Okay I agree - it is cramped, the ride at rear is bouncy and the performance wont set the roads on fire. But at 4 lakhs you cant get a better deal. It is not that the Santro is an exceptionaly good car. It’s just that the other are worse. Given the limited budget I evaluvated the other options before finaly settling for the Santro. Let me explain why.
Competitors:
800 - Dead and burried.
Alto - Too cramped and underpowered.
Wagon R - Didnt like the engine and design. Has good brakes and ride quality though.
Swift - How I wish I could own this car. But a little out of reach and roumors of paint fade.
Getz - Acceptable ride. Good space. Good engine. But way out of reach.
Having had enough reasons on why not to buy any of these cars I settled for the Santro. I had a test drive and found that the engine was refined though not punchy, gears were fine and the overall design looked good to me. The interiors were a let down. Mainly because the old dash was carried forward.
A week later and poorer by 4 lakhs I took delivery of my brand new ’Santro Xing eRlx XO’. To it straight to a car electronics dealer and installed a Pioneer head unit and speakers. First problem, well not exactly a problem, more of a design feature. The speaker grill at the rear are not big enough to hold any decent speakers. Problem solved by installing it on the parcel tray.
Drove back home with the new stereo and listened somewhere near the maximum sound levels just to attract some attention. But at the traffic signal it ended up attracting too much attention. The music was my favorite but apparently the cops were not going to agree. With the stereo now switched off I discovered a minor irritant. The parcel tray was bouncing on rough roads and it produced quite a rattle.
Discovered the second problem with the car when my friend was driving and I was in the back seat. The car is unbelievably bumby in the rear. Hit a rough patch and you are tossed around instantly.
But since I spend most of the time driving myself it was not going to be a major issue. To be honest I find the Santro one of the nicest to be driven in the city. High seating position, good visibility and relatively stable ride at the front means you begin to enjoy the ride through the city.
Just before the first sevice the fog lamps went kaput. Culprit? A blown fuse. Replaced for free under warranty by the dealer.
This car rarely sees the highways( if you can call it that). I dont know about any other place. But here in Kerala were the roads are incredibly bouncy the Santro proves within minutes that it does not belong there. But then again this car is not built to be a highway cruiser. But if you can live with all the shortcomings on the highway, the car will perform its part faultlessly.
My car is now 8 months old and I can tell that I am pleased. The car has perfromed brilliantly in its role as a city car. The tray still rattles, but this car is built for the city - easy to drive and park, a responsive engine, supportive seats and feels reasonably well built. At 13 KMPL in the city with the air con on it is not burning a huge hole in my pocket either. A good air con, fog lamps, rear defogger, front and rear power windows etc make the package even more attractive.
Cant live with its shortcomings? Better increase your budget because at 4 lakhs you cannot ask for a better deal.