Picture this?. A small urban family of three? has had a used Maruti 800 for sometime now?. Wants to graduate a step higher in the car segment, but cannot make up its mind. Have been to a lot of dealers and thought over quite a few models for factors like comfort, size, usability, performance (mainly by the husband) and most of all economics (mainly by you-know-who).
Since they really don?t want to spend a lot on the car, they decide not to go in for a big car and stick to a small car. Looking at the price options they might think of a slightly bigger car (read Indigo).
So, what options do these guys have? They can go in for the Palio (hubby is lobbying strongly), the Zen (both agree) or the Tata Indica V2 (hubby agrees reluctantly) and as stated above the Indigo (is it a little expensive?).
Lets check them out one-by-one:
The Palio ? Unarguably one of best cars to have hit the Indian roads. Great handling, superior comfort and safety, great looks and power-packed performance. ?I love it? ? says hubby. ?Take it easy my dear, we can?t AFFORD it!!? ? You-know-who. It is high on the initial cost, fuel costs, spares, maintenance and has a poor dealer network. ?We can think of it when the moolah is rolling in at a better rate, plus we already have a home loan going?. Hubby with a sad face, ?Yeah, I know?.
So what?s next?
The Zen ? You can?t beat a Maruti in India. The Zen is definitely a top-notch car in its segment. It comes in the Petrol and diesel versions. It has a great power/weight ratio and delivers a healthy mileage in and out of the city. The Diesel version can be thought of, since it is at par with the price of the Indica, reduces the fuel costs considerably and being a Maruti, is backed by the biggest dealer and service networks in the country (remember the TV ad ?yahaan aas-paas koi Maruti service station hai??).
Hubby ? ?But, you know what, the Zen is as big as our 800 and won?t give you enough space to manage the baby with ease?. The engine is noisy and the performance diminishes with the AC on. But overall it is a good car.
That brings us to the
Indica V2 ? Now that is what I call a BIG small car. Very roomy on the inside, gives a solid feel (virtually indestructible) and stays on the budget. It can be called as one of the smartest moves the Tatas have made in the automobile section. The Indica also sells in the UK by the name of City Rover.
Coming back to India? the Indica has proved to be a worthy candidate for our family in question. It does fit the budget, has lesser running costs (read fuel costs ? since there is a diesel version) and can seat 5 people quite comfortably (occasional visits from the parents and in-laws). Out of the three variants available in the Indica, the DLS seems to be an obvious choice since it has power steering and relieves the driver from the painful manoeuvring associated with a diesel car. The Indica gives you a strong and stable feel when you step in, albeit it doesn?t score in the looks department. It has been spruced up in the new ?refreshing? avtaar, but that seems to be the order of the day.
Fewer visits to the fuel station, comfortable long journeys and weekend jaunts make the Indica score higher than its competitors.
?Can, we go in for the Indigo instead? It has a turbocharged engine and shall give great power.? ? croons hubby.
?Later, my dear, later?
?Okay?
So, where is our family headed? To the Tata dealer obviously.