New Ford Fiesta 2011 India (New premium Global Fiesta in India)

I was thrilled after receiving an invitation form local ford showroom to visit the new Ford Fiesta, test drive it and let them know my honest opinion about the car, just a day prior to its launch. Ford will be unveiling its premium global Fiesta in India on 14.04.11.

Yes it is official!!! Award winning Ford fiesta will be coming to India tomorrow. This will be second in a series of eight new global products that will be launched in India. (First being Ford Figo, which is a phenomenal hit from Ford Stable). The all-new Fiesta is the first contemporary saloon that Ford will be unveiling tomorrow in India. Company “One Ford” means that Fiesta in India will be similar to that of Fiesta in China or in Thailand or in US. Indian market has already welcomed this policy by accepting Figo with open hands.

Here is test drive review of New Ford Fiesta 2011 launched in India.








The new fiesta is built on B2E platform which is known for its light yet stiff construction. The same theme was reflected in the car exterior as well. Ford newly found Kinetic Design is very well incorporated to New Fiesta. Unlike its other competitors, the new Fiesta doesn’t look bulky at all. Sharp creases, flared wheel archs, swept headlamps, trapezoidal lower grill makes the new Fiesta more energetic as compared to earlier one. The boot is attached seamlessly which merges quite well with rest of the body. Personally I was impressed by the stylish FIESTA logo on the boot. Just by looking at logo, one can say that it is something new in the market.
The front and rear pillars are steeply sloped which gives a hint of sporty car, at the same time it gives a hint of cramped interiors as well.
Overall the car looks light, stylish and sporty and henceforth is definitely contemporary in looks.

Stepping inside, I was greeted by super comfortable seats. The seats lend enough side support to back and shoulders and hence one will not be thrown out of seats while maneuvering curves at high speeds. The generous cushioning makes the seating more comfortable as well. The interior styling is inspired by open wings. AC louvers, Audio buttons, all give a feeling that a bird is flying high.

The feature pack suggests that the new Fiesta is a Premium model. Fiesta will be first Ford in India to sport an Auto AC. The round Auto AC dial in Lower dash looks great. The audio is equipped with USB and Bluetooth and the sound quality is quite good too. The thing that stole my attention was chrome pedals that were perfectly placed and were hinting towards a performance sedan. At some place I could spot that plastics used were of cheap quality but overall the interior was good looking.
The only sad part in the interior was rear leg room. This Fiesta sedan is based on Fiesta Hatch which will be launched in India in 2012. The wheelbase of Sedan and hatch are same, which means that even legroom in both the cars will be similar too. Small windows at rear give claustrophobic feeling too.

New Fiesta offers both Petrol and Diesel Engine. The diesel engine is bigger (1.6L duratorq engine instead of earlier 1.4L duratorq engine). The engine is peppier and responds to even small push on throttle pedal. The petrol powertrain will produce around 120 bhp of power which makes Fiesta most powerful entry sedan (On paper it is more powerful than City and Linea T-jet). But on road city seems to be more agile than Fiesta. But this doesn’t mean that Fiesta is sluggish. Engine is one area where Fiesta customers will be delighted. The gear shifts could have been better though.
Another area where I was impressed was performance of Air-conditioner. One can feel the chill even in Indian summer.

It is needless to write that ride and handling of Fiesta is excellent. Superb ride and handling is encrypted on Ford DNA. New Fiesta chassis is even stiffer, which gives freedom to maneuver the vehicle at high speeds. The body roll is quite under control. Steering is electronically powered and is quick in response. The stiffer chassis will surely be comforting its passengers even on worst Indian roads.

Overall new Fiesta is a good car, but whether it will be able to leave impact on Indian market --- is a tough question. In a short span of time Vento, Diesel SX4, Fiesta, New Hyundai verna will crowd this place. And whether the idea of selling both existing Fiesta and new Fiesta together will work for Ford or not---- We will have to wait and see.

Why Buy: Latest styling, ride and handling, engine performance

Why Deny: Cramped Rear legroom, Brand (Yet to leave bigger impact on Indian Market)

Ford Fiesta Classic

Ford is keeping their promise of "One World: One Ford" by launching their global models in India before they are outdated. And they are reaping benefits of this policy as well. Ford clocked more than one lakh sales in 2010~11 fiscal year, making it fifth largest car manufacturer in India.

As per promise, Ford will be launching new Fiesta on 14th April 2011. But they find it hard to bid farewell to their old Fiesta. So, a week before the launch of premium global Fiesta in India Ford decided to launch their re-invented frugal Fiesta in India. They named it as Fiesta Classic. Fiesta classic is almost Rs 85000 cheaper than earlier Fiesta. Ford was already giving generous cash discounts in order to sell more and more Fiestas in India. But this time they managed to commanize interiors of Figo with Fiesta and hence bring down the cost considerably.




I thought of driving the Fiesta classic again to check whether it will still generate some interest in customers. Here is review of New Ford Fiesta Classic:

Figo and Fiesta Classic are built on same platform; hence it was easy for Ford to commanize the interior parts as well. The exterior of Fiesta classic is identical to earlier Fiesta, and probably it will cater to people who are still in love with its styling. I believe that old fiesta styling is outdated and Ford should bid farewell to its older model.

Interiors of Fiesta classic are totally new. Now fiesta has dash of Figo, door trims of Figo and even seats are of Figo. The seats are bit uncomfortable when compared to other cars of this segment. The seat height adjuster is one way. One will be amazed to note the gap between seat back and seat cushion after seat is adjusted at lowermost point. The door trims looks cheap and so does the front Dash. I feel it will be difficult for Ford to attract new customers for Fiesta Classic.

New Fiesta classic is repositioned Fiesta at lower price tag with few changes in feature list. The top variant doesn’t comes with leather seats now. The audio system is also changed and now it is same as the one used for Figo. The seat fabric is also changed.

The engines are still the same. 1.4 l Duratorq and 1.6 l duratec motors are still the same. Same peppiness was there in the car. I would like to appraise the ride and handling of Fiesta again. It is truly a drivers’ car. The steering is fast and responsive and chassis is built to take all the abuse of Indian roads. The only thing positive about Fiesta classic was its unchanged engine and chassis. Hope it might attract few customers.

The proven 1.6 Duratec and 1.4 Duratorq powertrains in Fiesta Classics will deliver on the optimum mix of gripping performance and frugal fuel consumption.

Why Buy: Engine performance, Ride and handling and Cost

Why Deny: Age old styling, cheap interiors, less comfort

Toyota Etios

Finally I got Toyota Etios to test drive on track. Let me share few things about “Toyota bharat” before I initiate Etios’ test drive review.

Toyota bharat has old habit of crushing the competition. It launched Qualis and everyone desserted Tata Sumo, Fortuner did the same to Endeavour and Corolla did the same to Civic. Toyota enjoyed the status of Market Leader in MUV, SUV and entry Luxury Sedan Segments. This time they have targeted the market kings (Read as Tata & Maruti) by launching Etios.

Etios carries a good brand name at attractive price. Whether these two parameters make a good car or it will be a failure in Indian Market? I hope to find an answer after evaluation.

Exterior looks are quite impressive. Length and width ratio promises lots of space inside. Overall the stance of the car is bold and yet simple. The straightforward waistline and edgy looks adds to its simplicity. The exterior is bound to attract masses for which the car is built.

After looking at the car, many would tempt to say that it is similar to Mahindra Logan and I would say they are too close. Integrated spoiler on boot with triangular headlamps is identical to Logan. But the build quality is definitely as per Toyota standards. The only negative thing I spotted was single wiper on windscreen. Toyota should have given two wipers to give a balanced look.


The car looks like Low cost car from inside. I must say that Hyundai, Tata and Maruti offer their premium products in this range. But for Toyota this is a “LOW COST CAR”. The etching pattern on plastics is coarse, carpet on rear parcel tray is quite rough, front seats doesn’t have adjustable head restraint, rear seat doesn’t provide hold/support, Jack is located beneath co-driver seat; all these indicate cost cutting measures undertaken by Toyota. Most of the steel bolts are covered by loose patches which are bound to get misplaced. Even the controls like Power window switches are quite hard.
Audio specs spell the goof-up that might have been there between Marketing and Engineering. The car doesn’t provide provisions for rear speakers. Marketing might have demanded for four speakers and Engineering ended the tussle by providing all the four speakers in the front. This affects the sound quality especially at the rear where road noise is more audible. Toyota should have added USB to its specs to score against competitors.
The cabin is not among the silent ones. Road noise, wind noise, engine noise, everything was audible inside.
The only positive thing is Leather wrapped steering wheel and leather wrapped gear knob. The steering is not circular and hence gives a sporty feel. The area where it beats competition is space. Etios offers good legroom, high head room and largest boot to keep the stuff. I was impressed by the space. {Toyota reads the customer needs in excellent way}. Ah I forgot to mention king sized cooled glove box. It is so big that one can stow his luggage bag inside. (A small one)

Powering the front wheels of the Etios sedan is a 1500cc four-cylinder 16-valve DOHC petrol engine that develops 88.8 bhp at 5600 rpm and 13.5 kgm at 3000 rpm, which is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The engine is quite powerful and reaches three digits in quite a less time. But once the AC is switched on, the performance of engine goes down tremendously.

I could not test the maximum speed of Etios as I wasn’t that confident while driving it. The ride was good, but handling wasn’t upto the mark. The body roll is evident if one tries to turn at 50 kmph. The suspensions are on lighter side which gives nice ride to front and rear passengers. The steering is bit hard but is quite precise. Overall ride and handling is good.

There is no doubt that Toyota has done lot of homework by studying Indian customers, their needs and their desires before launching this product in market. Toyota’s management might be confident of repeating the success of Qualis. Qualis was an outdated model, launched in India and no one was able to stop Indians from buying it. I am sure this model will also give good sales figures to Toyota, but whether the customers will be delighted after buying it or not…… Well I would say NO.

For second opinion read at http://automate4u.com/2010/12/26/etios-the-new-face-of-toyota/

Why Buy: Brand, Cost, space

Why Deny: Low quality interiors, NVH, Performance after AC is switched on

Maruti SX4 Diesel

Before starting the review, let me analyze few moves by the market leader in recent past. Maruti launched following models during past 6 months:
Five models with CNG options
Alto with K10 engine
A-Star with Automatic transmission
And today it has launched SX4 with Diesel heart.

Maruti Suzuki is doing exactly what a Market Leader is supposed to do in order to face fierce competition. It is using the potential of 1000 engineers sitting in its R&D office to make quick and yet substantial changes in the existing models. The frequency of these launches can also surprise the FMCG companies. (I can only imagine the mental state of the new entrants in Auto Industry).

I was lucky to test drive brand new SX4 Diesel on the day of its launch, so thought of sharing my experience on the very same day.

From the exterior looks, it is very much same SX4 diesel is very much similar to petrol sibling. The only way to distinguish a Diesel SX4 from Petrol SX4 is VDi/ZDi badge on the boot. Not many appreciate the exterior looks of SX4, but to put on records, it is the only tall boy deign available in Sedans. The muscular looks of SX4 impressed me and I guess diesel engine in Muscular bodied car should impress many more future customers too.

Even the interiors of the car are unchanged. Both SX4 Diesel and Petrol offers same feature pack across their three variants. The most amazing thing was the NVH levels inside a Diesel car. I was expecting some diesel clutter, but was welcomed by a silent cabin cabin. Kudos to great packaging that reduced the noise significantly. The kerb weight of the vehicle is increased by 55 kgs, so the suspensions were re-tuned to offer similar comfort to the passenger.

The engine is same (FIAT) 1.3L multijet engine, but is coupled to an all-new transmission. The same engine powers Fiat Lines, Fiat 500, Grande Punto 90hp and Tata Indigo Manza. Maruti calls is super-turbo engine and it comes with VGT (Variable geometry Turbocharger), which varies the angle of the vanes in order to provide the best possible airflow and efficiency. And for records: This car is also the first one in the country to conform to OBD-2 norms which are set to be introduced in India. OBD stands for ‘On Board Diagnostics’, which tell the driver if there is a problem with the car’s emission control system

The engine tuning is better than Linea or Manza. The engine produces 88.7 bhp@4000 rpm and 20.4 kgm@1750 rpm. The acceleration is quite high, and the car was firmly planted on the road at 130kmph. I felt that the car was perfectly under control at that speed. The max speed that I could touch on the track was 165 kmph, and I guess that is more than any customer would be expecting from SX4.

I compared the ride and handling of Diesel SX4 to Petrol SX4 and was disappointed by the results. The car looses grips in high speed cornering and the body roll is evident. Then I decided to compare with other Diesel cars in this segment and found that the ride and handling is pretty decent. The Rear suspension are soft, so it will give comfort to the passenger during straight stretches, but the body roll might create some trouble for him on curves.

Overall, it’s a good job done by team Maruti. Maruti Suzuki was already selling 1800~2000 SX4 every month. (this is quite good for any other car manufacturer). I feel that this Diesel car will eat some of the share of its Petrol sibling, but the overall sales figure should increase by 50~75%. Lets see how the market reacts to new diesel kid in the block.

Why Buy: Brand, Value for money, Good NVH, Good Engine Performance

Why Deny: Average Ride and Handling, Older Exterior looks (might disappoint some)

Maruti Suzuki Kizashi

A German Auto Analyst whom I met described Indian Auto Industry as most potent giant which is growing @ 14% annual growth rate. This huge auto market has been ruled by Maruti Suzuki for past two decades now. Maruti Suzuki conquers approximately 50% of the car market and it still managed to grow by 30% in 2010. This description by a German forced me think on Maruti’s performance in future. How long the market leader can sustain the 50% market share by making small hatches? When will they expand product portfolio by adding SUVs or Luxury sedans?

When bloggers like me were wondering over these questions, Engineers at Suzuki were working on something great. Engineers were instructed to craft a best machine where money was not a constraint. They worked hard and the result is out too.
Today Market leader announced “Something great is coming”. Maruti launched Kizashi (I am not sneezing….. It is pronounced as kee—zah—shee, meaning “Sign of good things to come” in Japanese.

Kizashi might not be an eye-turner on roads as far as exterior looks are concerned, but the build quality is very impressive. The front sports a large grille with a honeycomb mesh done up in a gun metal finish, the rear houses a neat inbuilt spoiler on the trunk lid and very neat triangle shaped dual exhaust holes. The neat lines give the car a nice wide sporty stance and the rear gels with the entire package well. The alloys gave a feeling of another BMW on road. To summarize, Kizashi has all styling elements present in a decent way. Henceforth, Kizashi can satisfy the needs of Niche people and create appeal in masses at the same time. The only disappointing news is that it will only be available in three colors (Black, white and silver) {I feel these three are the best colors for the car like this}

“Elegant” is the only word to describe the interiors of Kizashi. Rich Beige color hints towards the luxury offered by the car and perforated leather upholstery adds stars to this luxury. Utility Boxes in centre console and rear arm rest will open elegantly by a gentle push. 3D instrument cluster do the detailing job is a good way. Centre console comes down like a waterfall and it looks good too.
It will be tough time for people who always claim that in order to offer competitive prices. It comes with a neat in-car entertainment system, quality speakers, automatic climate control that is split for the front passenger and driver and it has rear air conditioning vents as well. In terms of features it overshadows the Honda Accord. Electrically adjustable seat with memory setting is offered to the driver and for Co-driver electric seats are introduced for the first time in this segment. It is needless to say that the seats are very comfortable.

Powering the Kizashi is a 2.4 liter petrol engine. It is J-Series (J24B) power plant from Suzuki which is capable of churning out 178PS at 6,500 rpm and generates 230Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. This engine is mated with 6-speed manual transmission. CVT option is also available. If one opts for the manual version the Kizashi is capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in under 8 seconds. The engine was more powerful than me, as I lost my courage at 200 kmph. I was totally enthralled by the performance of the vehicle. Despite the large engine and the rocket like capability that this car possesses, it also answers to the Indian customers in terms of mileage. Fuel Efficiency of 12.5kmpl is quite good for a car in this segment

What I noticed about the Kizashi was its ability to take corners at a faster pace. This is a car that handles extremely well, holds its line without discomforting the passengers and at the same time it is a car that is capable of offering a great ride quality as well. Flat cornering, comfortable city ride, a very quiet cabin and yet responsive, nimble handling are all combined in the Kizashi. Suzuki says it’s because the chassis was designed first for stiffness, then added to for quietness, while the suspension was tuned to be as accommodating as possible while still preserving handling. However they got there, the end result is impressive, both on the street and on the track.

After analyzing the car, I could only say that “Nobody understands India like MSIL does and it shows in the tuning, features and set up of this product”. There is no doubt that Kizashi is a good product, but whether market will accept the fact that MSIL can make luxury cars or not has to be evaluated after seeing the market response.

Why Buy: Ride and Handling, Build Quality, Engine performance

Why Deny: Expensive, No Diesel Engine

Volkswagen Vento

After a fierce battle in hatch segment, car manufacturers are gearing themselves for cut throat competition in sedan segment as well. Recently we had few interesting launches in Sedan segment as well (Corolla Diesel, Etios, Vento, upgraded Verna are few to name)

Volkswagen introduced Vento (Sedan version of Polo) only in Indian and Russian market. German Manufacturer designing a car specifically for Indian desires shows that the Indian automotive industry is the centre attraction these days.

Volkswagen decided to make a hit on bread and butter of Honda by targeting the market leader (Honda City). In the month of November 2010, VW has beaten Honda in total sales. This might come as quite a shock for Honda. I strongly feel that it is high time for Honda to unleash Diesel powertrain to stay competitive in this battleground.

From the exterior Vento is sophisticated. Though Vento is sedan version of Polo, still it doesn’t look like a boot pasted on the back of the hatch. The longer wheelbase and neat job on C-pillar give a clean profile to the car. From front, Vento is identical to Polo (except there is small design change in lower air dam). Quarter glass in rear window is like a cherry on the cake. Polo’s crisp lines around the body are taken forward in Vento as well. VW could have given the Vento the same bootlid opening as the Polo, where you depress the VW logo to release the hatch. But here, to open the boot, one can use either the button on key or on door trim, and to delight the user the boot will open completely without any human assistance!!!!
Overall the car has got contemporary styling and the stance of car will make the Vento presence felt on the road.

I noticed an amazing thing on boot. There is a Volkswagen Name badge on the boot which is missing in its smaller hatch. Probably Volkswagen wants to brand itself as a big car manufacturer in India.

I could feel the sophistication even inside the vehicle. The build quality is excellent. I tried my best to find uneven gaps inside the cabin, but failed miserably. The front dash is similar to Polo. Combination of dark color on top and beige gives a beautiful practical dash panel. The car is sufficiently loaded with features and one will not miss the absence of any feature. All the four power windows are auto up with anti pinch feature. Audio quality is best what one can get in this segment.
Few good and innovative are also there. The rear passenger can slide the co-driver seat using a lever provided at the back of front seat. This is a clear indication that VW has an intention of “chauffer driven car” while designing Vento. Front and rear arm rest are quite good. Infact Vento has widest rear arm rest (in this segment). VW has also introduced amazing security feature inside. After locking the car, the alarm will blow up in case of any control operation inside. (Kudos to German thinking)
But there are few points that may irritate the customer. The tunnel height on the rear floor is so high that I was tempted to call Vento a four-seater. I was surprised to notice that VW hasn’t given an option of locking doors to its passengers (only driver can do so). Even the direct rear visibility is quite poor. In terms of comfort the seats aren’t that comfortable. The seats don’t provide enough thigh and lower back support and even the head restraints were rated as hard. The major reason of underrating of Vento in Comfort department is: “I was pampered by the comforts of Honda city in the previous evaluation”.

The Vento comes with two engine options and the petrol has an automatic gearbox option as well.
On the test track when I turned the key, I was welcomed by huge clutter noise of 1.6 Litre diesel engine. I can not understand that how come a common rail engine was producing so much noise even during idle. The 1.6-litre four-cylinder DOHC 16-valve common-rail turbocharged diesel motor also develops 104 bhp and it churns out 25.4 kgm of turning force between 1500 and 2500 rpm. The engine is more powerful then its figures. The turbo-lag is also not very evident in Vento. The taller gear ratios offered freedom of touching 100 kmph in third gear. Acceleration while outstripping any other car on highway is quite good as well. Engine and I both were relaxed even at the driving speed of 130 kmph. The car is so good that it will always respond to the smallest taps on accelerator pedal.

Steering the vehicle was fun. Vento has got a light and precise steering wheel that gives adequate feedback to the driver. It has got softer suspension system. The advantage of this suspension system is that one can easily glide over the cobbled street without much disturbance in cabin and the disadvantage is on potholed street where the car will shake like a mixer grinder. Initially I was little skeptical about the ride quality because of increased wheelbase (as compared to Polo) but ride is definitely better than Polo.

November sales figures of Vento are close to 2500 units and Honda City sales dropped to mere 3000 units in November. The fight is tough and we can only wait for few more months to get the clear verdict.

Why Buy: Volkwagen Brand, Powerful Diesel Engine, Features inside and German Engineering

Why Deny: Less Comfortable and Rear Tunnel Height, Rear visibility.

Honda City

Few days back, I was travelling in Punjab. I asked for directions from someone. He replied by pointing at a car that the place is near by that “RED MARUTI”. In fact that wasn’t any red car from Maruti, but was Hyundai i10. It was really amazing to note that people still call small cars “MARUTI” and all big cars are known as “HONDA” in INCREDIBLE INDIA. Honda scaled this feat in faster way. City being their bread and butter model deserves all the applause for this feat.

The City has three generations of upgrades now. Honda City went through lot of ups and downs as far as enthusiast following was concerned. Lot of people never liked the second generation, as the new car was a disaster of a design when compared to its predecessor. But new generation was cheap (around Rs. 1 lakh cheaper), compact and was fuel-efficient. These parameters helped second generation city in writing new rules of the game. The third gen Honda City decided to have a futuristic design while incorporating a powerful yet fuel-efficient engine. Yet again City is ruling the segment. I feel that aggressive marketing, awesome quality, latest technologies and comfortable products are DNA of Honda.

The new Honda city hasn’t deviated a lot from its older sibling. The basic design content is still the same but the hood has borrowed few traits from Civic. The looks can now be easily defined as “Executive”. It is a mixture of aggressiveness and simplicity in righteous proportions. Evident arrow mark on its side body is carved out by the character lines and it gives dynamic stance to the vehicle. Smoky large head lamps and large front grille (with grin smile) add aggression to its looks. The only negative that I was able to point was skinny tires that look out of proportion.

There is a lot of negative feedback about the interiors of Honda City in the market. People feel it to be bit plasticky.
I feel that interiors are simple and are full of engineering innovations. For Example: black top of dash panel will ensure that there is minimal glare on the windscreen while overall beige theme will give luxurious feel to inmates. I literally sank in the rear seat. My full back and thighs were supported on the soft cushion and pillow type neck rest forced me to go for a power nap. Same was the case with front seats, where I felt the support of side bolsters and comfort of cushions. Even adjusting the head restraint is delight. All the controls are located where they are supposed to be located. The operability is also pretty fine.

There is no denial in the fact that features like CD player, Auto AC are missing from the spec list but Honda has guaranteed that whatever is provided is best in class. The audio is futuristic with superb sound quality. No CD player definitely dictates the trend of future. All the essential safety features are also in place. The only worry is the price tag at what I am getting least number of features.

The new city is heavier as compared to its older generation models. So I was a bit skeptical abut its performance. But after testing the new 1.5-litre VTEC engine that produces 116PS, I can safely conclude that this car will bring smile on a lot of faces. It is the most agile engine one can get in A3 segment. The engine is capable of catapulting the car from naught to 100 faster than any other car in its segment. But the experience isn’t all that pleasurable after 150 km/h (one can treat this as a big compliment to Honda city).
The new engine produces its max power at 6600 rpm as compared to the predecessors 5800 rpm, which means the car needs to rev more to give you some juice. The engine has been tuned for a good low end torque, which gives the car phenomenal response in city driving. And to top it all, these extra horses and tuning hasn’t taken a toll on fuel efficiency.

The suspension system of the car includes McPherson strut for the front while the rear has Torsion Beam Axle. The suspension system is rigid as compared to older model and it ensures best ride comfort. The Honda’s ride is quite supple and you won’t find any reason of complaint in most of the surfaces. One can handle the sedan just like hatches. All thanks to it’s perfectly tuned suspensions.

I had a preconceived notion that the Honda City is just over hyped product. It is quite expensive and it sells only because of BRAND HONDA. But after the test ride, my notions blasted away.

Why Buy: Performance, quality, brand image and comfort.

Why Deny: Looks a bit expensive (especially after seeing its equipment list)

New Alto K10 engine

We all know what Ratan Tata thought for the concept Nano. But here’s an amazing Fact:
“O Suzuki thought of making a car that would be one third the cost of existing car. So that women buyers and second hand car buyers can opt for it. And the result was ALTO launch in 1976. Alto soon became a world wide hit.”
In India Brand Alto was launched in year 2000. Few people guessed it right that it will surpass the unconquered king (M800) in sales. Another amazing fact is: Alto was launched at a price tag of 4 lakhs. It was much more expensive than Hyundai Santro. And now what wee see on the sales chart is the efforts put in by Maruti Suzuki to make the car more affordable for the Indian masses.

Present day sales: Alto market share is more than Hyundai, Tata Motors, and everyone else in Indian Market.

2010 Update: Alto K10 Launched - Base Variant Priced At Rs. 3.03 LakhsMaruti Suzuki launched a new version of Alto with the K10B engine. The Alto K10 launched at an ex-showroom price of Rs 3.03 lakh for LXi version and Rs 3.16 for the VXi version. The car will offer a plusher option with more punch and better fuel efficiency.

Front exterior looks remind me older Zen, which was my favourite. New angular headlamps with big grille make ALTO bolder and more mature. The restyled rear with new tail-lights looks modern, but small rounded tail lamps give a feeling of Chinese car. To accommodate the bigger engine the length of Alto was increased by 125 mm, and it helped to give new Alto a purposeful stance. Side body is exactly same which indicates that interiors haven’t changed. There is no change in wheelbase of the car. It now rests on 13-inch wheels and tubeless tyres instead of the 12-inch jobs you find on the current model.

Stepping inside, I got a nostalgic feeling. Many things were still the same when compared to existing Alto. A new steering wheel, with new instrument cluster looks good. The speedometer with bigger and clear font is quite user friendly. The new gear knob is similar to Swift, which gives a sporty and confident look. But somehow I feel the interiors still are plasticky. All grey interiors are drab. Even new seat covers don’t fill so much life in the interiors. But there is good news for the customers. Scoop on the back of Front seats and space beneath it increases the legroom. Customers still might complain for less legroom, but that is what one can get in this price. In terms of features customers can now get Power windows in VXi variant.
Seats aren’t very comfortable and noise inside the cabin is also there. But it is comparable to all cars with a price tag of around three lakhs.

The major change is the most refreshing one. Now Alto is even more powerful. On paper it is as powerful as Astar or Estilo, but on a straight line match, it can compete with Swift. Thanks to its light weight. Now Alto is more powerful than most of the hatches in segment. I was reading a magazine and it said that Alto K10 is not stable at 140 kmph. And that is the best compliment anyone can give it to Alto.

New Alto can be said to be a level higher than the current alto in terms of ride and handling. The ride is pretty smooth on highways and the car is much better poised and has less vertical movements compared to the current alto. Even on coarse roads and sharp speed breakers, the impact felt inside the cabin is much better and noise levels are also less. Damping on uneven surfaces is good and after lane change also it feels decent. Steering is not that responsive at short inputs but the response feel is quite linear. Grip on road is slightly less but good compared to Alto.

It is a good option considering the price at which it is offered. There is no car in direct competition to this king. And there is no doubt that the car will be the king of Indian market. It might get some competition after Hyundai’s new small car launch due next year, but I hope that Maruti wont be sleeping till then.

Why Buy: Brand, After sales cost, Price, Engine, Fuel Efficiency.

Why Deny: Dull Interiors, Cabin Noise, Slightly uncomfortable seats.

Hyundai i10

Twelve years back Hyundai was born in India. And today they have written a success story in Indian Automotive field. Probably many B-Schools will start focusing on case studies on success of Hyundai in Indian as well as well in International market. Most of Hyundai launches in A2 and A3 segment received warm welcome from Indian customers. The way Hyundai has fought against competition is phenomenal. Let me put few examples to show how flexible and how fast Koreans are:

Santro launch 1 year ahead to wagon R
I 10 launch 1 year ahead to A-star
Getz launch 1 year ahead to swift
Verna launch 8 months before SX4
Even their Ultra Low cost car will be ahead of maruti model by a year or so.

I test drove new kid from Hyundai recently. Hyundai i10 was supposed to be a full model change of Santro. But the market refused to bid farewell to their Santro. As a result there was expansion in product portfolio of Hyundai. Its always difficult for me to understand the fact that one of variant of i10 (Santro FMC) is selling at 6 lakhs.

i10 has got a minor facelift. Bumpers with flattened corners, new head and tail lamps, new front lower grill, Fog lamps give a refreshing look to i10.It seems flattened bumpers with twin front grill is becoming Hyundai family characteristics. These attributes give more compact and techy look to the vehicle. The new external appearance may not be to everyone's liking, but it has indeed changed significantly.

There was a pleasant surprise waiting inside, i10 has done away with all beige interiors. Already there were numerous complaints of weird reflection of dash on windscreen. This problem is now resolved by dark brown colour. But now the interior feels a little cramped. All new Blue illumination makes the interior livelier. New seat upholstery looks good, but semi fabric seats even in top variants is bit irritant.
i10 got even more richer in the field of Features. Features like Bluetooth, rear parking sensors, electrically adjustable ORVMs will fulfil all the desires of intended customers. Gearshift prompter aids in increasing the fuel efficiency. But then most of these features come in Asta version which is quite expensive. I strongly feel that Asta variant is NOT a value for money product.

Other than cosmetic changes, Hyundai has done few refreshing changes in engines as well. The 1086cc four-cylinder unit - now badged the iRDE2 - makes about 3 bhp more (68 bhp at 5500 rpm) and 10.1 kgm of torque. The motive behind this was to make it more powerful than Wagon R. (But I guess that’s only on paper).The valve diameter has increased and so has the lift, leading to better breathing and performance
The output from the 1197cc DOHC 16-valve 1.2, now renamed the Kappa2, is the same, at 78.9 bhp at 5800 rpm and 11.4 kgm at 4000 revs. VTVT in 1.2 litre is a welcome change too. Now as per ARAI figure fuel efficiency of 20.36 makes the car even more attractive.

On the test track, I felt that new i10 has lost the punch in initial pick-up when compared to older i10. But still it is better than other 1.2 litre engines in market. The gearbox is precise and allows for quick shifts, even gear ratios also favour zippy city driving. On the highway the i10's motor feels a bit wanting; it runs out of breath beyond 120 kph. It also doesn't like high speed directional changes. But keep it between 80 and 100 kph and it comfortably cruises. So I will rate it as best City car.

To conclude I would like to make some comparisons. I usually don’t like to compare, but for sale horse like i10 it is important.
Santro owners will not like i10.
I always feel that Santro provides more comfort. Wider and longer seats, adjustable head restraints (in old Santro), comparatively low seating and better utility spaces make Santro better option.

The i10 competes with the Maruti Suzuki A-Star, Estilo and the Ritz mainly. Compared to the Suzukis, the i10 is well-built and has quality components going inside. It is easily the better car compared to the A-Star and the Estilo, while the Ritz would win for its effervescent handling and a muscular 1.2-litre engine.

Why Buy: Size (apt for city driving), Zippy 1.2L kappa engine, trendy styling, airy cabin, Hyundai network, AT option

Why Deny: Top variant are expensive, not designed for taller people.

Maruti Dzire

To offer a Sedan at an affordable price is always a dream for all automotive manufacturers in India. In India we have many users who are driving hatchbacks for years, some are looking for more boot space and few want status shift to next level at a cheaper price. Maruti stirred one more revolution by launching Dzire. Within 18 months of its launch, magical figure of 1 lakh was touched. This figure itself explains everything about the car. After surveying existing users I was amazed to see that most of them rate their car 5/5 on performance, specifications, features and everything. from Maruti.

The heart car is identical to Swift till B-Pillar. Maruti has smartly added boot to the smart car. Initially I hated the boot job done on swift, but now after seeing so-many Dzires on road I have started loving its shape. The chrome garnish on the boot-lid adds substance to overall design. I can not point out any glitches in the exterior looks even after watching it like a critic. Still I feel that Maruti could have done a better boot job.

Interiors are also similar to swift. All black interiors might give sporty feeling to some users while its shady interiors to others. Swift and dzire were the first cars to introduce features like Auto AC and Steering mounted audio controls in A2 and A3 segment. Later these features became so popular that now almost every car maker has to think twice before not offering these features.
The seats also offer nice comfort. The rear seat back angle is even more than swift to offer best in class comfort. Integrated audio looks good too, but I was not impressed by the sound quality. I guess that can be the only negative point in entire car.

Taking the car onto test track was amazing fun. In linear acceleration the car is even more stable than swift. (For users who have not driven swift: At 160kmph you will feel as if the engine can stretch even more. Thanks to its stability feel). On cornering, I feel a there was little under steer, but that is common feature in all sedans. Suspensions impressed me yet again by providing comfort to its occupants on potholed street. The only irritant was metal noise coming from B-pillar. The car is just average when it comes to NVH.
The tuning of Diesel engine is awesome. You hit the highway and you will surely be impressed by its performance. I was troubled by the evident turbolag on hills and had to opt for numerous gear shifts.

To summarize, it is one of the best option available in Indian Market. Dzire (Aptly named as such?) fulfils all the dzires of its target customers. The only request we can make to Maruti is to do something to reduce the waiting period of this car. Having won good accolades, it is sure worth a good buy!

Why Buy: Cost, Performance, Features, After sales cost, Brand

Why Deny: Waiting period

Indigo Manza

Few months back I tested the car with the longest name. It is an indigenous entry with Italian heart. The full name of the actor of this plot is: “Tata Indigo Manga Quadrajet/Saphire 90 Aura Plus". Before even looking at the vehicle I was sure that Tata product will give me ample space at competitive pricing. And after looking at the vehicle I was tempted to ask --- Whether Tata is making any money out of it?

From its front looks one might be tempted to call it Indica Vista with a boot, but it would be huge disservice to Tata’s who have came a long way after launching Indica way back in 1998. Manza has (50mm) longer wheelbase as compared to Indica Vista and the boot is grafted in a very subtle manner. The rear look will give a feel of Retro Look which might get little hatred. Front looks are quite similar to Indca Vista, then longer wheelbase promises more space than Vista and well crafted boot acts like a bonus. But when compared to its competitors, Manza will get just average rating in Looks department.

Interior quality is far better when compared to Tata Standards, but is still very behind the standards set by Ford and Maruti in this Segment. I gave Thumbs up to Soft Touch IP, Driving Information, Rear Arm rest, Broad Seats and huge leg room. But glaring gaps on door trims, heavy looking steering wheel and awkward pedal position will make you realize that this is not the best product in the market. Tata tried to give its best to Manza by hiring Bluetooth technology from Fiat and by introducing Airbag and ABS in its car. But somehow I was never impressed after using all the features. Small controls on steering were difficult to operate, Audio settings were not user friendly, Opening and closing of door was not pleasant and to top it all heavy feeling while tuning the key inside key cylinder were irritating factors.

On the test track, I felt the power of 90 hp. 1.3 litre multijet engine with variable geometry turbocharger is available only in Fiat Linea and Manza. But somehow Linea tuning is far better than Manza. I hit the top speed of 163 kmph in Manza but trust me it wasn’t the safest drive test. Steering effort will reduce considerably at high speeds, which is quite risky as it will not give appropriate amount of feedback from the road. Even lane changing at 80kmph was the most difficult stunt one could perform on this car. So in terms of Ride and handling I will rate it below average.

Then I tested the feel of chauffer driven vehicle. Even the rear seat wasn’t very comfortable on potholed roads. But nonetheless I will be looking towards next Tata product. They are improving at a much faster rate.

Why Buy: Space, Cost and Engine

Why Deny: Compromise on driving pleasure, Jerks on rear seat, Handling at higher speeds, Interior quality.

New Skoda Fabia

I really dont want to see the new Fabia. The reason was simple-with the kind of regard I had for the old Fabia, I didn’t want to see a stripped down version and change the image I had in my mind of the first true luxury hatch in India. But, I was left with no choice and had to go to check her out.

One first look at the car and I slightly felt comfortable. The car, though cheap by around 70k compared to the previous avatar, did not look as bad as I had expected. Instead, the fresh new face, with the wider peeled headlamps and bold new grille and the monstrous looking fog lamps, gave it a character, like some of its higher priced siblings. The flow lines from the sides of the bonnet gel with the upper grille so well, and looked inviting. The lower grille had also received fair amount of makeup, and with the low air dam at front, the car gave an impression of a toned up version of the old Fabia. The car length has also been increased by 8 mm and comes quite close to the line of control between a compact and an entry mid car. The height has also, gone up by 8mm, and the ground clearance by 12mm, which is…huge. Skoda seems to have learnt from the previous experiences with the old Fabia, which never spared a decent speed breaker on its path. The new alloys give it a much bolder stance. But, what came as a shock to me was the fact that Skoda has done away with the elegant sunroof atop the old car. Also the rear wiper as also nowhere to be seen, thanks to the cost lowering exercises. But overall, the car appeared sleek and better poised than the old Fabia. Truly Fab, is it?

To answer the question, we stepped inside and was greeted by the same familiar cabin that had taken its place in the old Fabia. Everything were pretty much the same and I was happy the car had not lost its charm owing to cost reduction. Every single panel looked as it was born to fit inside and the kind of build quality that is associated with a Skoda is still very much alive in the new Fabia as well. The steering looked same as before, but the dials of the speedo and odometer were tinkered with. The two spoke needles were replaced by new single spoke ones, and also the quality of the console was also a bit below the old car. It was then I noticed some change in the music system and controls. The old system with a big knob at centre gives way to a new system, with twin knobs and switches all around. A welcome addition was an Aux-in port and a power outlet on the floor console. The overall interior conveyed an impression of high quality standards, and I could hardly find any part that could give me a proof of the frugal cost reduction done in the car. New features include pinch guard protection on all four power windows and a 3 way adjustable parcel shelf, but the best of the lot was the vents for rear cooling given under the front seats. Skoda, has definitely put in a lot of thinking in to this hatch to make it better appealing to the Indian buyers.

Then came the next big step, a test drive. I was thrilled. But, my happiness was short lived as I was informed that the car could not be taken out on the highway owing to the incomplete registration process. I had to satisfy myself with a ride around the park. I started the diesel motor and waited for the thrums of the engine. But, the wait never seemed to end. I was surprised to find that the car was quite silent as compared to its predecessor, which was regarded as a luxury tractor on road. I engaged the gear and the car leaped forward. The throttle response was brisk and the steering, responsive enough. But the steering was not as light compared to some other cars, and I had a not so good time reversing and parking. The ride also appeared decent on the broken roads and had a comfy feel. The brakes when applied, feels lost for a while, but comes to your rescue all of a sudden, creating a slight panic feeling.

Overall, the car, in its new avatar has made a complete turn around. Offering almost all features as its competition, and quite aggressively priced, I feel this car will be a true game changer for Skoda. Truly Fab…it is…


Why Buy: Luxury Feel, Ride, Comfort, Cost (No longer expensive) and Brand

Why Deny: Service and spare parts cost

Volkswagen Polo

I woke up one fine morning to see a twelve page advertisement in Times of India. That was a clear signal that a tusker will start running soon in India. Few days later there, acquisition of 20% share in Suzuki Motor Corporation showed that Volkswagen do not want to take any risk in a market like India. The goal of becoming Numero Uno is clear in the minds of top management.

Equal efforts might have been poured to select the product that will begin the entry of the giant in the most challenging market. Considering the inclination of the Indian customers towards small cars and their liking for anything that offers them real value for money, and having a well established performer under its sleeve, selling over 2.1 lakh units in 2009 in just the top 4 European markets alone, the answer was simple. Bring in the Polo.

Volkswagen Polo is a well build car. Sharp creases all round its body, Hexgonal front facia, Small Panel gaps, clear head lamps and even the stance of the car point towards the sophisticate look of the vehicle. Among all other cute and beautiful cars, Polo stands like a gentleman.

This perfection is carried inside the cabin also. The dual colored interiors with chrome all around will greet its passenger with elegance. I was not able to locate any abnormal panel gaps inside the vehicle. The sound quality is the best one can get with a factory fitted audio. Instead of 4 speakers Volkswagen has opted for four sub-woofers to sit besides the mesh in the door. Even the stair pattern visible on audio controls assists the driver to operate in much better way.

But this all good story was soon broken by the ignition of the engine. The petrol engine sounds more than a diesel one. Every vibration of the engine is audible inside. It was difficult for me to settle down in a comfortable position on driver’s seat. It seems like VW has designed the car keeping the interests of its European customers and not Indians in mind. Pedal position quite awkard and one may get a problem of achy feet after driving it in city.

Accelerate, and the car moves forward in a calm and composed manner, as if unfazed by the world around. The ride is good at both low and high speeds and over all unsettled surfaces and feels quite relaxed. There is absolutely no problem in ride and handling department even if one decides to test it in extreme conditions. Cornering on a dirt track at high speeds is a no problem for Polo. The steering feels light at low speeds and taking it around in the city won’t be a tiring experience.

The problem of front seat was carried forward to rear passenger as well. It is difficult to be comfortable with a upright seat back. Tunnel in between (meant for 4WD) will make the ride even more uncomfortable for fifth passenger. It lacks many luxury features like Auto AC, USB Port and Electrically adjustable ORVM, but when it comes to buying decision, car has a good balance between all features.

Why Buy: Decent looks, Build quality, Luxury Interiors, Ride and Handling, Brand
Why Deny: Rear+Driver Seat Comfort, Noisy Engine, Less responsive engine.

Nissan Micra

Nissan tries to revamp its entire model offerings. It has plans to launch cars in all segments based on single platform. A small hatch has already been launched in Indian market and a sedan, MPV are much awaited cars on same V-Platform.
First, lets get into some statistics. Since the launch of Nissan Micra, Nissan India sales have grown by around 20 times over the same period last year. Nissan Micra has touched a sales figure of 1200 per month in India. The number might sound too small, but considering a small network of 19 dealers it can be termed as a magnificent job.
I was impressed by the exterior looks of the vehicle. As compared to other premium hatches, this car has surely brought unique identity. The smiling face, roundness feel everywhere and Slopping roofline give a cute look to the vehicle. Micra can be termed as mini Beetle and trust me it wont be an insult to curves to Volkswagen Beauty. The rear with its flat looks, is bit awkward but overall car will not disappoint with its exterior looks.
There is no need to pull the keys out of your pocket to enter the car. It just require a push on the request switch. Once seated, electric push start will give a classy feel. Micra is the first car in the segment to offer these features. One look around, and I was quite impressed by the look and layout of the instrument panel. The round theme followed all around, starting from the audio, AC controls and vents, dashboard, and not to forget, the steering wheel. The metallic finish, orange back lights and the greige color scheme gave a lively and cheerful atmosphere inside. Top variant is fully loaded and it flaunts features which are not even present in entry sedans.
But the story was different for lower variants of Micra. The lower variants carry all black interiors with no jazzy features. The lower variants may give a feel of cheap Chinese quality. I feel overall interior package of low and Mid variant is average. Seat comfort, Space, and feel just a notch below the standards of a premium hatch.
Even when it comes to initial pick up the car is quite sluggish. It stands nowhere close to the performance of Maruti, Hyundai and Volkswagen. Even the car gave a poor show in ride and handling. May be because of its exceptionally low weight it just sways during swift lane changing and floats over smooth road. Even the experience of riding over is quite noisy.
Why Buy:
Exterior looks, Features of XV Variant, Value for Money
Why Reject:
Ride and handling, Average Engine Performance

Ford Figo

Ford tried its best to offer a new product which may revive Ford’s image in India. But after closely analysing the vehicle I came to conclusion that the concept of Ford Figo is more of a World Car than an Indian Car.

Ford is trying to revive its image by launching world cars now. Probably they will come strongly with the launch of “Ford Focus” shortly.
Figo tried to satiate the needs of customer all across the world and was named as “Indian car” only because it was specially launched in India. The only parameter that satisfied Indian needs is “ex-showroom” tag of Figo.

Figo tried to minimize the cost by sticking to basic knowledge. It carried forward its age old platform, henceforth saved the Research and developmental costs. Figo shares its platform with Fiesta, Fusion and Ikon.

Figo inherits exceptionally good ride and handling from its siblings. One can cruise through potholes, brick roads easily and cornering at high speeds is just like child’s play.
But I guess customer might need little extra when it comes to engine. Though it carries 1.2L petrol power train, but the power delivery at lower rpms is questionable. One has to shift to first gear after crossing every speed-breaker, all thanks to taller gear ratio of second gear.
1.5 L diesel engine from Fiesta also fails to deliver the punch in FIGO.

After the engine even the exterior looks suggests that Figo is old man car. Lowest height in entire A2 segment, side looks similar to Fiat Uno, etc might not gel with youngster image.
Once seated inside the Figo, I was impressed by the space. Ample legroom, decent head room {despite of its low height} were the major positives of interiors. But, the plastic quality was the worst that ford could offer. Even one way height adjuster in top variant was an indication of cost-cutting measures. The audio comes with Bluetooth connectivity, but alas the USB feature is missing. Even the optional brick-red color of dash for top variant is worthy of being hated.
The boot opening lever on the left hand will surprise the driver everytime.

Before customizing the car for India Ford only judged one parameter namely cost which might be liked by Indian customer. It’s true that every car carrying attractive price tag will b evaluated closely by Indians, but at the same time Indians like cars like Swift or i20 which carry premium price tags.

Well, in the end lets see the positives and negatives of the car again:

Positives: Price Tag, ride and handling, interior space
Negatives: Low powered Engine, Interior build quality, exterior styling

Happy evaluating :)