This is based on a test drive of the vehicle in Delhi in March 2005. Model tested: BS3 which has power steering but note of the other goodies such as second row AC, power windows, etc....
I currently drive a Wagon R, from which I am looking at an upgrade. A rough driver and a regular vacationer on the hills I was looking at purchasing a car that can take the kinda roads we have in India, especially in the hills. I am extremely satisfied with my current vehicle whch has never let me down over the three years and 50, 000 km that I have done with it.
I decided to look at the Tavera bcos of 1) space, 2) Isuzu engine, 3) fuel (diesel) which is important bcos I do around 1500 km every month and lastly, bcos it was a GM car. The last factor is not so relevant bcos the company has produced sad cars in India till date.
Here is what I found:
Tavera is definitely great in Space and has the kind of second row leg space that one should ideally have in a vehicle - simply great when you have kids and elders sitting for long journeys. But thats where the good thing about the vehicle stops. Key issues include:
1) very erratic gear shift, thats not only tough to handle but very irritating,
- extermely sluggish engine, even by diesel standards (I have owned a diesel uno earlier which is widely recognised as one of the finest diesel engine), which simply doesn’t move....
Overall, it simply does not match the imagery that GM is using to sell this vehicle - a family vehicle - I would go in for it only if there were no other options and I had a driver to drive this vehicle...my two paisa worth :-)