unmatched reliability, makingthe Etios the easy pick of this lot.

The hottest cars of 2011:Part 3

We continue our coverage of the hottest new cars expected to hit the Indian market in 2011. In

this, the third part, we kick off with Nissan NV200...

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Nissan NV200

When: May 2011

How Much: Rs 8-11 lakh

Nissan Motors is planning to capitalise on the Indian auto market, announcing the launch of 9

new vehicles by 2012, and among them, the 'International Van of the Year 2010' NV200.

The NV200 will have an upgraded Renault-Nissan B-Alliance platform and is believed to have the

same engine which powers the Renault Logan: a 1.5dCi, diesel engine that churns out 85 bhp at

3750 rpm and generates a peak torque of 200 Nm at 2,000 rpm. The vehicle will sport a five

speed manual transmission. A petrol variant is also expected.

Skoda Roomster

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When: May 2011

How Much: Rs 16-18 lakh

Skoda plans to launch its popular MUV, the Roomster, from its global product portfolio. A popular

five-door model, the Roomster is expected to be launched in the mid-sized MUV segment, taking

on the Toyota Fortuner, Honda CRV, Chevrolet Captiva, Ford Endeavour and Hyundai Santa Fe.

There are 3 engine variants to choose from: 1.4L, 1.6L and a 1.9L engine in both petrol anddiesel trims.

Audi A3

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When: June 2011

How Much: Rs 15 lakh

After the huge success in the luxury sedan segment, Audi plans to flood the hatchback market,

too, with the A1 and the A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro.

The A3 has been given a high-torque two-liter TDI Clubsport Quattro engine that churns out 224bhp and 450 Nm of torque. Expect the A3 to hit 100 km in just 6.6 seconds, with a top speed of

close to 240 km/hr.

Audi A5

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When: July 2011

How Much: Rs 39 lakh

The Audi A5 is available in three major variants in the global market: Cabriolet, Sportback and

Coupé. For now, no official announcement has been made over which model will be launched in

India. however, all versions of the A5 come loaded with a FSI® direct-injection petrol engine and

TDI diesel engine which assures great fuel efficiency.

Audi RS5

When: July 2011How Much: Rs 1 crore

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Reacting to the R8's small but encouraging market response, Audi India is all-set to launch the

new RS5 Coupe to boost its premium high-performance image.

The Coupe will be available at an estimated price tag of Rs 1crore. Revealed at last year's

Geneva motor show, the RS5 Coupe gets a reworked version of the 4.2-litre V8 motor from the

R8, with an increase in power output which is now 444bhp at 8250rpm, while developing a max

torque of 43.96kgm at 4000rpm. This gives the Coupe a 0-100kph time of 4.6sec with a limited

top speed of 250kph.

Renault Koleos

When: August 2011How Much: Rs 17-20 lakh

Renault's first crossover, the Koleos, was first displayed as a prototype at the 2006 Mondial de

l'Automobile in Paris. Renault also displayed the car at the Delhi Auto Expo 2010.

The Koleos will be powered by a 2.0 litre diesel engine churning out a top power of 148 bhp with

a 6-speed manual transmission that allows the car to hit 100kmph in 10.4 seconds. The Renault

Koleos is reported to be available in both 4X2 and 4X4 versions.

Mitsubishi RVR

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When: August 2011

How Much: Rs 15 lakh

Mitsubishi plans to launch the RVR, its urban crossover, in India in the second half of 2011. Firstunveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2010, the RVR along with Skoda's Yeti could give India's

fledgeling compact SUV segment a boost.

The RVR's wheelbase is identical to the Outlander's but the shorter overhangs mean its overall

length at 4.3 metres is shorter too. Mitsubishi has launched the RVR with a 147bhp 1.8-litre

turbocharged direct-injection diesel engine in Japan and it is likely that it will bring in an India-

spec model.

Ford Focus

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When: September 2011

How Much:Rs 8 lakh

Ford Focus is the best selling car of the US based auto firm. It has been the best selling family

car in the UK. In the international market the Focus is available in sedan, hatchback, 2-door

cabriolet and coupe body types. But for India, Ford has planned the launch of the sedan version.

The Ford Focus will be loaded with a 2.0 litre Duratec 16V DOHC engine that is capable of

churning out a maximum power of 140 hp at 6,000 rpm and generating 136 Nm of peak torqueat 4250 rpm.

Maruti Jimny

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When: September 2011

How Much: Rs 7 lakh

Maruti has been in the news for some time now and has been planning to launch the much-

awaited Maruti Jimny, an entry-level SUV. The Jimny will be launched to phase out the Gypsy.

The SUV will be positioned between the Gypsy and the Grand Vitara and will have to compete

with market leaders Mahindra. The expected entry-level Jimny will be launched with a 1.5 litre

multi-jet diesel engine.

Chevrolet Volt

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When: October 2011

How Much: Rs 35 lakh

General Motors is expected to launch its first ever hybrid in India. The Volt was first displayed in

September 2008 at the 100th birthday celebration of the company and looks set to roll into India

later this year.

The Volt is a four passenger, 4-door hatchback electric vehicle which can be fully charged in 8hours in a 120V outlet, and in 3 hours in a 240V outlet. The Chevrolet Volt is expected to arrive

with a 1.4 litr, 4-cylinder engine.

Hyundai i30

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When: October 2011

How Much: Rs 8 lakh

After the huge success of the i10 and the i20, India's second largest auto manufacturer,

Hyundai, is planning to launch its premium hatchback model: The i30.

The i30 will be available in both petrol and diesel engine options.