Environment Unconscious

WHICH CAR?

We have had a Toyota Qualis since October 2000. It has done 85,000 km. We go to the hills 3-4 times a year, when our dogs come with us, so we need a fairly big car for this purpose. However, I also, increasingly, feel the need for a smaller car to drive around locally. My daily commute would not exceed 10 km, since I live right around the corner from my office. Weekend mileage in Gurgaon and its environs would not exceed 50-100 km. My priorities for a new car would be safety, ride quality, quality of service and budget, which is Rs 6-8 lakh. I can stretch that a bit if it would mean a dramatic improvement in, say, safety features. For environmental reasons, I would prefer a petrol car. I have thought of the Ford Fiesta and the Chevrolet Aveo. We don't like the look of the Mahindra Renault Logan and the Suzuki SX4, so those are pretty much ruled out. I love the look of the Aveo U-VA, but I am told by a friend, who did a test drive, that it was too light and did not feel safe. I should add that the car will be self-driven (as is the Qualis).

Sheela Joshi, Gurgaon

Before answering your question, let us clear two myths:
1. Petrol car (for environmental reasons): Diesel cars don't have a green image only because of old vehicles that belch smoke. In reality, diesel cars are 30 per cent more economical and hence more environment-friendly than petrol powered cars. A well-maintained, modern day diesel engine emits less toxic substances than a petrol engine, with comparable performance too. In short, differentiating between diesel and petrol based on environment friendliness is a thing of the past.

2. Light feel, hence not safe: Modern cars return better consumption figures thanks to lighter build. Lighter does not translate to unsafe, however. Cars today feature crumple zones that absorb impacts well, thereby protecting the occupants. Earlier cars used to have body-on-chassis construction, which gave them a "heavy" feel, but those cars were way less safe than modern cars. That said, your next car could very well be the Ford Fiesta 1.4 petrol "" it is a value for money buy and (we agree with you on this) one that looks good too.

Lady driver

I am a lady professional in my 30s, looking to graduate to a car from my Honda scooter. I have been advised by friends to consider between the Chevrolet Spark, the Suzuki Zen Estilo or the i10 from Hyundai. I plan to keep the car for the next 4-5 years. I will drive an average of 30 km daily, in Bangalore. I am looking at low maintenance costs and good mileage with the car. Since I am looking at keeping the car for a while, I am looking at contemporary technology. I am looking at buying the base model of the recommended car; is this good enough or is there a reason to buy a higher model? Finally, with the state of Bangalore's roads, safety is an important consideration. What are your views on this?

Vasudha, Bangalore

In short, you want an economical, easy to drive car, right? The i10 is a contemporary car and will hold its value well over the next four years. The Estilo is a very good city car with good performance while the Spark looks good and is good value for money. Our favourite city car these days, though, is the i10. It is available with ABS and airbags too. Test drive these cars and buy the one that you feel most comfortable in. Do opt for the ease of power steering though.

Second look

I'm a middle class Delhi-ite, currently working in a BPO at mid management level. I need to travel from West Delhi to Gurgaon, almost every day. I'm a speed enthusiast and certainly want a machine which performs, and do not want to go for the small segment machines like the Tata Indica, Suzuki Swift and so on. I'm highly attracted by SUVs (Mahindra Scorpio, Tata Safari) and would consider second-hand ones. However, like any sane individual, I'd like not to burn a hole in my pocket too! I've considered options like the old Honda City and Hyundai Accent, and have now got my eyes on the Suzuki SX4. Please help me choose the best car for myself!

Jaspreet Singh, New Delhi

After carefully going through your mail, we have decided that you will be best served by a nice used car deal. Why don't you look at used car marts for a low mileage Mahindra Scorpio? You will get an SUV and it has decent performance with diesel economy to boot. Scorpios are well built and need only routine maintenance to keep going for a long time.

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