The Hyundai Santro is a beautiful little car which makes driving a pleasure!
I returned to India in 1998 from the US, and was aghast to see the state of the roads and especially the driving habits in India. I was quite sure I would never want to drive in India.
All that changed when I bought my Santro XS. Initially, I had intended to hire a driver, but when I interviewed a couple and saw how badly they treated the car and especially their manner of gear shifting, which is one of the most important factors for the life of the car, I decided to strike out on my own. The rest is history. I love driving my Santro. It’s a cool car which truly makes driving an enjoyable experience. The car feels smooth in driving. I quickly overcame my dislike for driving in Mumbai!
First and foremost are the flawless gear shifts. This is usually what I find to be the most tedious part of driving a car, and the Santro makes it a breeze. Gears change smoothly and quickly.
The engine at 1.1L is sufficient, although I would hardly say powerful. The car noticeably does not take kindly to rapid acceleration. Which is just as well on the roads of Mumbai, I suppose.
The power steering is effortless and smooth.
The features of the car, from the plush seat covers to the chrome door handles, side view mirrrors to night, vanity and sunguard mirrors, all add to the ambianceand utility. The leather steering wheel that comes with the XS is a pleasure to handle and gives a whole new dimension to the driving experience. I recommend the leather steering wheel to all those who bought a model that came without it.
One disadvantage is the lack of manual window levers in the XS, which comes only with power windows. A manual option to lower windows should have been provided as a backup in case the power system falters for any reason.
The provisions for speaker systems also do not leave space for oval back speakers, so one is forced to buy round speakers for the back unless one installs them elsewhere.
A BIG disadvantage is the fuel efficiency: I got ony 7.5-8 km/l before the second service. The dealer kept telling me fuel efficiency would improve after the second service, when all engine components have a chance to set in.
Well, they were right: it improved, but only marginally to 9.25 km/l. I read reports of people getting 13 km/l, and wonder how they manage to. Of course, fuel efficiency is said to be directly a function of driving habits.
I strictly follow the manual’s recommendation for fuel efficiency: 1->2 gear at 20 km, 2->3 gear at 35 km, 3->4 gear at 50 km and 4->5 gear at 60 km. Since the manual says that sticking to this schedule gives maximum fuel efficiency, I wonder how people can get 13 km/l when I get only 9.25 km/l.
The car’s cooling system is magnificient, and even under the most demanding circumstances such as a hot summer afternoon with AC on, the engine temperature is maintained perfectly.
The car does come in a model with ABS (Antl-Lock Braking Systems) but ABS is not publicized sufficiently by the dealers. I was unaware of the same, else it would hae been a useful addition for a long-term buyer like me.
The tall-boy dimensions make getting into and out of the car a breeze, especially for senior citizen passengers. I hear that the car doesn’t ride too well on highways as a result of the higher center of gravity, but I haven’t had a chance to drive at more than 80 km/h on the Western Express Highway in Mumbai, so I wouldn’t know.
For anyone thinking of buying this car, I have no hesitation in recommending it. My decision was clinched when I read a review here on MouthShut by a mechanical engineer who absolutely claimed this was the best car mechanically that he had seen.
Subsequently, I was pleased to learn that Hyundai has even overtaken Honda as the number two selling company in the US. Quite a feat for a South Korean company, when South Korean companies were until recently dogged with an image of producing inferior quality products, to overtake a Japanese company whose name is synonymous with high-quality!
All in all, I am very happy with my purchase, but wish the fuel economy were better.