Hatch plans

I have owned a Maruti 800 for the last 12 years and I am going to buy a new hatchback within the next 3-4 months. My budget is Rs 5-6 lakh. I am looking for comfort for the passengers, especially the rear seat passengers. My running is around 10,000-12,000 km a year. Will the Honda Brio or new Maruti Swift make sense for me?

Dr Kuldeep Sharma, Sunder Nagar

The Brio is a trendy hatchback but space and comfort for rear seat passengers are not as good as other hatchbacks. The Swift is an excellent all-rounder and its rear legroom and suspension is good. But if comfort for rear seat passengers are paramount, then we would recommend the Ford Figo over the Swift. It has good suspension at the rear to keep passengers comfortable — leg room is decent but headroom is a little compromised. You could choose between the Suzuki and Ford after taking a test-drive.

Ritzy business

I plan to buy a hatchback with an on-road budget of Rs 4.75 to Rs 5 lakh and have narrowed my choice down to the Ritz VXi because of the tall boy design (I am 6ft 1in tall). I require mileage of about 12 kmpl and I like the Maruti brand. My monthly usage would be about 1000 kms. However, now I am having second thoughts about whether I should instead opt for the Ritz VDi or any other diesel hatchback, considering that I will have to enhance my budget by Rs 1 lakh.

Mayank Kumar, Mumbai

Your choice of a Ritz is good as it fits all your requirements (height, fuel consumption and reliability/service). The Ritz is a fun car to drive and is a good city car too. As for the choice between diesel and petrol, considering your monthly usage of 1,000 kms, you strictly don’t require a diesel. The VXi should do fine for the kind of mileage you do — so you don't need that additional budget to be set aside for a diesel Ritz.

Sunny days

I want to purchase a petrol sedan in the range of Rs 6 to 7 lakh and I am considering the Toyota Etios Vx and Maruti Dzire ZXi. I have a daily commute of 25 to 30 kms. Which car do I buy? Should I be considering any other car?

Vijay, via email

Instead of the Etios or the Dzire, we recommend you look at the Nissan Sunny. The Sunny is overall a better car than the two you have shortlisted because it has good quality interiors, has a lot of features as standard, offers excellent room at the back and the engine-gearbox combination is well-suited for city driving.

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