I am debating between buying a Honda Accord and Skoda Superb. The car will largely be used for city driving in Mumbai. Can you please advice which of the two is better in terms of performance and after-sales maintenance, etc?
Nipun Goel, Mumbai
Both cars offer great space on the inside and are comfortable for both city and highway drives. However, if you are looking at the two from a long-term perspective, the Accord scores a few more brownie points. Its cost of maintenance is lower than the Superb and even its after-sales service fares better than Skoda. It may not be as much fun to drive as the Superb, but still offers pretty good performance on the whole.
Second strike
I am looking for a second hand car and my budget is around Rs two lakh. This will be my first car. Since I have no prior experience, I would like to use a pre-used car for two years and then upgrade to a larger car. The regular running will be 20 kilometres a day to office, and similar on weekends with a family of four, which will mostly be in the city. As my driving is not much, I would prefer a petrol car. Is the Hyundai i10a suitable choice? Could you suggest a suitable model for me? And how old should a car be to give trouble-free experience for the next two years?
Sachin, Nashik
If you look around, it is possible to get a two-year old, first-batch i10 with the 1.1-litre engine. It is frugal, torquey, provides decent performance and is comfortable for a family of four. A well-maintained i10 of that vintage could be available for Rs 2-2.5 lakh. If you follow basic maintenance procedures regularly, it should serve you well for the next two years or so.
Simply the best
I own a 2004 Hyundai Accent GVS which I now want to replace with a new car. I’m looking at purchasing a car that is compact for city use, has good safety features and is fuel efficient. It can either be a sedan or a hatchback. I can stretch my budget to Rs 10 lakh. Which car do you recommend?
Rajen K, via e-mail
How about going in for the new Honda City. It is frugal and easy to maintain, boasts airbags and ABS as standard on all variants and has good interior space and comfortable seats. The overall dimensions are compact and it is a strong performer, both in the city and on the highway. The City also boasts of strong residuals when you eventually plan to upgrade or sell. It works out to be the best fit within your requirements.
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