Trade in your Optra for a Chevrolet Forester (your second option). You should get a good deal and a perfect car for both town and the mountains. And the Palio 1.2 can stay. The Forester has great on-road behaviour, thanks to its permanent all-wheel drive system and a low-mounted boxer engine, and is extremely capable off-road too. Plus the low-ratio 4WD option can also help you get out of trouble. Diesel decision I currently drive a 2000 model Tata Indica DLE (non-V2). I live in Trichy, where the average temperature is above 32 deg Celsius. My car's performance is sluggish while using the airconditioner in the city. I am planning to upgrade my car and I have shortlisted the Tata Indigo LS, Fiat Petra 1.9D and the Maruti Esteem LXi diesel. My budget is Rs 5 lakh and my priorities are better mileage and lower maintenance costs. Please help me choose the right car. But it is a last generation diesel (it does not feature a common-rail injection unit) and is not as refined or peppy as, say, the Hyundai Accent CRDi. The Esteem diesel is not recommended, since it is as sluggish as the Indica, and anyway, Maruti has stopped production of their diesel-engined cars for the time being. Think small I drive a Maruti Esteem. I want to sell it and buy a new small car
Periyar Selvam, Trichy
The performance of the Indigo (though it has a turbocharged engine) is only slightly better than that of the Indica. Since you have used the Indica and aren't very happy about its performance, there is nothing wrong in giving the Petra a try. We just finished driving one for over 4,000 km and the car performed admirably well. Expect 16 kpl in town and 20-23 kpl on the highways. Take good care, and the Petra should serve you well.