Atomic kitten

WHICH CAR?

I was about to test drive a few cars and take a decision, but I got an assignment and have come to our UK head office. I'm returning in January and will buy a car as soon as I land. The Fusion seems to be a decent looking car with a decent tag. The Fusion has taken quite a bit of flak from the UK media. But I think this is due to the sheer number of models on the roads here. I had a quick look and it does look suitable for India "� space and fuel economy, as opposed to sporty and speedy cars. What do you think?

Muruganandh Gopalakrishnan, UK

The Fusion is a very good car for India indeed. It's brilliant to drive (based on the new Fiesta platform) "� good behind the wheel, sensible inside in terms of space and comfy for passengers too. Good buy indeed, but a bit pricier than it should be "� that's because of the Ikon sitting at a price point that the Fusion should ideally occupy.

Rs 6,20,000 in Delhi and Chennai and Rs 6,48,000 ex-showroom Mumbai for the base version. Ridiculous price for Fusion+ model "� value for money equation gets stretched thin here. The Hyundai Getz is better value for money, take a look at it too.

Highway runner

We own a Honda City 1.3, a fully-loaded Santro and a Maruti 800. I drive the Santro/ City and my daily run is about to increase to 125 km. So I intend to buy a diesel car for economy and would like you to help me choose between the Qualis, Accent CRDI and Tavera. The decision rests on fuel economy, driving pleasure and ease, cost of after-sales service and overall resale value. We prefer a car which will prove most comfortable to sit in. Any suggestions?

Sanjeev, Jaipur

From the list of cars you have drawn up, we suggest the Accent CRDi, especially the Viva version, as your first choice. The car returns 16-plus kilometres per litre, and therefore economy is a given.

While it also performs extremely well and is ideal for highway running, especially in conditions that require quick, effortless overtaking. In the time we have had the car on long term test, we haven't encountered any problems at all with the overall package, though the front tyres seem to wear out, with rough driving, at about 40,000 km.

Otherwise, the machine is very well put together and as a sedan, is a lot easier to handle for everyday use. If on the other hand, you are looking for a people mover, the Tavera is a good choice to make, though performance and fuel efficiency fall short of what the Accent can give you. Choose between the two, avoid the dated, underpowered Qualis.

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