Two much

I want a sedan and my budget is around Rs 10-12 lakh. My daily driving is maximum of 20 km. I want to go for a Skoda Octavia Ambiente or a Chevrolet Optra Magnum. Which is a better car for me; and which has better features and is more value for money? I was thinking that if I opt for the Octavia, then I will go for the Ambiente version. And in case of the Optra Magnum, it will be the top-end petrol version. But one thing I know for sure is that Skoda users have no complaints about their vehicles. Does the Chevrolet require heavy maintenance? Please advise me on the car I should go for between these two.

Anindya Sarangi, via email

Since you don’t drive more than 20 km in a day, you need not go for the diesel version of either car. Of the two, the Octavia is better as the self-driven car, whereas the Optra Magnum makes for a good chauffeur-driven car. General Motors is attending to its after-sales service setup very well, so you should not have any issue regarding the Optra's maintenance. So you can very well get yourself the Chevrolet. However, we recommend you consider a Toyota Corolla Altis as well, as it is a more contemporary and well-rounded car.

Mind over matter

I have been driving a Hyundai Santro for the last four years. The car has served me well over the 60,000 km that I have driven it. I want to now sell it off and get myself either the Hyundai i20 or the Fiat Punto, both petrol versions as my driving, as you can see, is not that much. The reason for going for the i20 is that it makes for the right upgrade from the Santro — it is spacious and good-looking, while Hyundai's service has been hassle-free. But the irrational decision is the Fiat Punto. I just love the way it looks and it’s a better car to drive than the i20. I like the steering feel and the way it goes around corners. But I am not sure about Fiat’s service. My budget is Rs six lakh and both fit in it. What do you recommend I do — follow the heart or the head?

Karthik Sankaran, Chennai

The i20, as we can see, is a rational decision. It is a good car to upgrade to from a Santro, as you rightly put it. The i20 is overall a good car across most aspects, and ideally, you should opt for it. However if you have lost your heart to the Punto, we can’t do anything about it. If your heart is set on it, don’t let us stop you!

Head to the hills

I am planning to buy an SUV. I will be driving mainly on highways and in the hills. I am confused between the Tata Safari 2.2 VX and a Mahindra Scorpio mHawk 2.2 Vlx. I have heard that there are serious maintenance problems with the Safari and also the turning radius is more than that of the Scorpio — which is a big disadvantage while driving on hill roads. Also, the body and the engine of the Safari are inferior to the Scorpio’s. But the rear space, airconditioning, gearshift quality, interiors, looks and suspension of the Safari are better compared to the Scorpio. What do you recommend?

Rahul, via email

Indeed, the Safari has strong points like rear legroom and better interiors. However, the car is a bit dated now. Besides it’s heavier too. The Scorpio is more suited for your purposes, as it is lighter and the gearing does a good job of extracting power from the engine. The Scorpio acquits itself very well on mountain roads and on the highways. Go for it.

Any automotive questions? 
Ask us at bijoy.y@bsmail.in