Decision, How I choose Santro Xing?
I bought the Santro Xing XS on 26th August’04, after selling a 2000 model WagonR. Actually I was happy with the WagonR( except 11-12 KMPL avg. in the mixed conditions) and was planning to go for another by selling the existing one which was growing old.
But had a thought that again buying the same car will not give me a feeling of a new car. Also choice of colors in WagonR is very limited.
I considered other small petrol cars like Indica Petrol, Palio NV and Santro Xing, test drove all of them.
Discarded Indica because of the feedback received from the people and the inside build quality.
The new Palio NV is not as good in the pickup as original Palio and also the dealer service kept me off it.
Initially I didn’t like Santro Xing when I drove the XP model in the test drive, but the XS model though priced on a higher side is totally a different feel inside. You have a fresh feeling once inside the car, the quality of the plastics is good, the overall build quality of the car is very good.
Feedback
Initially the engine of the car was bit noisy and the mileage was also around 10 KMPL in the city conditions with AC. But after running it for 2000 KM’s and having the first servicing done it is a different car altogether. It is very smooth and giving me a mileage of around 14KMPL in the city conditions with 50% AC. It is very convinient to drive in the city, definitely far better than the WagonR due to its maneuverability, better pick up, torque and clearance.
On highways it is a pleasure to drive, overtaking is easy and AC being on or off does not make much of the difference in the pickup. I took a journey for Diwali to my parents at Raipur, Chattisgarh which is around 800 Kms from Hyderabad. We were 4 in total including my wife and kids. I completed the journey in about 16 Hrs at a strech from Hyderbad to Raipur. And the average I got was phenominal i.e. 16 KMPL with AC on and 18 KMPL without AC.
The only problem we had was with the space, the car is little short of space at the back seat in its class. Also the ride is bumpy at times in the rough conditions. And makes you tired on a very long journey. But journey of 300-500 Kms in a day is quite comfortable. Overall I was satisfied as I had taken the same journey in my mother’s Matiz and had the problem in overtaking because of lack in power.
Some typical things which I found different in Santro Xing is the
1) noise it makes on acceleration, which sometimes can be irritating when the AC is switched off.
2) The AC compressor makes a Hisssss.... sound inside. Which the Laxmi Hyundai representative says is common in all the Xings.
Overall happy with the car and will recommend to the people for city driving and occasional Highway drive.