No, this review is not about the best twenty cars but about the best cars in their respective segments. There are mainly 6-7 categories of cars distinguished by their prices. So here we go-
A segment(2 Lacs to 3 Lacs)
Maruti Alto LX(new)- Allover a better car than the ubiquitous Maruti 800. Better performance(due to 5 speed gearbox), same mileage, better looking(with the new grille & stuff) & obviously much better safety make this car the largest selling car in India taking over its predecessor, the M800. Get traditional Maruti Suzuki service from allover India(even in the remotest of places).
Pros- Price, mileage, reliability
Cons-Interiors, looks(to some extent)
B segment(3 Lacs to 4 Lacs)
Petrol
Hyundai Santro- The ugly duckling has transformed into a beautiful swan now with the Xing version. A very responsive & refined engine mated with a good gearbox make this car a hit with youngsters & the practicality of this car make this car the one to own for older people. But in the mileage stakes it takes a beating(gives me only 11 kmpl in the city with air con on). Now has left the Zen, Wagon R & other B-segment cars behind with its erlx version with minor revamps.
Pros- Refinement, interiors
Cons- Suspension, mileage
Diesel
Tata Indica- The Perfect car for Indians who travel a lot(or are taxi operators). The V2 has good looks, price & is above all the cheapest car to run in India(except the tiny Reva). But there are many drawbacks too- The gearbox, overall quality, & the engine coarseness.
Pros- Comfort, running costs
Cons- Refinement, overall quality
B+ segment(4 Lacs to 5 Lacs)
Maruti Suzuki Swift- Was there any doubt about this one? It came, it saw, it conquered. Period. No hatchback has ever managed to create this kind of excitement since its launch. Don’t believe me? Have a look at the waiting list for this car. An absolute winner except for the cramped legroom & boot. It’s got the killer looks, killer pricing, killer performance coupled with killer mileage. Has made the Getz look pedestrian.
Pros- Looks, performance, price
Cons- Interiors, cramped interiors & boot
C segment(5 Lacs to 7 Lacs)
Petrol
Ford Ikon1.3/1.6- A little too old now & given tough competition by the Accent. The 1.3’s big car looks, acceptable performance & a host of other features makes it a VFM car. The 1.6 is a totally drivers car. Rocking performance, mated with sexy handling makes driving this car an exhilarating experience. But it’s a little bit too unrefined.
Pros- Driving Experience, big car looks
Cons- Refinement.
Diesel
Tata Indigo- Is all what the Indica is with better performance, boot & better interiors. This is the best VFM midsizer. This is what we all expect from Tata. But their Petrol engines are still not upto the mark.
Pros- VFM, comfort
Cons-Refinement, coarseness
C+ segment(7 Lacs to 9 Lacs)
Petrol
Honda City- A completely different car from the model it replaced. Gone are the sporty looks, oh-my-god performance, bad interiors & in comes the “in the vogue” practicality, user friendliness & generations ahead interiors. Also has very comfortable seats. Above all it’s a “HONDA”.
Pros- Interiors, mileage, practicality
Cons- Performance, looks(to some it looks like a damn Indigo)
Diesel
Hyundai Accent CRDi- The big car looks, warm interiors, good engine make the Accent look a bigger car then it actually is. Its only that the CRDi is a bit noisy. This is the car to buy if you want to go for a diesel mid sizer.
Pros-Looks, interiors, performance
Cons- Noisy
D segment(9 Lacs to 12 Lacs)
Petrol
Toyota Corolla- It’s a Toyota, remember? That’s what made the ugly Qualis a success. Everything is perfect in the car, from the performance to the comfort. But the main drawback is that it has a made-to-a-price feel. The build is not too good. Other than that the only drawback is that it runs on Petrol.(in this case I am forced to pinpoint something)
Pros- Comfortable, performance
Cons- Build
Diesel
Skoda Octavia- The first car to turn the Luxury car market upside down. Looks sleek, has practicality, built like a tank, amazing boot space, has sexy interiors, better mileage & has stunning performance inspite of being a Deisel. The only limitation is that the rear is too cramped. Rest its PERFECT.
Pros- Almost everything
Cons- Cramped legroom
Comments & Ratings would be welcome.