Box office

WHICH CAR?

The Safari is plenty of car for your money. It is a capable machine, but it's a bit long in the tooth now. The Safari has been around for about nine years now, and the facelift and the Dicor engine has just extended its life till its replacement comes about next year. We expect the new Safari to be lighter, better looking and well-built.

Similarly, the Endeavour is also been around internationally for a long time now, and is almost truck-like. An Endeavour 4x4 is a better bet for you, since it can take a whole lot of abuse. But hold on for about two months if possible, because the Endeavour is supposed to get a more contemporary common-rail motor producing over 150 bhp.

Small thought

Which is the small car to buy, if one's using it exclusively for city commutes? Parking shouldn't be a problem, fuel efficiency and airconditioning is important, but critically, it should be a breeze to drive. I have been using a Zen for long now, but a tall car now seems to make sense. I was thinking of the Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo, I like the way it looks. Or should I stick to the proven Hyundai Santro Xing? - Mitali Agarwal, Mumbai

The Zen Estilo is a good car for city commutes. It's narrow enough that parking spaces appear out of nowhere for it and it is stress-free to drive as well. However, it does not have the perky Santro Xing motor or that snappy gearbox "" in fact, the Estilo's gearshift quality is squishy, though the engine is quite perky.

So you may not enjoy driving the Estilo as much as the Santro... or even your old Zen, for instance. But as far as city commutes go, it's almost the perfect appliance!

Fun factor

Hyundai Verna petrol or Chevrolet Aveo 1.6? I have been a satisfied Hyundai customer, so I am inclined towards the Verna. And I am okay with the Verna's looks, but is it more fun to drive? I just love the styling of the Chevy very much and I like its interiors too, but I read in your reports that it's not very exciting to drive. I won't be driving too much daily, only about 20 km. Maybe once in a few months, my parents and I would drive down to Mumbai. So what do I do? - Jatin, Ahmedabad

The Hyundai Verna is a new-generation car and the petrol 1.6 version, though not as exciting as the Ford Fiesta 1.6, is still enjoyable to drive. But it is conservatively styled and the interiors are quite sober. We understand that your heart goes for the Aveo, but since you are happy with the Hyundai experience, go for the Verna.

Any automotive questions?Ask us at bijoy@business-standard.com