| A mid-size car within a budget of about Rs 5-6 lakh (could be stretched a little if needed). The car will be self-driven, so it must be great to drive. Our driving is all in the city of Mumbai and averages about 30 km a day, with an occasional drive to a resort "" about once in two months! So primarily, will need a car that's good for the city (safety, fuel efficiency, efficient AC), but can handle the occasional long drive. |
| For the most part, it's just the two of us in the car (wife and me), but we do have parents, so it should comfortably seat 4-5 people. One essential fact is that the car must be easy to maintain (no exorbitant spare parts) and have ample service stations and a great after sales service. Both of us work, so good, efficient after-sales is necessary! |
| And I guess lastly, would be looking for a car that feels good to sit in (for both the driver and passenger) and comes with a decent set of accessories. So what would you suggest? The Ford Ikon, Hyundai Accent, Maruti Esteem or a Honda City (am not sure if it's in our budget though), or anything else? I know that's a lot of requirements, but I thought the more detailed I could get, the better. Mark McDonald, Mumbai Put in that little bit of additional money and buy the City if you can. You will earn that back when you are ready to sell it five or six years down the line. It is economical, fuss-free and comfortable to drive in city traffic, and is a safe bet on the highways as well. |
| It may be a little down in power output terms, but is still enjoyable to drive. Between the Ikon and the Accent, the Ikon has better ride quality. The Accent is a neat all-rounder of a car, but lacks any particular strengths. Both these cars are ready for a replacement or a facelift soon, which makes the City a better buy. |
| AUTOMATICALLY |
| I live and work in Bangalore in the, well, 'oh so crowded' downtown. I live about three km from my work place, and there isn't an instance where I even think about shifting to fourth. But yes, there are about a million shifts between 1-2-3, back and forth. I own a Maruti Zen that I really can't complain about. |
| But now I wish to buy a small car with an automatic gearbox. I have only heard about the Hyundai Santro Xing Automatic (which I know will set me back by quite a bit). But the car is a little stiff. My requirement "" small car, easy to drive and park and with an automatic shift. What's your choice? Sridhar Sathnur, Bangalore You can get the Maruti Wagon R automatic instead! It may be a little boxy to look at, but it is reliable, fuel efficient, easy to drive/park and comes with decent performance too. However, if you can afford it, go for the Honda City CVT "" the best automatic car in the country today by far, this side of a Mercedes-Benz. |
| DIFFERENT STROKES |
| I am planning to buy a new car. I want to know the difference between the Maruti 800 and the Alto in terms of price, fuel economy, city usage and passenger comfort. I will use this car maybe once a week. Which one would you suggest? H Suresh, via email Between the 800 and the Alto, we highly recommend the latter. The 800 is right only if you have an extremely tight budget. The Alto, on the other hand, offers everything that the 800 does, plus it's relatively new and safer. It also rides and handles well for a car of its size, and is more comfortable than the 800. Besides, there's hardly any significant difference between the two in terms of price.Planning to buy a car or bike?Ask us at |
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