Before we begin, a word of advice ? if you are looking for technical stuff and automotive jargon, I suggest you skip this review. For one I am not an automobile junkie who understands the technical jargon and secondly I believe it is much more important to understand the features in terms of usability rather than in terms of technical references.
Additionally this review compares Indica V2 Diesel with other cars available in the same price range and category ? irrespective of the type of fuel (Diesel or Petrol) used in the car.
I have been an owner of an Indica V2 Diesel since the past almost two months now, and believe have driven the car enough to decipher its performance under various driving conditions.
Let?s begin with the looks and aesthetics of this car ? I would definitely say Indica V2 is a very well designed car, in terms of external looks as well as the space provided inside the car. In fact I would rate the Indica as the best designed car in the category of small and compact cars. By the way I bought a DLS version of the car and this version features Body Colored Bumpers & Power Steering as additional features when compared to the plain Jane model.
I am not satisfied with the interiors of this car though ? I also own a 2001 Santro & and have checked out Wagon R with a couple of friends. (The Indica V2 Diesel, the Santro & the Wagon R are all priced in close proximity of each other and more or less offer the same features) So when you compare the finishing of the Dashboard in an Indica with either Santro or a Wagon R ? you will be disappointed. The Plastic appears cheap and the finish is tacky for sure.
The Indica V2 DLS features a Digital Milometer along with a standard RPM meter ? here this car scores over its competition. The backlit display for the meter provides good visual appeal, when you drive in the evenings. The standard Digital Clock on the Dashboard is also appealing and a thoughtful accessory in this Car.
Where this car loses out with the competition is Telco?s strange policies to drive the cost down ? not for the benefit of the customer, but to probably increase its own margins. For most cars in this category Side Mirrors are included as standard accessory, however in the Indica V2 ? Telco only provides you with a Right Side Mirror. When you compare the air-conditioning of all the cars in this segment, you will find all of them provide you with decent performance.
It?s quite possible that Indica?s air-conditioner provides the fastest cooling. However for some strange reason ? and to probably save out on some cost, Telco does not provides a ?THERMOSTAT? in this car. Just imagine and air-conditioner, where you can?t control the temperature at all, so even if you are feeling cold you either switch off the unit completely or decide to shiver, depending upon your preference. I would give this a big Minus, this is probably the most foolish feature to save money on.
The rubber lining provided for the glasses (am not sure of the technical name) makes you remind of cars of the past generation, again a big let down. The quality of the bulbs for the head lights are not good at all, while driving on the highway you are literally going down a dark tunnel. Now I understand why a couple of friends changed the bulbs in their Indica?s and in fact also Indigo?s to special Halogen bulbs from the market. Again not a feature Telco should have compromised upon.
On using the air-conditioner during the late evenings or at night, an excessive amount of condensation is caused on the Windscreen, don?t know the technical reasons ? but have seen this problem in most cars from Teclo. This is a big mood dampener, since you have to keep on using the wiper, which further reduces the visibility.
When you compare the driving comfort of an Indica V2 Diesel with it?s contemporaries which run on petrol, you will be disappointed. I know very well that a Diesel engine in this category can?t give you a similar driving pleasure when compared to a petrol engine ? but my point is why would someone buy this car if you are getting a better car (feature wise) and a better driving experience for the same price? I will answer this question myself later in this review.
The Power Steering doesn?t feel like a true power steering to me ? when compared to Santro, which I have been driving for a long time now. Consequently Indica is difficult to handle and maneuver when compared to Santro or Wagon R. Due to the Diesel engine, you will find the power wanting when you start off from say a stop at the signal, similarly on inclines you will feel the car not responding. However, the driving experience on a highway is pleasant ? once you reach speeds of 80 KMPH and above.
If you have read my review carefully, you must be wondering why does Indica sell so well in the market. The answer is pretty simple ? it?s economical to use the Indica when compared to cars in the same category running on Petrol. To give you an example, whenever I Travel to Mumbai from my place in Silvassa ? which is about 200 KM, a to & from trip usually costs me nearly Rs.1000 per trip, the same on my Indica costs me somewhere about Rs.450. That helluva lot of money whatever way you look at it.
In most countries Diesel & Petrol sell for about the same price ? since the cost of manufacturing is same. However, in India Diesel is subsidized and so sells at a lower price. I am told that?s not going to last forever and sooner rather than later, we will also adopt similar pricing for Diesel and Petrol. Hmmmmmmm???.. that makes me think, where would that leave a car like Indica??????
Ps: Oops I missed the noise part ? in short an Indica sounds like a younger sibling of a Telco truck.